Triennial Assessment

Nekoosa School District

Local Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment Report Card

Date Completed: April 2024

A local wellness policy guides efforts to create a healthier school environment. Effective wellness policies support a culture of well-being by establishing healthful practices and procedures for students, staff, and families. Schools/districts participating in the federal Child Nutrition Programs are required to complete an assessment of their local wellness policy, at minimum, once every three years. This report summarizes policy objectives and details the results of the most recent evaluation. For questions regarding the results, contact Candace Strehlau (715)- 886-8060

Section 1: Policy Assessment

Overall Rating:

84

Ratings are based on a four-point scale to measure success in meeting/complying with each policy objective.

0 = objective not met/no activities completed

1 = objective partially met/some activities completed

2 = objective mostly met/multiple activities completed

3 = objective met/all activities completed

Nutrition Standards for All Foods in School

Rating

The School District will provide food options that are low in fat, calories, sodium, and added sugars and encourage the consumption of nutrient dense foods. For example, whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

3

Nutrient dense foods are those foods that provide students with calories rich in the nutrient content needed to be healthy. In an effort to support the consumption of nutrient dense foods in the school setting, the School District has adopted the nutrition standards governing the sale of food and beverages.

3

The School District will follow USDA National School Lunch and Breakfast Program Guidelines in planning meals offered. Meals served through the school lunch and breakfast program shall, over the course of five days, derive no more than thirty percent (30%) of their total calories from fat and less than ten percent (10%) for total calories from saturated and trans fats combined.

3

Healthy snacks will be served to students in afterschool programs. 

2

Teachers, parents, and support staff are encouraged to consider non-food items as student incentives or rewards. If food is used for celebrations or incentives, those food items should adhere to the nutrition guidelines. Anyone who brings a group snack will be encouraged to use whole grains, fruits, vegetables, or other foods that make a positive contribution the children’s diet and health. Parents will be encouraged to provide nutritional treats that are prepackaged such as raisins, unsalted nuts, dried fruit, or low-fat string cheese.

2

Nutrition Promotion

Rating

All students have access to the school lunch program

3

When curricular-based food experiences are planned, staff and students are encouraged to seek out good nutrition choices whenever appropriate.

2

Provide a pleasant eating environment for students and staff.

3

Ensure that all students have access to healthy food choices during school and at school functions.

3

The School District will encourage increased consumption of water throughout the day; water fountains and bottle fillers are available to students through the day including during meal times. 

3

Nutrition Education

Rating

The School District curriculum will enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to make healthy food choices and physical activity habits for a lifetime.

3

Nutrition education will be taught to all students at the elementary level, middle school, and high school level.  The nutrition education curriculum will follow a scope and sequence curriculum.  In addition, nutrition education will be integrated into all curricular areas to provide students K-12 with a consistent message of building habits that support a healthy lifestyle. 

3

Nutrition education will be integrated into all curricular areas to provide students K-12 with a consistent message of building habits that  support a healthy lifestyle. 

3

Enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to make healthy food choices for a lifetime.

3

Provide a positive environment and appropriate knowledge regarding food.

3

Physical Activity and Education

Rating

Provide K-12 students with physical education programming that meets or exceeds the Department of Public Instruction/National Association for Sport and Physical Education standards (includes recess). The District will employ physical education staff members who are properly qualified, certified and/or credentialed professionals. The District will provide continuing education opportunities to those individuals.

3

The documented physical education curriculum will emphasize knowledge and skills for a lifetime of regular physical activity, be consistent with state and national standards, include a wide variety of physical activities, and encourage participation in physical activity after school and outside of school.

3

The physical education curriculum for K-12 will include the five (5) components of physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition).

3

The school will provide a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable activity for all students, including those who are not athletically gifted. Adequate equipment will be available for all students to participate in physical education.

3

Adapted Physical Education will be provided for students who require a substitution for physical education.

3

Other School-Based Wellness Activities

Rating

Students will have the opportunity to participate in various activities (Wellness Breaks) during the school day. 

