Wellness Policy

WELLNESS POLICY

The North Central Parke Community School Corporation promotes learning by supporting wellness, good nutrition, regular exercise, and a tobacco-free environment for its students, staff and community patrons.  The district supports a healthy environment where children learn about health and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, schools contribute to the basic health of children.  

SCHOOL WELLNESS COMMITTEE

The district School Health Advisory Committee will monitor and evaluate the implementation of this policy.  The following committee has been formed to comprise the School Health Advisory Committee:


Parent:  Rena Uplinger, Lori Bowles, Karen Francis, Bethany Tidwell

Student:  Student Council Members

Food Service Director:  Janet Lindley, Chris Crum, Tammy Breedlove, Elizabeth Rukes

School Board Member:  Kim Cooper

Superintendent:  Mike Schimpf

High School Principal:  Dwight Ashley, Scott Schulz

Elementary Principal:  Jenny Benjamin, Kristin Robinson

PE Teacher:  Amanda Elizondo, Shane Vandivier, Brian Moore, Amy Harpold

School Nurse:  Audra Long, Amy McCalister

Public Member:  Hamilton Center Representative, Parke County Health Department 

Representative School Staff:  Kerry Ferguson, Delisa Schelsky


NUTRITION PROMOTION


North Central Parke Community School Corporation will promote nutrition to the staff, students and community as modeled in the 5210 Let’s Go program.


  1. Nutrition message, consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, shall be present in all cafeterias.
  2. The North Central Parke Community School Corporation Wellness Policy will be available to staff, students and community stakeholders at all times on the North Central Parke Community School Corporation website.
  3. Sale of food and/or beverages not meeting the nutrition standards for Smart Snacks during the school day will be limited to two exemptions per school building, per school year, as set by the Indiana Department of Education Smart Snacks in Schools Guidelines.
  4. Food & Beverage Marketing: Allow marketing on the school campus during the school day of only those foods and beverages that meet the competitive food/beverage requirements (Smart Snacks)

NUTRITION EDUCATION

The goal of North Central Parke Community School Corporation is to teach, encourage and support healthy eating by students.  Student achievement and readiness to learn is enhanced with the promotion of student health.

  1. The school will provide a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors.
  2. Nutrition education will be included within health education classes and/or integrated into the curriculum of core subjects such as math, science, language arts, and social studies.
  3. Nutrition Education will follow appropriate standards set by the Indiana Department of Education.
  4. Professional development and training will be provided at least annually to food service managers and staff on proper food handling techniques.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

North Central Parke Community School Corporation promotes physical health by providing a physical education program, offering a wide variety of exercise opportunities through recess, after-school activities and extracurricular activities and by creating and maintaining appropriate facilities to support this goal.

  1. The physical education program shall provide the opportunity for all students to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to participate in a lifetime of healthful physical activity.
  2. The physical education program will include the instruction of individual activities as well as competitive and non-competitive team sports to encourage lifelong physical activity.
  3. High School graduation requirements will meet or exceed state standards for physical education.
  4. Students will be moderately to vigorously active as much time as possible during a physical education class.  Documented medical conditions and disabilities shall be accommodated during class.
  5. Safe and adequate equipment, facilities and resources shall be provided for physical education courses.
  6. Elementary children will have at least 20 minutes of supervised recess daily.
  7. Children will be encouraged to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity during recess time by verbal recommendations and the availability of space and equipment.
  8. Students will not be removed or excused from physical education to receive instruction in other content areas.
  9. School staff will limit the use of withholding opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education ) as punishment.

OTHER SCHOOL BASED ACTIVITIES


North Central Parke Community School Corporation will create an environment to support lifelong healthy choices, and consistently promote wellness, healthy eating and physical activity.


  1. Students and staff will be provided with a clean, safe and comfortable environment to eat meals.
  2. Students shall have the opportunity to wash hands or use hand sanitizer before meals.
  3. The schools will be open outside of school hours for the community to have access to the physical activity facilities.
  4. The School Health Advisory Committee members will include community members, parents and students.
  5. Students have the opportunity to be seen in the health office or guidance office during school hours as needed.
  6. In cooperation with the Vermillion-Parke Community Health Center, the Mobile School-Based Health Bus will be available to see staff and students for a variety of medical reasons when scheduled at North Central Parke Community School Corporation

Nutritional Guidelines for All Foods


North Central Parke Community School Corporation will provide and allow foods and beverages that support proper nutrition and promote healthy choices.


