A Cumberland County school wellness policy that meets applicable legal requirements shall be approved by the board to implement the objectives of this policy.  The approved school wellness policy is expressly incorporated and made part of this student wellness policy and all references to this policy include the school wellness policy.

The board will maintain an appointed School Health Advisory Council to help plan, update, implement, promote and monitor the board’s school wellness policy as well as other health and nutrition issues within the school system.  The council serves as an advisory committee regarding student health issues.  The council is authorized to examine related research and laws, assess student needs and the current school environment, review existing board policies and administrative regulations, collaborate with appropriate community agencies and organizations, and help raise awareness about student health issues.  The council also may make recommendations to the board related to the school wellness policy and other policies related to student wellness and may assist the superintendent in the periodic review and revision of the school wellness policy.  In addition, the council may assist in the development of a plan for measuring and assessing the implementation of this policy and in developing methods to inform and update the public about the content and implementation of this policy as described in Sections H and I, below.

The council will be composed of representatives from the school system, the local health department and the community.  The council must include members of each of the following groups:  school system administrators, school system food service representatives, physical education teachers, school health professionals, students, parents or guardians and the public.  The council will provide information to the board about the following areas or concerns:  (1) physical activity,(2) health education, (3) employee wellness, (4) health services,  (5) social and emotional climate, (6) nutrition environment and services (7) counseling, psychological, and social services, (8) physical environment, (9) family engagement, and (10) community involvement. 

The council shall provide periodic reports to the board regarding the status of its work.  In addition, the council shall assist the superintendent in creating an annual report that includes the minutes of physical activity and the minutes of physical education and/or healthful living education received by students in the system each school year, as well as any other information required by the State Board of Education or NCDPI. 

The board believes that promoting student health and nutrition enhances readiness for learning and increases student achievement.  The goals of nutrition promotion and nutrition education are (1) to provide appropriate instruction for the acquisition of behaviors that contribute to a healthy lifestyle for students and (2) to teach, encourage and support healthy eating by students.

The board will provide nutrition education within the Healthful Living Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies adopted by the State Board of Education.  Nutrition education should be designed to provide all students with the knowledge and skills needed to lead healthy lives.  Students should learn to address nutrition-related health concerns through age-appropriate nutrition education lessons and activities.

Nutrition education and promotion should extend beyond the school environment by engaging and involving families and communities.  School system personnel may coordinate with agencies and community organizations to provide opportunities for appropriate student projects related to nutrition.  School system personnel are to work to disseminate and promote consistent nutrition messages throughout the school system, schools, classrooms, school dining areas, homes, community and media.

Consistent with policy 6200, Goals of  School Nutrition Services, all foods available in the system’s schools during the school day that are offered to students should help promote student health, reduce childhood obesity, provide a variety of nutritional meals and promote lifelong healthy eating habits.

1. School Lunch, Breakfast, and Snack Programs

Foods provided through the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs must comply with federal nutrition standards.  In addition, food selections must also be consistent with the state nutrition standards established by the State Board of Education and with policy 6230, School Meal and Competitive Standards.

2. Competitive Foods

Competitive foods must meet State Board of Education nutrition standards as well as nutrition standards established by the superintendent pursuant to policy 6230. Competitive foods are defined as foods offered at school other than through the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs, including food, snacks and beverages from a la carte menus, vending machines and outside suppliers.  In addition, all vending machine sales must comply with the requirements of G.S. 115C-264.2 and Eat Smart:  North Carolina’s Recommended Standards for All Foods in Schools. 

3. Other Foods Available on the School Campus During the School Day and After the School Day

School principals shall establish rules for foods and beverages brought from home for classroom events or parties during the school day or for extracurricular activities after the school day.  The board encourages principals to establish rules that are consistent with the Smart Snacks in Schools standards.

Fundraising activities that involve the sale of foods and/or beverages to students during the school day (from midnight until 30 minutes after the dismissal bell rings) must comply with the Smart Snack Rules and may not be conducted until after the end of the last lunch period. See policy 6230, School Meal and Competitive Foods Standards. 

School principals may establish standards for fund-raising activities conducted after the school day  (beginning  31  minutes after the dismissal bell rings) that involve the sale of food and/or beverages.  The board encourages alternative fundraising activities such as non-food items or physical activity.

4. Food and Beverage Marketing

Food and beverage marketing on school campuses during the school day must meet federal and state standards.  In accordance with these standards, only foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snack standards (as described in subsection D.2, above) may be marketed or advertised on school campuses during the school day.  To comply with this requirement, existing supplies, materials, or equipment that depict non-compliant products or logos will be replaced or removed in accordance with normal lifecycles or as otherwise would occur in the normal course of business.

