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Congress now requires each school system that participates in school
lunch or school breakfast program to establish a local wellness
policy by the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year.
What
are the Minimum Requirements?
- Goals for Nutrition Education
- Goals for Physical Activity
- Goals for other school-based activities that promote student
wellness
- To include nutrition guidelines for ALL FOODS that are being
sold or are available on school campuses under the local education
agency during the school day (the focus should include promoting
student health and reducing childhood obesity).
- To ensure that the Competitive food sales are in compliance
with the Georgia Board of Education rule 160-5-6.01 Statewide
School Nutrition Program (that exceed federal requirements in
elementary schools).
- Establish a plan for measuring the implementation of the local
wellness policy.
Community Involvement- the involvement of parents, students, representatives
of the school nutrition department, school administrators, school
board and the public must be included in the development of the
local wellness policy.
PTA Involvement
The Community Involvement requirement has provided the opportunity
to effect change in not only the nutritional environment in our
schools, but in addition, the lack of physical activity students
will be addressed.
- Contact your local board of education and ask if the nutrition
committee is in place at your school or district level. If not,
ask if you can be a part of the process in developing the local
school wellness policy.
- You can also conduct a needs assessment in your own school’s
nutrition and physical activity environment. The School Health
Index, an assessment toolkit that is available through the Centers
for Disease Control National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention
and Health Promotion website: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/shi/default.aspx.
- In addition, through the United States Department of Agriculture
Team Nutrition Website http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/ -Changing the
Scene is a tool kit that addresses the entire school nutrition
environment from a commitment to nutrition and physical activity,
pleasant eating experiences, quality school meals, other healthy
food options, nutrition education and marketing the issue to the
public.
- If the nutrition committee is not in place ask how your PTA
can assist in forming one. Verify that all of the required persons
as spelled out in the law are asked to be a part of the committee.
- Determine your school district or school strengths and weaknesses.
In most instances, a comprehensive policy such as this might be
best engaged in phases. Please be sure to listen to all viewpoints
and realize that compromise and flexibility might be necessary
to achieve commitment and support from all members of the committee.
- Get the word out to your parents and community about this law.
- Evaluation will be ongoing for this type of comprehensive policy.
The school nutrition and physical activity environment will change
and you must be aware as a committee that adjustments may be necessary.
Local
Wellness Policy Resources
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