Policy:

JCS, Inc. (JCS) is committed to providing an environment that enhances learning and development of lifelong wellness practices. It further recognizes that adequate physical activity and nutrition contribute to healthier students and an optimized learning environment. The Executive Director or designee shall coordinate and align charter school efforts to support student wellness through health education, physical education and activity, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, and a safe and healthy school environment. In addition, the Executive Director or designee shall develop strategies for promoting staff wellness and for involving parents/guardians and the community in reinforcing students' understanding and appreciation of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Wellness Advisory Council

The Executive Director or designee shall encourage parents/guardians, students, food service employees, physical education teachers, school health professionals, Board members, school administrators, and members of the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the charter school's student wellness policy. To fulfill this requirement, the Executive Director or designee may appoint a school wellness council or other charter school committee and a wellness coordinator. The council may include representatives of the groups listed above, as well as health educators, curriculum directors, counselors, before- and after-school program staff, health practitioners, and/or others interested in school health issues. The Executive Director or designee may make available to the public and school community a list of the names, position titles, and contact information of the wellness council members.The wellness council shall advise the charter school on health-related issues, activities, policies, and programs. At the discretion of the Executive or designee, the duties of the council may also include the planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities to promote health within the school or community.

Goals for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Other Wellness Activities

The Board shall adopt specific goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness. In developing such goals, the Board shall review and consider evidence-based strategies and techniques.

The charter school's nutrition education and physical education programs shall be based on research, shall be consistent with the expectations established in the state's curriculum frameworks and content standards, and shall be designed to build the skills and knowledge that all students need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The nutrition education program shall include, but is not limited to, information about the benefits of healthy eating for learning, disease prevention, weight management, and oral health. Nutrition education shall be provided as part of the health education program and, as appropriate, shall be integrated into other academic subjects in the regular educational program, before- and after-school programs, summer learning programs, and school garden programs.

All students shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a regular basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education and recess and may also be provided through school athletic programs, extracurricular programs, before- and after-school programs, summer learning programs, programs encouraging students to walk or bicycle to and from school, in-class physical activity breaks, and other structured and unstructured activities.

The Board may enter into a joint use agreement or memorandum of understanding to make district facilities or grounds available for recreational or sports activities outside the school day and/or to use community facilities to expand students' access to opportunity for physical activity.

Professional development may be regularly offered to staff responsible for nutrition programs, as well as health education teachers, physical education teachers, coaches, activity supervisors, and other staff as appropriate to enhance their knowledge and skills related to student health and wellness.

In order to ensure that students have access to comprehensive health services, the charter school may provide access to health services at or near the charter schools and/or may provide referrals to community resources.

The Board recognizes that a safe, positive school environment is also conducive to students' physical and mental health and thus prohibits bullying and harassment of all students, including bullying on the basis of weight or health condition.

The Executive Director or designee shall encourage staff to serve as positive role models for healthy eating and physical fitness. He/she shall promote work-site wellness programs and may provide opportunities for regular physical activity among employees.

Nutrition Guidelines for All Foods Available at School

For all foods and beverages available on each campus during the school day, the charter school shall adopt nutrition guidelines which are consistent with 42 USC 1758, 1766, 1773, and 1779 and federal regulations and which support the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.

In order to maximize the charter schools’ abilities to provide nutritious meals and snacks, the charter schools may consider participating in available federal school nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and after-school snack programs, if possible and reasonable. If participation in federal program are not reasonable for the charter school, the charter school must provide a meal program of its own accordance that meets federal and state compliance.

The Executive Director or designee shall provide access to free, potable water in the food service area during meal times in accordance with Education Code 38086 and 42 USC 1758, and shall encourage students' consumption of water by educating them about the health benefits of water and by serving water in an appealing manner.

The Board believes that all foods and beverages sold to students at the charter schools should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. Nutrition standards adopted by the charter schools for foods and beverages provided through student stores, vending machines, or other venues shall meet or exceed state and federal nutrition standards.