The goal of the physical education program is to promote lifelong physical activity and provide instruction in the skills and knowledge necessary for lifelong participation in physical activity.  To address issues such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes, students enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade must have the opportunity to participate in physical activity as part of the system’s physical education curriculum.  The physical education course should be designed to foster support and guidance for being physically active, help students know and understand the value of being physically fit, and teach students the types of activities that contribute to total fitness.  The course is to be taught in an environment where students can learn, practice and receive an assessment on age-appropriate skills as defined in the North Carolina Healthful Living Standard Course of Study.

School personnel should strive to provide opportunities for age- and developmentally-appropriate physical activity during the day for all students so that students can learn how to maintain a physically active lifestyle.  Schools must provide a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily for kindergarten through eighth-grade students.  Such activity may be achieved through a regular physical education class, recess, dance, classroom energizers and/or other curriculum-based physical activity programs.  Principals shall work with teachers to ensure that students meet the minimum physical activity requirement.

To ensure that students have ongoing opportunities for physical activity and maintain a positive attitude towards physical activity, structured/unstructured recess and other physical activity may not be taken away from students as a form of punishment.  In addition, severe and inappropriate exercise may not be used as a form of punishment for students.

In addition to the standards discussed above, the board adopts the following goals for school-based activities designed to promote wellness:

1. Schools will provide a clean and safe meal environment.

2. Students will be provided adequate time to eat meals.

3. Drinking water will be available at all meal periods and throughout the school day.

4. Professional development will be provided for school system nutrition staff.

5. To the extent possible, the school system will utilize available funding and outside programs to enhance student wellness.

6. Food will not be used in the schools as a reward or punishment.

7. As appropriate, the goals of this student wellness policy will be considered in planning all school-based activities.

8. Administrators, teachers, food service personnel, students, parents or guardians, and community members will be encouraged to serve as positive role models to promote student wellness.

The director of child nutrition shall ensure that school system guidelines for reimbursable meals are not less restrictive than regulations and guidelines issued for schools in accordance with federal law.

The superintendent or designee shall oversee the implementation of this policy and monitor system schools, programs and curricula to ensure compliance with this policy, related policies and established guidelines or administrative regulations.  Each principal shall be responsible for and shall report to the superintendent or designee regarding compliance in his or her school.  Staff members responsible for programs related to student wellness also shall report to the superintendent or designee regarding the status of such programs.  Members of the School Health Advisory Council shall be invited to participate in the ongoing implementation and periodic review and updating of this policy.

Beginning with the school year 2017-18, and at least once every three years thereafter, the superintendent shall report annually to the board on the system’s compliance with laws and policies related to student wellness and the implementation of this policy.  At a minimum, the superintendent shall measure and report the following:

1. the extent to which the individual schools are in compliance with this policy;

2. the extent to which the board’s wellness policy compares to model local school wellness policies; and

3. a description of the progress made in attaining the goals of this policy.

The report may also include the following items:

1. a summary of each school’s activities undertaken in support of the policy goals;

2. an assessment of the school environment regarding student wellness issues;

3. an evaluation of food services programs;

4. a review of all foods and beverages sold in schools for compliance with established nutrition guidelines;

5. a review of guidelines for foods and beverages available, but not sold, during the school day, as described in subsection D, above;

6. a list of all activities and programs conducted to promote nutrition and physical activity;

7. information provided in the report from the School Health Advisory Council, as described in section B, above; and

8. suggestions for improvement to this policy or other policies or programs.

1. The school system will publish contact information for the lead wellness official on the school system website.

2. The lead wellness official shall assist the school health advisory council with annually informing and updating the public about this policy and its implementation and State Board policy SHLT-000.

3. The superintendent or designee shall make public the results of the triennial assessment described in subsection H of this policy.

4. All information required to be reported under this section and any additional information required by the state to be reported publicly shall be widely disseminated to students, parents, and the community in an accessible and easily understood manner, which may include by posting on the school system website.

The superintendent shall implement practices and procedures to inform and update the public about the content and implementation of this policy, including the information reported to the board as required in Section I, above.  This information shall be widely disseminated to students, parents and the community.

The superintendent shall maintain records to document compliance with this policy and all federal and state requirements.  These records, at a minimum, must include:

1. a written copy of this policy and any updates;

2. the most recent triennial assessment for each school;

3. documentation demonstrating:

a. the efforts to review and update this policy, as described in subsection H of this policy;

b. how this policy and information about the most recent triennial assessments have been made available to the public, as described in Section I;

c. compliance with the annual reporting requirements of subsection H; and

d. other efforts to involve the school health advisory council and/or other community members in the implementation of or assessment of compliance with this policy.