CLAY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY

LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY TEAM MEMBERS

Joe Paxton – CMS Assistant Principal           Nancy Preast – CMS Cafeteria Manager

Danny Brown CES Principal                          Debbie Cantrell – CES Cafeteria Manager

Phil Dobbins – CHS Principal                        Linda Truman – CHS Cafeteria Manager

Pam Mullins – Valley Fork Elementary Principal

Mike Mullins  - Ivydale Elementary Principal

Michelle Samples – Lizemore Elementary Principal

Lavern Taylor – H.E.White Elementary Principal

Larry Legg – Director Food Service

Rena Hubbard RN – Allied Health Teacher

Mary Grandon PA – Wellness Centers Coordinator

Sandra Graham RN – Clay Health Department

Cindy Willis – Board Office

Connie Harper RN – School Health Nurse

Evelyn Ellison – CMS Teacher

Geoff Hamrick – Parent

Teresa Huffman – Lizemore Elementary Teacher

Brian Collins – CHS Teacher

MISSION STATEMENT

Clay County Schools’ mission is to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and policies for school wellness.  This includes the commitment to provide a healthy and safe school environment that promotes students and staff’s health and well-being.  The purpose of Clay County School Wellness policy is to combine high-quality education with holistic wellness and health with the provision of learning opportunities for students to promote high-quality health /wellness for generations to come.

OVERVIEW DESCRIBING THE NEED FOR A LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY IN CLAY COUNTY

        The incidents of overweight and obesity in our children are alarming.    The health status of school employees mirrors that of the American public.  Many have high blood pressure, are obese, and some with diabetes and heart conditions.  Because of the above problems a need for a local wellness policy in Clay County would assure activities for reaching goals to address the health of our students, staff, and community. 

            According to the 2000 WV Health profiles of DHHR, Clay County is #4 in all types of deaths, #17 in heart disease, #14 in diabetes, and #4 in strokes (www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/hsc/prof2000/index.htm).  Clay County Schools participate in the WV Cardiac Kids Project, a research project of WVU.   In this study 5th grade students and their parents have an opportunity to participate in a screening for cholesterol, blood pressure, height and weight, and a risk test for diabetes.  In 2004-05, the 7th year of participation, 40% of the students participated with 16% showing abnormal fasting lipid profiles, 15% with BMI’s > 85th percentile, 26% >95th percentile, and 8 students were at risk for diabetes (www.cardiacwv.org/results.asp). Clay County Schools serve a high population of low-income students, where children and their families face many obstacles to good health.

GOAL l:  NUTRITION EDUCATION will be an integral part of school activities.

OBJECTIVE 1:

Students in grades Pre-K – 12 will receive nutrition education that is interactive and teaches the skills that they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors.

ACTIVITIES:

1.1.1.      Nutrition education will be a part of not only health education classes,

but also, classroom instruction in subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, and elective subjects when appropriate.

1.1.2        Nutrition education will be offered at each grade level as part of a

            sequential, comprehensive, standards-based program designed to provide

            students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect

            their health.

1.1.3        Health education will be enjoyable, developmentally appropriate,

      culturally relevant, participatory activities.

1.1.4        Nutrition education will promote fruits, vegetables, whole grain products,

low fat, and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods,

and health-enhancing nutrition practices.

1.1.5        Health education will emphasize caloric balance between food intake and

energy expenditure.

1.1.6        Health education will link with school meal programs, other school foods,

and nutrition-related community services.

1.1.7    The staff responsible for nutrition education will be adequately prepared with regular staff development activities.

OBJECTIVE 2: 

Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout schools, classrooms, homes, community and media.

ACTIVITIES:

            1.2.1    Nutrition education will be shared with parents/community through

newsletter that will impact the health of community and the students.

1.2.2     Schools will conduct nutrition education and promotions that involve parents, students, and community.

1.2.3        Nutrition education will become a part of school parties and other

celebrations. 

1.2.4        Fundraisers will consist of nutritious items to be sold to students and community members.

1.2.5        School-based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion.  As such, schools will limit food and beverage marketing to the promotion of foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually.

GOAL 2:  PHYSICAL ACTIVITY will be promoted in all Clay County Schools.

OBJECTIVE 1:

Provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activates, maintain physical fitness, regularly participate in physical activity, and understand the short and long term benefits of a physically active and healthy lifestyle.

ACTIVITIES:

2.1.1.      Physical education will complement health education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities, such as watching television.

2.1.2        Opportunities for physical activities will be incorporated into other subject lessons when appropriate.

2.1.3        Classroom teachers will provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate.

2.1.4        The school will provide information about physical education and other school-based physical activity opportunities.  Such support will include sharing information about physical education and physical activity through a web-site, newsletter, or other take home materials, special events, or physical education homework.

