Santa Paula Union High School District’s Board approved the District’s Wellness Policy on June 28, 2006. Board Policy #3002-3003AR. The Wellness Policy covers Nutrition Education, Physical Education and Physical Activity, and other school based activities. The Wellness Policy is designed to promote student wellness and nutrition guidelines for all food and beverages served on campus. How will this new policy and others already in place (i.e. Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value or FMNV) affect your child? Here are some highlights:
Nutrition Education:
The primary goal of nutrition education is to increase students’ knowledge and skills about healthy eating and physical activity choices to enable them to adopt healthy eating behaviors and a healthful lifestyle. Some areas addressed in this section include:
• Nutrition education will be addressed in the classroom as well as in the cafeteria setting. Nutrition education may also be integrated into other curricula (e.g. math, science, language arts), as appropriate.
• Instruction shall be age appropriate, based on research, grounded in accurate and current information and provide the skills and motivation to focus on behavior change. Visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for information on the new food pyramid, My Pyramid.)
Physical Education and Physical Activity:
The primary goal for the promotion of physical education and physical activity is to increase students’ knowledge and skills to enable them to adopt a physically active and healthful lifestyle. Some areas addressed in this section include:
• Physical Education courses will be addressed by a credentialed Physical Education Specialist
• At least 50% of instructional time should be spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
Other School Based Activities Designed to Promote Student Wellness:
The goal of school-based activities is to create a total school environment that is conductive to healthy eating and being physically active. The following is a partial list of what is addressed:
• Food or Physical Activity as a Reward or Punishment
-Students shall not be rewarded for students’ academic performance, accomplishments, or classroom behavior with restricted foods, consistent with state and federal legislation (see Restricted Foods)
-Staff will be encourage to avoid the use of foods as a reward
-Students shall not be denied participation in Physical Education as a form of discipline or for classroom make-up time.
• Consistent School Activities and Environment
-School organizations are encouraged to use healthy food items or non-food items for fundraising purposes.
-The school district encourages parents, teachers, school administrators, students; nutrition services professionals, and community members to serve as role models in practicing healthy eating and being physically active.
Nutrition Guidelines for All Foods and Beverages Available on Campus
Beverage Standards (SB 965):
• From one-half hour before the start of the school day to one-half hour after the end of the school day, only the following be sold to pupils:
Fruit or vegetable-based drinks that are composed of no less than 50%juice and have no added sweeteners, drinking water, milk (1%, non fat, and other similar nondairy milk products), or an electrolyte replacement beverage that contains no more than 42 grams of added sweetener per 20-ounce serving.
• Prohibits the sale of carbonated beverages anywhere on campus from one-half hour before to one-half hour after the school day.
• Schools may permit the sale of beverages that do not comply with the above, as part of a school event if the sale of the items meet all of the following:
(1) The sale occurs during a school-sponsored event and takes place one-half hour after the end of the school day.
(2) Vending machines, pupil stores and cafeteria is not used for this type of sale any sooner than one-half hour after the end of the school day.
Food Standards (SB 12-Effective July 1, 2007):
• An individually sold snack item may have no more than:
(1) 35% of its total calories shall be from fat (excludes legumes, nuts, nut butters, seeds, eggs, non-fried vegetables and cheese packaged for individual sale
(2) 10% of its calories from saturated fat (excluding eggs and cheese packaged for individual sale)
(3) no more than 250 calories
• An individually sold entrée item may have no more than:
(1) 4 grams of fat per 100 calories
(2) no more than 400 calories
(3) Qualify under the federal meal program as an Entree item
**Want to check to see if your Food Item makes the cut? Check out CA Project Lean's Snack & Entree Calculator:
http://www.californiaprojectlean.org/
• Fundraising exemptions: Foods that do not meet the standards may be sold at least one-half hour after the end of the school day or off the school premises.
Food and Beverage:
Restricts the sale/service of Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value or FMNV, during meal periods anywhere reimbursable meals are sold or eaten.
Salad Bar:
As of January 8, 2007, Santa Paula Union High School is proud to offer a farm fresh salad bar daily to all students providing nutritious and delicious fresh vegetables, fruits, whole-wheat bread sticks and fresh soups. The salad bar encourages healthy choices and decision-making skills that promote school success and safety, as well as life-long physical, social and emotional health.
This is just a glimpse into the Wellness Policy and is not all inclusive of guidelines. There are many other state and federal policies that are currently in place which affect what can be sold on a school campus.
For information on food and beverage guidelines and questions in regards to the Wellness Policy please contact: Suzanne Stamp, Manager of Child Nutritional Services: 805-525-4406 ext. 2028 or email at: sstamp@spuhsd.k12.ca.us