- Evanston/Skokie School District 65
- Health & Wellness Services
Wellness in District 65
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As part of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, school districts that participate in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Program are required to have a local wellness policy that promotes student health and addresses concerns about childhood obesity. In 2019, the School Board approved an updated wellness policy (School Board Policy 6:50) that is intended to create a healthier school environment via improved nutrition education, healthier food services, and improved physical activity offerings.
Review the following video highlighting more about our wellness policy, featuring our students front and center!
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Wellness Council
The Wellness Council is responsible for promoting health and wellness across District 65. All educators, support staff members, administrators, parents/caregivers, and community members wanting to work together to build something great for our school community are invited to participate! Meeting dates are as follows:
MEETING DATES
- September 21, 2021
- November 16, 2021
- January 11, 2022
- March 8, 2022
- May 10, 2022
All meetings will be held from 3:40-4:30pm.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all meetings will be held virtually.Access Meeting
ID: 3303950198
Password: 6FQEtQ -
Wellness Equity Statement
Evanston/Skokie School District 65 promotes staff and student wellness, including fostering the positive relationship between sound nutrition, physical activity, and the capacity of students to develop and learn. As part of District 65's commitment to equity, we strive to honor each students' nutritional needs and family choice around food and beverage. We also recognize the history of racism and colonization in relation to food and do not seek to replicate that with this policy and other similar cultural representations. We know that food and drink can be closely linked and connected to important cultural and family traditions. We seek to honor individual food choices with this policy, while also working to ensure a safe, active and healthy environment for all of our students.
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Wellness Guidelines
In an effort to ensure that all food and beverages in District 65 schools are safe for consumption by all children, all foods and beverages provided to students during the school day or at school sponsored events that occur outside the school day, including classroom parties, fundraising activities or other events must be:
- commercially prepared
- ready to eat
- wrapped in the original packaging
- with list of ingredients provided.
- fruit and vegetables must also be whole and intact and/or commercially cut and packaged
In an effort to create healthy eating habits for children all food and beverages served to students in District 65 schools during the school day or at school sponsored events that occur outside the school day, including classroom parties, fundraising activities or other events must meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Smart Snacks rules. These nutrition guidelines can be found in the District 65’s Wellness Policy or online at
https://foodplanner.healthiergeneration.org/calculator/
Examples of nutritious foods and beverages that are consistent with these dietary guidelines include the following:
- Sliced fruit – such as nectarines, cantaloupe, oranges, honeydew, pears, & apples
- Raw vegetable sticks/slices with low-fat dressing or yogurt dip
- 100% fruit or vegetable juice
- Dried fruits – raisins, cranberries, apples, apricots
- Fruit smoothies made with fat-free or low-fat milk/yogurt
- Trail mix (dried fruits and nuts)
- Pretzels (no salt) or reduced fat crackers
- Baked chips with salsa or low-fat dip (Ranch, onion, bean, etc.)
- Granola bars
- Fat-free or low-fat flavored yogurt & fruit parfaits
- Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products (string cheese, single-serving cottage cheese)
View/download the District 65 Wellness Guidelines Flyer (English/Spanish)
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Healthful Food & Beverage Options for School Functions
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6:50-E1 Exhibit - Attachment A
At any school function (parties, celebrations, meetings, etc.) healthful food options should be made available to promote student, staff and community wellness. Examples of nutritious foods and beverages that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are listed below.
- Raw vegetable sticks/slices with low-fat dressing or yogurt dip
- Fresh fruit wedges – such as cantaloupe, honey dew, watermelon, pineapple, & oranges
- Sliced fruit – such as nectarines, peaches, kiwi, star fruit, plums, pears, mangos, & apples
- Fruit salad
- Cereal and low-fat milk
- 100% fruit or vegetable juice
- Frozen fruit pops with fruit juice or fruit as the first ingredient
- Dried fruits – raisins, cranberries, apples, apricots
- Single serving applesauce or canned fruit in juice
- Peanut (or nut alternative) butter with apple wedges or celery sticks
- Fruit smoothies made with fat-free or low-fat milk/yogurt
- Trail mix (dried fruits and nuts)
- Dry roasted peanuts, tree nuts and soy nuts (not coconut or palm nuts)
- Lean meats and reduced fat cheese sandwiches (use light or reduced fat mayonnaise)
- Pretzels (no salt) or reduced fat crackers
- Baked chips with salsa or low-fat dip (Ranch, onion, bean, etc.)