  1. The school food service program will operate in accordance with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010  as amended and with applicable laws and regulation of the state of Indiana. North Central Parke Community School Corporation will comply with USDA regulations and state policies.
  2. It is recognized that there may be rare special occasions when the school principal may allow a group to deviate from these guidelines.
  3. Pop and artificially sweetened drinks will be offered for purchase only after the instructional day, according to Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
  4. In order to promote healthier choices, vending machines on campus will offer selections of healthy snacks in accordance to the Smart Snack Nutrition Standards.
  5. Drinking fountains will be conveniently located throughout the school building for easy access.
  6. Classroom celebrations will focus on activities (e.g., giving free time, extra recess, music and reading time) rather than on food.
  7. Teachers and staff will not use food as reward. 

School Meals Program


North Central Parke Community School Corporation will provide and promote the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs to ensure that all students have access to healthy foods to support healthier choices and promote optimal learning.


  1. A hot lunch/breakfast program will be provided to students that continues to follow the U.S. Government’s Nutrition Standards.
  2. Guidelines for reimbursable school meals shall not be less restrictive than regulations and guidance issued by the USDA.
  3. Adequate time will be provided to students to eat lunch (at least 20 minutes after being served) and breakfast (at least 10 minutes after being served).
  4. Appropriate supervision will be provided in the cafeteria and rules for safe behavior shall be consistently enforced.

Plan for Measuring


North Central Parke Community School Corporation is committed to enforcing the policies and guidelines included in this document. Through implementation of the School Wellness Policy, the corporation will create an environment that supports opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating behaviors.


  1. The school corporation will use an evidence-based assessment tool to track the collective health of students.
  2. Policy language will be assessed each year and revised as needed. 
  3. North Central Parke Community School Corporation understands and believes the effort to support the students’ development of healthy behaviors and habits with regard to eating and exercise cannot be accomplished by the schools alone.  While every effort is made to ensure that school-based activities are consistent with wellness policy goals, it will be necessary for parents and the community to be involved in efforts to promote, support, and model such healthy behaviors and habits.

Party Responsible


  1. The superintendent is responsible for retaining all documentation of compliance with this policy and its regulations, but the principals shall ensure that their individual schools are in compliance with the corporation’s wellness policy every three school years by assessing wellness implementation strategies. The principals shall provide a written report to the superintendent, who will provide the report to the school board. The principal’s report shall contain the following information: the school’s progress toward meeting the wellness goals over the previous three school years; the website address for the wellness policy and how the public can receive a copy of the policy; a description of the progress in meeting the goals, a summary of the event or activities related to the implementation of the policy; the name, position, and contact information of the school official coordinating the health advisory council or the school’s wellness team; and information on how individuals and the public can get involved with the school’s wellness team.
  2. The evaluation of the wellness policy and implementation will be directed by the Coordinated School Health Advisory Council and will be responsible for the three-year assessment of each school’s compliance with the policy and its regulations. The three-year assessment must measure the implementation of this policy and its regulations; the extent to which each school is in compliance with the policy; the extent this policy compares to other model school wellness policies; and a description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy. As a result of this assessment and evaluation the policy and regulations will be revised as needed.


Sources


“2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans”, http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DietaryGuidelines


“CDC:  School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity”, http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/npao/strategies.htm


“Creating Supportive School Nutrition Environments”, http://www.bridgingthegapresearch.org/_asset/dqryqb/BTG_LWP_recess_brief_Jun_14.pdf


“Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010”, http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/healthy-hunger-free-kids-act


“IDOE:  Smart Snacks in Schools Fundraiser Exemptions”, http://www.doe.in.gov/nutrition/smart-snacks-schools


 “Indiana Model School Wellness Policy on Physical Activity and Nutrition”, http://inhealthyweight.org/files/Model_Wellness_Policy.pdf


“Let’s Go! Sample Wellness Policy”, http://www.letsgo.org/wp-content/uploads/LG_Wellness_Policy_Guide-2013_FINAL.pdf


“Resource to Sustain and Strengthen Local Wellness Initiatives”, http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20130228111227.pdf


“Supporting Recess in Elementary Schools”, http://www.bridgingthegapresearch.org/_asset/dqryqb/BTG_LWP_recess_brief_Jun_14.pdf


“USDA - Local School Wellness”, http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy


LEGAL REFERENCE:  Section 204 of Public Law 108-265 – June, 2004

DATE ADOPTED:




Revised        12/2014

Reviewed    10/2016

Reviewed & Revised 05/2019