2

The wellness committee will address strategies to improve the wellness of staff and students. 

3

Staff will be provided opportunities to participate in various wellness based activities throughout the school year. 

3

Students will have opportunities to be involved in school sanctioned clubs and other extracurricular activities after the school day. 

3

Students can also earn additional physical activity time which may include, but not limited to, open gym or extra recess time. 

2

Policy Monitoring and Implementation

Rating

The Nekoosa Wellness Committee will complete an assessment every three years following guidelines from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI); this assessment will include a plan for updating the wellness policy based on the results of the assessment. 

3

The Wellness Committee will meet annually to specifically review the wellness policy and make recommendations for improvements to the School Board Policy Committee.

3

A wellness coordinator, representatives from each school building, and an administrator will make up the district wellness committee.  

3

The wellness committee will establish and evaluate a plan for policy implementation.

3

The wellness committee will measure the implementation of the policy as well as identify which schools are in compliance.

2

Section 2: Progress Update

The Nekoosa School District has updated and revised the Nekoosa School District Wellness Policy to include the progress with staff and student wellness.  Additions to the policy include:

• Marketing with various brand names, trademarks, logos or tags placed on food or beverage products/containers.

• Nutrition education is taught to all students at the elementary, middle and high school levels. 

• Adapted Physical Education will be provided for students who require a substitution for physical education.

• Administration believes that recess and other opportunities for physical activity are an essential part of the school day.  Teachers are encouraged to find alternatives to withholding recess time or physical activities as punishment.  

• Healthy snacks will be served to students in afterschool programs. 

• There will be no vending sales available to any students (elementary, middle, and high school) of soda, artificial sweetened, or caffeinated beverages and food during the school day. 

• Staff Wellness - Staff will be provided with opportunities to participate in various wellness based activities throughout the school year. 

• A wellness coordinator, representatives from each school building, and an administrator will make up the district wellness committee.

Section 3: Model Policy Comparison

A required component of the triennial assessment is to utilize the Rudd Center’s Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) for comparison of the Local Wellness Policy to a Model Wellness Policy. The WellSAT includes 67 best practice policy items related to nutrition education; nutrition standards for foods; physical education and activity; wellness promotion and marketing; and implementation, evaluation, and communication. The comparison identified policy strengths and areas for improvement.

Local Wellness Policy Strengths

The two areas that the Nekoosa School District Wellness Policy scored the highest on the WellSat Assessment were the Nutrition Education and Implantation, Evaluation and Communication categories. 

In the first category, Nutrition Education, the wellness policy strongly addresses each of the best practice policy items.  Nutrition education is covered for students (K - 12) following a scope and sequence curriculum.  In addition, nutrition education is integrated into other curricular areas with a consistent message of building habits to support a healthy lifestyle.  

The next strongest category of the wellness policy was the Implantation, Evaluation, and Communication category.   The Nekoosa Wellness Policy satisfied the best practice items such as establishment of an ongoing district wellness committee and addressing progress made to student and staff wellness. The policy had the additional section added for staff wellness to support all the activities and opportunities that wellness committee provides for the staff.  In addition, the wellness policy strongly demonstrated a plan to provide the public with information regarding wellness policy changes and the results of the triennial assessment. 

Areas for Local Wellness Policy Improvement

One area for improvement to the Nekoosa School District Wellness Policy through the WellSat Assessment was the area of Nutrition Standards for Competitive and Other Foods and Beverages section.   The Nekoosa School District will look at the areas of fundraisers and food sold at after school events.  The Wellness Committee will look at ways to provide nutrition standards for the food being offered at those events/activities.  In addition, the Nekoosa School District will look at ways to promote an increase in participation in school meals.  

WellSAT Scores 

WellSAT scores are calculated for comprehensiveness and strength. The comprehensiveness score reflects the extent to which recommended best practices are included in the policy. The strength score reflects how strongly the policy items are stated.  Scores range from 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating less content and weaker language and higher scores indicating higher content and the use of specific and directive language.

Comprehensiveness Score:

93

Strength Score:

 85