- Low-fat muffins (small or mini), granola bars and cookies (graham crackers, fig bars)
- Mini bagels with light cream cheese
- Pasta salad
- Bread sticks with marinara
- Fat-free or low-fat flavored yogurt & fruit parfaits
- Fat-free or low-fat pudding cups
- Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products (string cheese, single-serving cottage cheese)
- Flavored soy milk fortified with calcium
- Pure ice cold water
- 100 Calorie Snack packages
*This list is not all inclusive and is meant only to provide parents and school staff with guidance for healthier food and beverage choices. Not all food and beverage items on this list will necessarily meet district nutrient standards (Attachment A) as items vary in sugar, fat and calorie content from brand to brand. However, all of the items in the list are believed to be consistent with the intent of the wellness policy to promote student health and reduce childhood overweight. Some foods and beverage items on this list may cause allergic reactions in your child’s class. Please check with teachers prior to bringing in snacks for a whole class.
Foods that are restricted include foods which provides less than 5% of the Reference Daily intakes (RDI) for each of 8 specified nutrients (protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, calcium, and iron) per serving
Examples of products that cannot be sold / served include: soda water, water ices, chewing gum, certain candies, hard candy, jellies and gums, marshmallow candies, fondant, licorice, spun candy, and candy coated popcorn.
Recommendations for Non-Food Celebrations:
- Games or crafts
- Dance party
- Glow party
- Extra recess or playtime
- Special books
- Guest readers
- Activity time
- Stuffed animal
- Themed scavenger hunt
- Treasure chest stocked with non-food items
- Allow birthday child to wear a special ribbon sash, or crown
- Birthday children announced over intercom
- Teacher helper for the day
- Special pencils/erasers, school supplies
- Homework pass
Non-Food Fundraising Ideas:
- Raffle
- Candles
- Book sale
- Car wash
- Walk-a-thon
- Student artwork
- Stuffed animals
- Stadium pillows
- Educational games
- Holiday decorations
- Shopping donation programs
- School mascot temporary tattoos
- Growing and/or selling flowers
- Faculty and/or student talent show
- Auction of donated goods and services
- Balloon bouquets for special occasions
- Refillable water bottles with school logo
- Glow in the dark novelties
- Greeting cards, especially those designed by students
- Sale of flowers and balloons for student graduations
- School spirit items
DATED: March 19, 2018; June 10, 2019
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USDA Smart Snack Rules
Policy 6:50 - E2 Exhibit - Attachment B
The USDA established competitive food standards impact all food and beverages sold to students, the school campus, during the school day.
Competitive food is defined as all food and beverages that are offered by any person, organization, or entity for sale to students on the school campus, during the school day, other than meal reimbursed under by programs authorized by federal law.
Competitive food standards are defined as the nutrition standards for competitive food as established by the U.S Department of Agriculture.
School day is defined as the period of time from midnight before the start of the official school day until thirty (30) minutes after the end of the official school day.
Any food served in schools must:
- Be a “whole grain-rich” grain product; or
- Have as the first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food; or
- Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable
Foods must also meet several nutrient requirements:
Calorie limits:
- Snack items: ≤ 200 calories
- Entrée items: ≤ 350 calories
Sodium limits:
- Snack items: ≤ 200 mg
- Entrée items: ≤ 480 mg
Fat limits:
- Total fat: ≤35% of calorie
- Saturated fat: < 10% of calories
- Trans fat: zero grams
Sugar limit:
- ≤ 35% of weight from total sugars in foods
Beverages:
- Plain water: no size limit
- Low fat milk (unflavored or flavored): ≤ 8 ounces for elementary; ≤12 ounces for middle school
To determine if a food or beverage meets these qualifications, you can use The Alliance for a Healthier Generation Smart Snack Calculator found at the following website: (Smart Snack Calculator) (free site to use after creating a login)
DATED: June 10, 2019
