To accomplish the goals articulated in Policy ADF, the District will do the following:
- Goals
- Goal #1: The District will provide a comprehensive learning environment that minimizes barriers to learning and is conducive to the development and practice of lifelong wellness behaviors.
- Promote health education as described in policies IHAM and IHAMA as a key component of developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors.
- Continue the integration of District concepts/skills for nutrition education, and physical and psychological health education teaching students about the effects of nutrition and regular physical activity. Foster student social-emotional health in specific wellness classes, health education classes, and to the extent possible, in core curriculum areas such as math, science, social studies, and language arts.
- Ensure access to age-appropriate content and culturally responsive instruction.
- Coordinate nutrition education and information among the District's registered dietitians, nurses, and teachers, and other relevant support staff (e.g. counselors and mental health).
- Promote healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, and social-emotional well-being and provide information to students, parents, school staff, and the community at appropriate events.
- Encourage schools to use programs and practices which, in partnership with parents and with input from students, create a positive school climate and build students' social-emotional skills.
- Provide students with access to quality health services, including having qualified health care support available throughout the District.
- Encourage the inclusion of health services staff as members of school wellness teams and as part of the discussion of health-related content and curriculum.
- Goal #2: The District will provide nutrition education and promote every student's health status and academic performance.
- Foods and beverages sold to students on school campuses and at school-sponsored activities during the school day (not as part of a reimbursable meal) shall meet or exceed the established federal nutrition standards for competitive food service as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the beverage standards established by Colorado Department of Education (CDE).
- Any food-based fundraisers conducted during the school day on school campuses must comply with the rules and regulations above regarding competitive food service or be one of the specified exempt fundraisers established by the Colorado Department of Education's Office of School Nutrition.
- Drinking water will be provided at no charge to students during breakfast and lunch periods.
- Strongly encourage schools to schedule adequate time to eat in a welcoming and safe eating environment. This also includes strongly encouraging appropriate hand hygiene before eating times.
- Encourage access to a balanced set of food options that includes healthy options such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains at classroom parties and school events where food intended to be shared is accessible. Food items brought from home for individual consumption are at the discretion of the individual student's family.
- Use non-food fundraisers such as walk-a-thons, jump rope events, and fun runs as the first choice for school fund-raising events.
- Discourage the use of food-based rewards.
- Goal #3: In accordance with applicable federal law, the District will provide and promote healthy nutrition choices to create and encourage a healthy learning environment.
- To the greatest extent feasible, the marketing of food and beverage products on the exterior of vending machines and through posters, menu boards and other equipment on the school campus shall meet the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
- Marketing shall encourage participation in school meal programs.
- Goal #4: The District will provide daily opportunities for every student to engage in physical activity.
- Continue the integration of District concepts/skills for physical education which teach students about the effects of nutrition and regular physical activity in specific physical education classes, health education classes, and to the extent possible, in core curriculum areas such as math, science, social studies, and language arts.
- Provide periods of physical activity for elementary students during the school day in accordance with Policy JLJ, Physical Activity.
- Schools should refrain from administering or withholding physical activity as a form of discipline.
- Encourage schools to hire certified physical education teachers.
- Encourage schools to provide regular opportunities for age-appropriate and culturally responsive physical activity to all students including a range of school programs that may include before and after care, intramurals, interscholastic athletics, and physical activity clubs.
- Encourage upper elementary and secondary schools to administer a health-related fitness assessment to all students to promote individual awareness of their personal level of fitness and to provide assistance in the creation of individual fitness goals and plans.
- Promote healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, and provide information to students, parents, school staff, and the community at appropriate events.
- Encourage schools to evaluate and adopt a recess plan that supports student health and physical activity.
- Encourage the use of District facilities by the community for activities that promote regular physical activity.
- Encourage secondary schools to provide students with opportunities for physical activity during and after the school day (e.g. intramurals, PE classes, classroom activity breaks, integration of physical activity into the academic curriculum, and sports teams).
- Encourage schools at all levels to provide students with opportunities to participate in physical education on a regular basis throughout the school year and to work towards achieving the standards set forth by relevant professional organizations.
- Goal #5: The District will support and promote student social and emotional well-being to enhance student physical and psychological health and academic performance.
- Gather input from students and parents regarding student psychological and physical health needs including, but not limited to, gathering survey data from students around these issues.
- Encourage schools to use programs and practices which, in partnership with parents, create a positive school climate.
- Encourage schools to use programs and practices which promote the development of core social-emotional skills, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making, and flexible thinking.
- Provide information related to student social-emotional health to students, parents, school staff, and the community at appropriate events.