Health and Wellness
Evanston/Skokie School District 65 will promote student wellness, including good nutrition and physical activity, and emotional wellness in its educational program, school activities, and meal programs consistent with section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.
Goals for Nutrition Education and Nutrition Promotion
The goals for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:
Support and promote good nutrition for students
Foster the positive relationship between good nutrition, physical activity and the capacity of students to develop and learn, as well as for teachers to teach the importance of good health
Develop appropriate nutrition education as part of the District’s education curriculum in grades K-8
Develop parent nutrition education initiatives in coordination with PTAs.
Provide health and nutrition education throughout K-8 grades
Provide at least three hours of annual professional development on effective practices in health education for physical education teachers.
Goals for Physical Activity
Support and promote an active lifestyle for students
Provide physical education instruction in grades K-8 that includes a curriculum that incorporates relevant Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health as established by the Illinois State Board of Education that:
Fosters the development of movement skills
Enhances health-related fitness
Offers direct opportunities to learn how to work cooperatively in a group setting
Encourages healthy habits for a healthy lifestyle
Unless otherwise exempted, all students, during the school day, will participate daily in a physical education course.
Promote community partnerships with other organizations such as park districts and YMCA’s to provide students with opportunities to be active.
Promote safe walking and biking routes for all students to travel to and from school.
Provide at least three hours of annual professional development on effective practices in physical education for physical education teachers.
Goals for Emotional Wellness
Provide a school environment that enable its community to practice mutual and self respect, independent thought, self-discipline and competent decision-making.
Employ programs and strategies that establish and maintain a positive school climate that is most conducive to student achievement.
Nutrition Guidelines for Foods Available on School Campuses
District 65 will offer and promote beverage choices and nutritious food (such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grain products) consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Food Guidance System published jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services.
District 65 will provide nutrition information for foods provided by District 65 Food and Nutrition Services.
District 65 Food and Nutrition Services’ a la carte offerings will meet the nutrition guidelines established by the District 65 Wellness Policy Council as outlined in Attachment A. ~ wellness App A.pdf
District 65 staff are required to use the guidelines established by the USDA for Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value (FMNVs** as shown in Attachment A) for all food sold or offered by District 65 staff, in school, for school-sponsored events or activities and activities, including fundraisers, classroom snacks, and school/classroom rewards, and for food products in vending machines. A list of recommended selections is outlined in Attachment B. ~ Wellness App B Healthful Food and Beverage Suggestions.pdf
Parents are required to use the guidelines established by the USDA for FMNVs** for all school sponsored events that occur outside the school day, including fundraising activities. A list of recommended selections is outlined in Attachment B. ~ Wellness App B Healthful Food and Beverage Suggestions.pdf
Guidelines for Reimbursable School Meals
Reimbursable school meals served will, at a minimum, meet the nutritional requirements and regulations for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
Implementation and Monitoring
(1) In order to promote health and reduce childhood overweight, the Superintendent or designee will establish administrative procedures to control food sales that compete with the District’s non-profit food service in compliance with the Child Nutrition Act.
(2) The Superintendent or designee(s), in collaboration with the District Wellness Council, will provide periodic reports to the Board of Education to enable the Board to monitor and ensure the implementation of the District Wellness policy.
(3) The Superintendent or designee(s) shall provide periodic implementation data and/or reports to the Board concerning this policy’s implementation sufficient to allow the Board to monitor and adjust the policy. This report must include without limitation each of the following:
- An assessment of the District’s implementation of the policy
- The extent to which schools in the District are in compliance with the policy
- The extent to which the policy compares to model local school wellness policies
- A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the policy.
(4) The Superintendent or designee(s), in collaboration with the District Wellness Council, will annually review data concerning the District’s Wellness Policy implementation in order to further promote student health and wellness.
Community Input
The Superintendent or designee(s), in collaboration with the District’s Wellness Council, will invite suggestions and comments concerning implementation and improvement of the District Wellness Policy from parents, teachers,school and District administrators, students, representatives of the school food authority, school health professionals, the school board, and community partners.
Links to Online Resources
First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Initiative to combat childhood obesity www.letsmove.gov
The "Body Works Toolkit for Healthy Girls and Strong Women" consists of 9 sessions for parents/caregivers that focus on action steps and provide information on ways to change how the family eats, shops, cooks and moves in an effort to help families improve their lifestyles and prevent overweight and obesity. The kit contains information about healthy shopping cooking, a recipe book, weekly meal planning. http://www.womenshealth.gov/bodyworks/
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