PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Physical activity should be an integral part of classroom activity in elementary grades. All students in middle and high schools should have an opportunity and be encouraged to participate in physical activities during the day.

Elementary Schools

Each site-based school council in elementary schools will develop an assessment tool to determine each child’s level of physical activity. Physical activity will be monitored at the school and district level.

Elementary teachers will be provided with examples of ideas of how physical activities can be incorporated in other areas of instruction. Elementary schools will develop a wellness policy that includes moderate to vigorous physical activity each day for every child.

Middle and High Schools 

Middle and high school teachers will be provided with examples of ideas of how physical activities can be incorporated in areas of instruction.

Teachers will make students aware of the importance of the physical activity to overall long-term health. Teachers will encourage students to exercise.

NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION

Nutrition education should be embedded in all areas of the curriculum. Healthy eating habits should be promoted at both the district and school levels.

Nutrition education will be provided at all grade levels as a part of practical living instruction and as identified in Kentucky’s Academic Expectations, Program of Studies, and Core Content for Assessment.

Cafeterias will be utilized as a learning laboratory and provide nutrition education training for students. Healthy eating habits will be promoted by:

Communicating the importance of good eating through newsletters, websites, and other communication with parents and students.

Healthy food consumption will be encouraged at all school activities as described throughout this document.

All school menus will emphasize the importance of helping students develop good eating habits by providing tips on healthy snacks and nutritional information on foods provided.

The Child Nutrition Program will provide information to the learning community to include materials and references related to nutrition education.

The Child Nutrition Program will work closely with the instructional department to identify ways nutrition education and healthy eating habits might be integrated in curriculum activities and to provide resources as requested.

The Child Nutrition Director and Professional Development Coordinator will collaborate to develop nutrition education training for teachers and aides.

GRAYSON COUNTY SCHOOLS WELLNESS PROGRAM

DEFINITIONS

School Day means the period of time between the arrival of the first student at the school building and the end of the last instructional period.

School day approved beverage means any water, 100% fruit or vegetable juice, and low-fat milk.

Competitive foods means any food or beverage item sold or served in competition with the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs, excluding any food or beverage sold a la carte in the cafeteria.

Portion Size Prepackaged food shall not exceed the following packaging limits:
• 1.25 ounces for baked chips, and cereal;
• 1.5 ounces for crackers, hard pretzels, and pita chips
• 1.75 ounces for trail mix, nuts dried fruits, seeds, peanut butter or cheese filled crackers
• 1.25 ounce for cookies
• 1.5 ounce for cereal bars, granola bars, and animal or graham crackers;
• 8 ounces for low-fat yogurt

Beverage Sizes:
• In middle schools, no more than 12-ounce servings
• In high schools, no more than 16.9-ounce servings

SALES

Competitive food sales shall not be permitted in elementary schools during the school day.

Competitive foods shall not be permitted in middle and high schools until 30 minutes past the end of the last lunch period.

During the school day, products served to students outside the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch programs shall be limited to:
• A school day approved beverage;
• Fruit;
• Non-fried or non-flash-fried vegetables;
• Low-fat yogurt;
• Nuts and Seeds;
• Dried Fruit with no sugar added; or
• Other food items that contain no more than
• Thirty (30%) calories from fat;
• Ten (10%) calories from saturated or trans-fat; and
• Fourteen (14) grams sugar per serving

Ala carte items cannot be sold in elementary schools unless reimbursable meal component.

Only the following items may be sold as ala carte items in middle or high schools:
• Smart snack compliant food items
• A reimbursable meal component

Carbonated beverages may not be sold or served to any student during the school day.

PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

The Child Nutrition Program should utilize a comprehensive communication and marketing strategy designed to provide information about and promote the benefits of the program to all members of the learning community.

Partnerships will be developed with a variety of community resources to promote health and wellness throughout the district.

District staff will promote participation in enjoyable physical activity in the community, by providing information on Grayson County Schools’ web page regarding community health and wellness activities and programs.

Effective January 1, 2010, our school policy prohibits tobacco use on all school property: everywhere, by everyone, and at all times.

FOOD SALES FOR FUNDRAISING

Individual food items will not be sold to students as a fundraiser during the school day.

Schools are encouraged to use items other than food items as fundraisers.

FOOD SERVED AT SCHOOL PARTIES 

Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, parties with food are limited to three (3) per classroom. School parties must be held in compliance with the competitive food rule, at least 30 minutes past the end of the last lunch period.

To ensure that all foods served to children are safe and sanitary, all items served at school parties must be purchased rather than homemade. Site Based Councils at each school will determine and notify teachers if fewer than three parties are permitted in their school per year.

At least some healthy food and beverage choices are encouraged at school parties.

FOOD SERVED IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

All foods served in organized after-school programs or activities must utilize the After School Snack Program or follow the nutritional guidelines for that program as established by USDA. Those standards can be obtained from the Child Nutrition Office or on USDA’s web site.

FOOD PREPARED AS A PART OF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION

Teachers should not use food as rewards. Suggestions for non-food rewards can be found on the Child Nutrition page of the district website.

If foods are used in the classroom, they must be an integral and necessary part of the lesson and every effort should be made to use foods of high nutritional value when possible. All foods used in classes shall be from a reputable source, and follow nutritional guidelines.

Anytime food is used as a part of instruction, those lesson plans must first be approved by the principal.

The following activities are exempt from the competitive food nutrition standards:
• Up to three parties as designated by the school’s site-based council annually
• Field Day (1) at each school annually
• State testing window with approved snacks only