The Executive Director or designee shall encourage school organizations to use healthy food items or non-food items for fundraising purposes. He/she also shall encourage school staff to avoid the use of non-nutritious foods as a reward for students' academic performance, accomplishments, or classroom behavior.

School staff shall encourage parents/guardians or other volunteers to support the district's nutrition education program by considering nutritional quality when selecting any snacks which they may donate for occasional class parties. Class parties or celebrations shall be held after the lunch period when possible.

To reinforce the charter school's nutrition education program, the Board prohibits the marketing and advertising of foods and beverages that do not meet nutrition standards for the sale of foods and beverages on campus during the school day.

Wellness Policy Assessment

The Executive Director designates the school site administrators and coordinators responsible for ensuring that each school site complies with the charter school's wellness policy.

The Executive Director or designee shall assess the implementation and effectiveness of this policy at least once every three years. The assessment shall include the extent to which charter schools are in compliance with this policy, the extent to which this policy compares to model wellness policies available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy.

The Executive Director or designee shall invite feedback on charter school wellness activities from school administrators, the wellness council, parents/guardians, students, teachers, before- and after-school program staff, and/or other appropriate persons.

The Board and the Executive Director or designee shall establish indicators that will be used to measure the implementation and effectiveness of the charter schools activities related to student wellness. Such indicators may include, but are not limited to:

Descriptions of the charter schools nutrition education, physical education, and health education curricula and the extent to which they align with state academic content standards and legal requirements

An analysis of the nutritional content of school meals and snacks served in all charter school programs, based on a sample of menus and production records

Student participation rates in all school meal and/or snack programs, including the number of students enrolled in the free and reduced-price meals program compared to the number of students eligible for that program

Extent to which foods and beverages sold on campus outside the food services program, such as through vending machines, student stores, or fundraisers, comply with nutrition standards

Extent to which other foods and beverages that are available on campus during the school day, such as foods and beverages for classroom parties, school celebrations, and rewards/incentives, comply with nutrition standards

Results of the state's physical fitness test at applicable grade levels

Number of minutes of physical education offered at each grade span, and the estimated percentage of class time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity

A description of charter school efforts to provide additional opportunities for physical activity outside of the physical education program

A description of other charter school-based wellness activities offered, including the number of sites and/or students participating, as appropriate

As feasible, the assessment report may include a comparison of results across multiple years, a comparison of charter school data with county, statewide, or national data, and/or a comparison of wellness data with other student outcomes such as academic indicators or student discipline rates.

In addition, the Executive Director or designee shall prepare and maintain the proper documentation and records needed for the administrative review of the charter school's wellness policy conducted by the California Department of Education (CDE) every three years.

The assessment results of both the charter school and state evaluations shall be submitted to the Board for the purposes of evaluating policy and practice, recognizing accomplishments, and making policy adjustments as needed to focus charter school resources and efforts on actions that are most likely to make a positive impact on student health and achievement.

Notifications

The Executive Director or designee shall inform the public about the content and implementation of the charter school's wellness policy and shall make the policy, and any updates to the policy, available the public on an annual basis. He/she shall also inform the public of the charter school's progress towards meeting the goals of the wellness policy, including the availability of the triennial assessment.

The Executive Director or designee shall distribute this information through the most effective methods of communication, including charter school newsletters, handouts, parent/guardian meetings, school web sites, and other communications. Outreach to parents/guardians shall emphasize the relationship between student health and wellness and academic performance.

Each school may post a summary of nutrition and physical activity laws and regulations prepared by the CDE.

Records

The Executive Director or designee shall retain records that document compliance with 7 CFR 210.31, including, but not limited to, the written student wellness policy, documentation of the triennial assessment of the wellness policy for each school site, and documentation demonstrating compliance with the community involvement requirements, including requirements to make the policy and assessment results available to the public.

Original Policy 09/12/06

Revides Policy 03/10/2023