Revised October 2023

Kids Unlimited of Oregon Wellness Policy

Preamble

Kids Unlimited Academy (hereto referred to as the KUA) is committed to the optimal development of every student. KUA believes that for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental and social success, we need to create positive, safe and health-promoting learning environments at every level, in every setting, throughout the school year.

Research shows that two components, good nutrition and physical activity before, during and after the school day, are strongly correlated with positive student outcomes. For example, student participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) School Breakfast Program is associated with higher grades and standardized test scores, lower absenteeism, and better performance on cognitive tasks. Conversely, less-than-adequate consumption 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of specific foods including fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, is associated with lower grades among students.8,9,10 In addition, students who are physically active through active transport to and from school, recess, physical activity breaks, high-quality physical education and extracurricular activities do better academically.11,12,13,14

This policy outlines KUA’s approach to ensuring environments and opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions. Specifically, this policy establishes goals and procedures to ensure that:

• Students in KUA have access to healthy foods throughout the school day—through reimbursable school meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner—in accordance with federal and state nutrition standards;
• Students receive quality nutrition education that helps them develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors;
• Students have opportunities to be physically active before, during and after school;
• KUA engages in nutrition and physical activity promotion and other activities that promote student wellness;
• KUA engages community resources to provide KUA families with fresh produce and other food sources throughout the year;
• School staff are encouraged and supported to practice healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors in and out of school;
• KUA builds partnerships with local farms to deliver fresh local produce to the school for use the school’s meal programs;
• The community is engaged in supporting the work of KUA in creating continuity between school and other settings for students and staff to practice lifelong healthy habits; and KUA establishes and maintains an infrastructure for management, oversight, implementation, communication about and monitoring of the policy and its established goals and objectives.
• KUA will coordinate the wellness policy with other aspects of school management, including KUA’s School Improvement Plan, when appropriate.

This policy applies to all students, staff and school in KUA.

NOTE: Will also include any relevant data or statistics from state or local sources supporting the need for establishing and achieving the goals in this policy.]

School Wellness Committee

Committee Role and Membership

KUA will convene a representative school wellness committee (hereto referred to as the SWC) that meets the third Wednesday of every school month to establish goals for and oversee school health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation, and periodic review and update of this school wellness policy (heretofore referred as “wellness policy”).

The SWC membership will represent all school levels and include (to the extent possible), but not be limited to: parents and caregivers; students; representatives of the school nutrition program (ex., school nutrition director); physical/health education teachers; school health professionals (ex., health education teachers, school health services staff, and other allied health personnel who provide school health services], and mental health and social services staff [i.e., school counselors, psychologists, social workers, or psychiatrists]; school administrators (ex., principal, vice principal), school board members; health professionals (ex., dietitians, doctors, nurses, dentists); and the general public. To the extent possible, the SWC will reflect the diversity of the community.

Leadership

The Director of Educational Services will convene the SWC and facilitate development of and updates to the wellness policy, and will ensure each school’s compliance with the policy.

The name, title, and contact information of these individuals is:

Katie Erickson
Fifth grade teacher
kerickson@kuoregon.org
Committee Chair

The school will designate a school wellness committee, who will ensure compliance with the policy. Refer to Appendix A for a list of the school employee wellness committee.

Wellness Policy Implementation, Monitoring, Accountability, and Community Engagement

Implementation Plan

KUA will develop and maintain a plan for implementation to manage and coordinate the execution of this wellness policy. The plan delineates roles, responsibilities, actions, and timelines specific for the school, and includes information about who will be responsible to make what change, by how much, where, and when, as well as specific goals and objectives for nutrition standards for all foods and beverages available on the school campus, food and beverage marketing, nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, physical education, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness.

This wellness policy and the progress reports can be found at: http://kuoregon.org/food-program/

Recordkeeping

The School will retain records to document compliance with the requirements of the wellness policy at 1014 N. Riverside Ave. and/or on KUA’s central server. Documentation maintained in this location will include but will not be limited to:

• The written wellness policy;
• Documentation demonstrating compliance with community involvement requirements, including (1) Efforts to actively solicit SWC membership from the required stakeholder groups; and (2) These groups’ participation in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the wellness policy;
• Documentation of annual policy progress reports for the school; and
• Documentation of the triennial assessment* of the policy for the school;
• Documentation demonstrating compliance with public notification requirements, including: (1) Methods by which the wellness policy, annual progress reports, and triennial assessments are made available to the public; and (2) Efforts to actively notify families about the availability of wellness policy.