2.1.5        All students in grades K-12, including students with disabilities, special health-care needs, will receive physical education according to WV code

18-2-7a.

2.1.6        All elementary school students will have at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which schools should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity.

2.1.7        After school enrichment programs will provide and encourage daily periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity for all participants.

2.1.8        Teachers will not use physical activity or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g. physical education) as punishment.

GOAL 3: Clay County Schools will provide NUTRITION STANDARDS FOR FOODS ON SCHOOL CAMPUS DURING DAY

OBJECTIVE 1: 

Clay County Schools will assure that all food served in the county is safe for consumption by children and adults served by the county.

ACTIVITIES:

3.1.1.      Foods brought from home for consumption in the classroom must be purchased ready to eat and be wrapped in the original packaging.

3.1.2        External groups that use the school kitchen must do so under the supervision of a food safety verified foodservice employee designated by the food service director or principal.

3.1.3        When external caterers are used, the safety of food purchased is the responsibility of the caterer and the party responsible for serving the food.

3.1.4        The school foodservice director and principal must approve use of kitchen facilities.

3.1.5        Food safety education should be provided to students in the classroom and in the school cafeteria.

OBJECTIVE 2:

Standards of Clay County Schools will focus on increase nutrient density; decrease fat and added sugars, and moderating portion size.  Schools will ensure that reimbursable school meals meet the program requirements and nutrition standards.

ACTIVITIES:

3.2.1.      Milk and bottled water may be sold to a student at any time during the meal period.

3.2.2.      Acceptable vended food items may be sold if nutrition validation is on file at the school. 

3.2.3.      No candy, soft drinks, chewing gum or flavored ice bars will be sold.

3.2.4.      All “other foods” available during the instructional day shall reflect the Dietary Guidelines for fat by limiting the number of fat grams to not more than 8 per one ounce serving, or meet the USDA standard for a meal component.   “Other foods” are defined as any food or beverage, other than those served as part of the school meal:  including snacks from vending machines, and foods sold during school hours for fund-raising purposes, and foods for parties.  Other foods do not include those brought to school by individual students for their own consumption.

3.2.5        No food containing 40% or more sugar by weight or juice products

containing less than 20% real juice will be sold or served.

GOAL 4:  Clay County Schools will address OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITIES designed to promote student wellness

OBJECTIVE 1:

Clay County Schools will create a school environment that provides consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and being physically active.

ACTIVITIES:

4.1.1        All children will obtain meals in a non-stigmatizing manner.

4.1.2        Time will be allotted for students to eat; and the scheduling of mealtimes, bus schedules, and events that might interfere with students’ participation in school nutrition programs.

4.1.3        Food and beverage can be marketed with strategies to increase the appeal of healthful food and beverage items.

4.1.4        Physical activity and nutrition will be a component of school-based programs for students that occur after school hours.

4.1.5        After school programs that provide supplemental meals to children shall comply with the standards of school nutrition policy 4321.1.

4.1.6        Each school will provide programs to provide staff wellness that includes physical activities and/or nutrition education designed to benefit staff health.

MEASUREMENTS AND EVALUATION

            The superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with established countywide wellness policy in physical education and nutrition.  School food service staff will ensure compliance with nutrition policies with school food service areas and will report on this matter to the principal and/or food service director.  In each school, the principal or designee will ensure compliance with the policy in his/her school and will report on the school’s compliance to the superintendent or designee annually.  The superintendent or designee will develop a summary report on countywide compliance with the school wellness policy based on input from schools within the county.  That report will be provided to the school board and also distributed to all school health councils, school principals, and school health service personnel in the county.

Baseline assessment of the school’s existing nutrition and physical activity environments and policies will be done using the * SCHOOL HEALTH INDEX assessment tool.  Assessments using this tool will be repeated annually to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement.  The county wellness committee will, as necessary, revise the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their implementation.

* School Health Index (SHI) is a self- assessment and planning guide recommended for use with this project.  It enables schools to identify strengths and weaknesses of health policies and programs.  After the self-assessment schools will be able to develop an action plan for improving student health.  This tool engages teachers, parents, students and the community in promoting health enhancing behaviors and better health.  This assessment was done in Clay County Schools in the spring to develop a baseline assessment and to determine the areas of focus for the policy. The SHI was developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their overall health and safety policies and programs.

RESEARCH BASED DATA WAS PROVIDED BY:

Action for Healthy Kids

American Academy of Family Physicians

American Academy of Pediatric

American Dietetic Association

Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity

National Association of School Nurses

National School Nutrition Association

West Virginia Department of Education