Idaho Wellness Policy Progress Report - February 2024
Adopted 6/16/09 - Amended: 8/4/2010; 2/17/2015; 11/10/2020; 10/23/2023
It is the goal of the IBESDB to strive to make a significant contribution to the general well being, mental and physical capacity, and learning ability of each student and afford them the opportunity to fully participate in the education process. The IBESDB promotes healthy school by supporting wellness, good nutrition, and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment. The IBESDB supports a healthy environment where children learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, our school contributes to the basic health status of children. Improved health optimizes student performance potential and ensures that no child is left behind.
Healthy eating is demonstrably linked to reduced risk of mortality and development of many chronic diseases as adults.
Our Commitment
The Board directs the Administrator to inform and update the public, including parents, students, and others in the community about the content and implementation of the wellness policy. Such information may be provided on the IBESDB website, through dissemination of student handbooks, or in any other manner the Administrator may deem appropriate.
Definition
For the purposes of this policy, the school day is defined as midnight before to thirty (30) minutes after the end of the instructional day. This policy does not apply to food which is consumed, cooked or prepared at the cottages. The cottages are the residential structures in which some students live or reside while attending school at the IBESDB.
Goals for Wellness Promotion
To ensure the health and well- being of all students, it is the policy of the IBESDB to:
- 1 - Ensure that all children have access to adequate and healthy food choices on scheduled school days at reasonable prices, if applicable;
- 2 - Ensure that foods sold to students at IBESDB, excluding the cottages, during the school day meet or exceed the nutritional standards required by National School Lunch Program, the National School Breakfast Program, and the Smart Snacks in IBESDB standards. Exceptions can be made for infrequent food sales fundraisers that occur no more than the number of times determined appropriate by the Idaho State Department of Education during the school year and are not held during school meal times;
- 3 - Ensure that non-exempt fundraising food sales will not occur on IBESDB grounds, excluding the cottages, during the school day. The IBESDB operates under United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) program regulations of the National School Lunch Program, National School Breakfast Program, and the Smart Snacks in School standards. This includes food sold during the school day in school stores, vending machines, and other venues, excluding the cottages;
- 4 - Food at IBESDB functions/parties during the school day must adhere to the Smart Snacks in School nutrition guidelines.
[Note: The USDA has no role in regulating foods brought or distributed from the home or the cottages. The Smart Snacks in Schools standards only affect foods that are sold on school grounds during the school day. Time honored traditions like treats for birthdays, or foods at an afterschool sporting event, are not subject to those standards.];
- 5 - Support and promote dietary habits contributing to students’ health and academic performance. All foods available on IBESDB grounds, excluding the cottages, and at IBESDB-sponsored activities during the school day should meet or exceed the Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards. Wholesome foods produced in Idaho should be available and actively promoted in a healthy school environment. Emphasis should be placed on foods that are nutrient dense per calorie. Foods should be served with consideration toward variety, appeal, taste, safety and packaging to ensure high quality meals.
- 6 - Provide a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors including good nutrition and regular physical activity. Students will participate in physical and health education classes; Classroom teachers may provide short activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate; Elementary students will have daily recess for no less than 20 minutes;
- 7 - Coordinate IBESDB food service to promote healthy lifestyles and to reinforce messages about healthy eating and to ensure that foods offered promote good nutrition and contribute to the development of lifelong, healthy eating habits; and
- 8 - Involve family members and the community in supporting and reinforcing nutrition education and the promotion of healthy eating and lifestyles.
Nutrition Standards
To promote student health and reduce childhood obesity, the IBESDB will comply with the nutrition standards established by the USDA with respect to all food that is available on IBESDB grounds, excluding the cottages, during the school day.
Community Participation
Parents, students, representatives of the IBESDB food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the Board, school administrators, and the general public are all permitted to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review of this policy.
The Administrator shall periodically measure and make available to the public an assessment on the implementation of this policy including:
- The extent to which the IBESDB is in compliance with the wellness policy;
- The extent to which the IBESDB’s wellness policy compares to model local school wellness policies; and
- A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy.
Methods of providing this information to the public may include developing or disseminating printed or electronic materials to families of IBESDB children and other members of the school community at the beginning of the school year, or posting the local wellness policy and an assessment of their implementation on the IBESDB website.
Monitoring Compliance
The Administrator shall designate one or more employees to ensure that the ISDB complies with this policy.