Annual Progress Reports

The School will compile and publish an annual report to share basic information about the wellness policy and report on the progress of the school in meeting wellness goals. This annual report will be published around the same time each year in December. This report will include, but is not limited to:

• The website address for the wellness policy and/or how the public can receive/access a copy of the wellness policy;
• A description of the school’s progress in meeting the wellness policy goals;
• A summary of each school’s events or activities related to wellness policy implementation;
• The name, position title, and contact information of the designated School policy leader(s) identified in Section I; and
• Information on how individuals and the public can get involved with the SWC. The annual report will be available in English and Spanish.
• The School will actively notify households/families of the availability of the annual report.

The SWC, will establish and monitor goals and objectives for the school, specific and appropriate for each of the content-specific components listed in Sections III-V of this policy.

Triennial Progress Assessments

At least once every three years, the KUA will evaluate compliance with the wellness policy to assess the implementation of the policy and include:

• The extent to which KUA is in compliance with the wellness policy;
• The extent to which KUA’s wellness policy compares to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s model wellness policy; and
• A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the KUA’s wellness policy.

The SWC will monitor schools’ compliance with this wellness policy.

The school will actively notify households/families of the availability of the triennial progress report.

Revisions and Updating the Policy

The SWC will update or modify the wellness policy based on the results of the annual progress reports and triennial assessments, and/or as school priorities change; community needs change; wellness goals are met; new health science, information, and technology emerges; and new
Federal or state guidance or standards are issued. The wellness policy will be assessed and updated as indicated at least every three years, following the triennial assessment.

Community Involvement, Outreach, and Communications

KUA is committed to being responsive to community input, which begins with awareness of the wellness policy. KUA will actively communicate ways in which representatives of SWC and others can participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the wellness policy through a variety of means appropriate for the school. KUA will also inform parents of the improvements that have been made to school meals and compliance with school meal standards, availability of child nutrition programs and how to apply, and a description of and compliance with Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. KUA will use electronic mechanisms, such as email or displaying notices on the school’s website, as well as
non-electronic mechanisms, such as newsletters, presentations to parents, or sending information home to parents, to ensure that all families are actively notified of the content of, implementation of, and updates to the wellness policy, as well as how to get involved and support the policy. The School will ensure that communications are culturally and linguistically appropriate to the community, and accomplished through means similar to other ways that the school is communicating other important school information with parents.

KUA will actively notify the public about the content of or any updates to the wellness policy annually, at a minimum. KUA will also use these mechanisms to inform the community about the availability of the annual and triennial reports.

Nutrition

School Meals

KUA is committed to serving healthy meals to children, with plenty of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk; moderate in sodium, low in saturated fat, and zero grams trans fat per serving (nutrition label or manufacturer’s specification); and to meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. The school meal programs aim to improve the diet and health of school children, help mitigate childhood obesity, model healthy eating to support the development of lifelong healthy eating patterns, and support healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.

KUA participates in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Child Adult Care Food Program’s At-Risk Supper Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). KUA also operates additional nutrition-related programs and activities including Nutrition Education, Culinary Arts, Farm to School programs, a Gardening Enrichment, and a school garden. KUA is committed to offering school meals through the NSLP and SBP programs, and other applicable Federal child nutrition programs, that:

• Are accessible to all students;
• Are appealing and attractive to children;
• Are served in clean and pleasant settings;
• Meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and Federal statutes and regulations. (KUA offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards.)
• Menus will be created/reviewed by a Registered Dietitian or other certified nutrition professional.
• The majority of school meals will be cooked from scratch and pre-packaged menu items will be kept to a bare minimum.
• KUA child nutrition program will accommodate students with special dietary needs.
• Participation in Federal child nutrition programs will be promoted among students and families to help ensure that families know what programs are available at KUA.
• The School will implement at least four of the following Farm to School activities:
  − Local and/or regional products are incorporated into the school meal program;
  − Messages about agriculture and nutrition are reinforced throughout the learning environment;
  − School hosts a school garden;
  − School hosts field trips to local farms;

Water

To promote hydration, free, safe, unflavored drinking water will be available to all students throughout the school day* and throughout the school campus* (“school campus” and “school day” are defined in the glossary). KUA will make drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes.

