Wellness Policy 

The Forsyth Co. Board of Education has a local Wellness Policy in compliance with the 2010 USDA Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.  This policy covers major topics regarding Nutrition Education and Promotion, Physical Activity, Healthy and Safe School Meals for breakfast and lunch, and Nutrition Standards for all foods and beverages sold to kids at school, as well as fund-raisers using food.

Goals:

1. Wellness Teams.  The School District has a Total Wellness Collaborative effort that is open to student, teacher, staff, parent and community member participation focusing on the physical, social, and emotional wellness of students and families.   Each school will have a Team of Wellness Champions that is also open to the participation of students, teachers, staff members, parents/PTA/PTO and community members. These individuals will work together on activities for their specific school that promotes an environment of physical and nutritional wellness.
2. Promote Wellness and Physical Activity as a part of the school day and beyond. Wellness Activities

In elementary schools, provide regular opportunities for activity.

• (PE) 30 minutes, 3 times/week; regular access to 20 min of daily recess. 
• Schools will offer additional opportunities for physical activity in at least 1 extra-curricular or school-based activity focused on significant physical activity (ie running clubs, field days, Walk-a-Thons, school gardens)
• Encourage teacher use of short brain-breaks involving physical activity

In middle schools, provide regular opportunities for activity.

• Regular health/PE opportunities are made available via variety of PE courses
• Offer additional opportunities for physical activity beyond the school day  (ie: intramurals, yoga club, soccer club, gardening club). 

In high schools, provide opportunities for activity beyond collegiate sport teams.

• Provide personal fitness/PE course options per year
• Offer other personal wellness and activity opportunities before, during, and after school (ie: intramurals, walking clubs, yoga, wellness/recreational activities during extended lunch periods)

3. Promoting Nutrition.  Provide all students with access to tasty and healthy meals (breakfast and lunch) with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain-rich foods; milk choices that are fat-free and low-fat milk; entrees with protein foods that moderate sodium, saturated fat and zero trans fat - all that comply with the USDA meal pattern and nutritional needs of school children within appropriate calorie ranges.

• National School Breakfast and National School Lunch programs are accessible to all students in all schools
• Meals are prepared and served in clean and pleasant facilities. Health inspection scores posted.
• All meals offered meet or exceed the nutrition requirement guidelines established by USDA standards
• Whole, fresh fruit and 100% fruit juice & vegetable options are offered daily; sliced or cut fruit & vegetables are also available daily
• Entree salads with dark green leafy and other vegetables, low-fat proteins and grains are offered in every school
• Daily fruit and vegetable options are displayed attractively and easily accessible for students to select
• Local or regionally-grown/produced foods are incorporated into school meals
• Over 93% of all grain foods served are whole grain-rich
• Nothing is fried in school meal preparation
• Low-fat and non-fat milk choices are kept cold and located for easy selection by students
• Access to un-bottled water is available free-of-charge in all school cafeterias; students are encouraged to bring, re-fill, and use approved water bottles throughout the school day
• Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available daily

4. Nutrition Education and Promotion.  Attractive, creative and regular communication is provided to students highlighting the health and nutrition attributes of foods offered in school meals.

• Open House displays, menu boards, serving line nutrition education message displays. 
• School Nutrition provides parents and students with free access via MealViewer app listing school menus, nutrition info on calories, carbs and allergens in meals. 
• Students are invited to participate in new product evaluations (sampling new foods, evaluating food tastings, New Product Preview show). 
• Menus are posted to the district website, local school webpages, on MealViewer app, school newsletters and daily morning announcements. 
• School Nutrition provides a comprehensive resource of nutrition information/ingredient and allergen listing for all foods that easily accessible to parents in a notebook or online format. 
• Nutrition links to reliable sources for nutrition information are provided on the School Nutrition webpage.
• Myth-Busting information provided in Wellness podcast How to find School Nutrition Myth-Busting podcast

5. Nutrition Standards for Foods and Beverages sold to students. 

• All foods provided by the School Nutrition Program beyond the school meal are in compliance with the USDA Smart Snack Nutrition Standards. 
• Foods sold to students on the school campus by other organizations outside of the cafeteria (vending machines, school stores, etc.) are monitored regularly to ensure all foods offered comply with USDA Smart Snack Nutrition Standards. 
• Foods sold as fund-raisers are monitored to meet state guidelines.

These efforts are evaluated on tri-annual basis and assessments are shared with community stakeholders.

To learn more about how to participate in your school's Wellness Team, contact the school principal or Theresa Barber in the School Nutrition Department at tbarber@forsyth.k12.ga.us

05/21