• Water cups/jugs will be available in the cafeteria.
• All water sources and containers will be maintained on a regular basis to ensure good hygiene standards.

Competitive Foods and Beverages

The School is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus* during the school day* support healthy eating. To ensure students are eating high quality and nutritious meals the school will not sell or serve competitive foods and beverages outside of the school meal.

Nutrition Promotion

Nutrition promotion and education positively influence lifelong eating behaviors by using evidence-based techniques and nutrition messages, and by creating food environments that encourage healthy nutrition choices and encourage participation in school meal programs. Students and staff will receive consistent nutrition messages throughout schools, classrooms, gymnasiums, and cafeterias. Nutrition promotion also includes marketing and advertising nutritious foods and beverages to students and is most effective when implemented consistently through a comprehensive and multi-channel approach by school staff and teachers, parents, students, and the community.

KUA will promote healthy food and beverage choices for all students throughout the school campus, as well as encourage participation in school meal programs.

Nutrition Education
The School aims to teach, model, encourage, and support healthy eating by students. Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

• Is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
• Include enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits, and school gardens;
• Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy food preparation methods;
• Link with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition promotion activities, school gardens, Farm to School programs, other school foods, and nutrition-related community services;

Food and Beverage Marketing in Schools

KUA is committed to providing a school environment that ensures opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions. KUA strives to teach students how to make informed choices about nutrition, health, and physical activity. These efforts will be weakened if students are subjected to advertising on School property that contains messages inconsistent with the health information the School is imparting through nutrition education and health promotion efforts. It is the intent of the School to protect and promote student’s health by permitting advertising and marketing for only those foods and beverages that are served on the school campus, consistent with the School’s wellness policy.

Food advertising and marketing is defined15 as an oral, written, or graphic statements made for the purpose of promoting the sale of a food or beverage product made by the producer, manufacturer, seller, or any other entity with a commercial interest in the product. This term includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Brand names, trademarks, logos or tags, except when placed on a physically present food or beverage product or its container.
• Displays, such as on vending machine exteriors.
• Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on school equipment, such as marquees, message boards, scoreboards, or backboards (Note: immediate replacement of these items are not required; however, the school will consider replacing or updating scoreboards or other durable equipment over time so that decisions about the replacement include compliance with the marketing policy.)
• Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on cups used for beverage dispensing, menu boards, coolers, trash cans, and other food service equipment; as well as on posters, book covers, pupil assignment books, or school supplies displayed, distributed, offered, or sold by the School.
• Advertisements in school publications or school mailings.
• Free product samples, taste tests, or coupons of a product, or free samples displaying advertising of a product.

Physical Activity

Children and adolescents should participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day. A substantial percentage of students’ physical activity can be provided through a comprehensive, school-based physical activity program (CSPAP) that includes these components: physical education, recess, classroom-based physical activity, walk and bicycle to school, and
out-of-school time activities and the school is committed to providing these opportunities. Schools will ensure that these varied opportunities are in addition to, and not as a substitute for, physical education (addressed in “Physical Education” subsection).

To the extent practicable, KUA will ensure that its grounds and facilities are safe and that equipment is available to students to be active. KUA will conduct necessary inspections and repairs.

Physical Education

The School will provide students with physical education, using an age-appropriate, sequential physical education curriculum consistent with national and state standards for physical education. The physical education curriculum will promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and will help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits, as well as incorporate essential health education concepts.

All students will be provided equal opportunity to participate in physical education classes. The School will make appropriate accommodations to allow for equitable participation for all students and will adapt physical education classes and equipment as necessary.

All elementary students in each grade will receive physical education for at least 70 minutes per week throughout the school year.

Recess (Elementary)

All elementary schools will offer at least 45 minutes of recess on all or most days during the school year. If recess is offered before lunch, schools will have appropriate hand-washing facilities and/or hand-sanitizing mechanisms located just inside/outside the cafeteria to ensure proper hygiene prior to eating and students are required to use these mechanisms before eating. Hand-washing time, as well as time to put away coats/hats/gloves, will be built in to the recess transition period/timeframe before students enter the cafeteria.

Outdoor recess will be offered when weather is feasible for outdoor play.

In the event that the school must conduct indoor recess, teachers and staff will follow the indoor recess guidelines that promote physical activity for students, to the extent practicable.

Recess will complement, not substitute, physical education class. Recess monitors or teachers will encourage students to be active, and will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.

Before and After School Activities

KUA offers opportunities for students to participate in physical activity either before and/or after the school day through a variety of methods. The School will encourage students to be physically active before and after school by: participating in enrichment clubs, the Rotary Basketball Program, & participating in various pre-school activities.

Other Activities that Promote Student Wellness

KUA will integrate wellness activities across the entire school setting, not just in the cafeteria, gymnasium, and on the playground. KUA will coordinate and integrate other initiatives related to physical activity, physical education, nutrition, and other wellness components so all efforts are complementary, not duplicative, and work towards the same set of goals and objectives promoting student well-being, optimal development, and strong educational outcomes.

All efforts related to obtaining federal, state, or grants/funding opportunities for healthy school environments will be coordinated with and complementary of the wellness policy.

All school-sponsored wellness events will include physical activity opportunities.

Community Partnerships

KUA will continue developing relationships with community partners (i.e. hospitals, universities/colleges, local businesses, etc.) in support of this wellness policy’s implementation. Existing and new community partnerships and sponsorships will be evaluated to ensure that they are consistent with the wellness policy and its goals.

Community Health Promotion and Engagement

KUA will promote to parents/caregivers, families, and the general community the benefits of and approaches for healthy eating and physical activity throughout the school year. Families will be informed and invited to participate in school-sponsored activities and will receive information about health promotion efforts.

As described in the “Community Involvement, Outreach, and Communications” subsection, the School will use electronic mechanisms (such as displaying notices on the school’s website), as well as non-electronic mechanisms, (such as newsletters, presentations to parents, or sending information home to parents), to ensure that all families are actively notified of opportunities to participate in school-sponsored activities and receive information about health promotion efforts.

Staff Wellness and Health Promotion

The SWC will have a staff wellness subcommittee that focuses on staff wellness issues, identifies and disseminates wellness resources, and performs other functions that support staff wellness in coordination with human resources staff.
KUA will implement strategies to support staff in actively promoting and modeling healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. The School promotes staff member participation in health promotion programs and physical activities.

Glossary:

Extended School Day – time during before and afterschool activities that includes clubs, intramural sports, band and choir practice, drama rehearsals, etc.

School Campus – areas that are owned or leased by the school and used at any time for school-related activities such as the school building or on the school campus, including on the outside of the school building, school buses or other vehicles used to transport students, athletic fields, and stadiums (e.g. on scoreboards, coolers, cups, and water bottles), or parking lots.

School Day – 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Triennial – recurring every three years.

Appendix A: Wellness Committee 2023-2024

Katie Erickson

Fifth grade teacher

kerickson@kuoregon.org

Committee Chair

 

Tommy Statler

PE teacher

tommy.statler@kuaoregon.org

Secretary

 

Tiani Bradford

Food Program manager

tiani.bradford@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

Alyssa Buswell

Garden educator

alyssa.buswell@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

Madison Clark

Fifth grade teacher

madison.clark@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

Ellen Radcliffe

Oregon State University Extension

SNAP Ed Program

Nutritionist

ellen.radcliffe@oregonstate.edu

Member

 

Larissa Medina

Rogue Community Health Center

Quality Improvement Nurse Director

LMedina@roguech.org

KUA parent member

 

Karalinda Maclaren

Middle school teacher

karalinda.maclaren@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

Jacqui Gonzalez

Kindergarten teacher

jacqui.gonzalez@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

Caroline Gritters

Special Education teacher

caroline.gritters@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

Adrienne Baraona

Art teacher

abaraona@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

Lindsay Ochs

Principal

lindsay.ochs@kuaoregon.org

Member

 

KUA student

Member

Vacant