Student Wellness and Nutrition
While maintaining learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activities, the Cedar Falls Community Schools contribute to the basic health status of students. Improved health optimizes student performance potential.
The District provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing life-long wellness behaviors. The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with school district goals to positively influence a student’s understanding, beliefs, and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity.
All foods available on school grounds and at school sponsored activities during the instructional day shall meet or exceed the school district nutrition standards and be in compliance with state and federal law. Food should be served with consideration toward nutritional integrity, variety of appeal, taste, safety, and packaging to ensure high-quality meals.
The District Safety Committee will conduct periodic assessments to determine the scope of policy compliance and the extent of progress made toward the student wellness goals. As part of this assessment the Committee will review current trends in nutrition and physical policies and practices, and the provisions that support an environment of healthy eating and physical activity.
District Targeted Wellness Goals:
- Nutrition Education and Promotion: Emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and physical activity.
- Physical Activity: Students in grades K-5 will have thirty (30) minutes of physical activity per day. This requirement can be met through a combination of physical education, recess, classroom, and other activities. Students in grades 6-12 shall have at least one hundred twenty (120) minutes of physical activity per week. This goal can be met with a combination of PE, school, and non-school sponsored athletics, and other activities.
- Other School-based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Classroom health education will compliment physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities.
- District food service department, in conjunction with the Wellness Committee, will establish, at a minimum, the following wellness goals:
- Establish a student food committee
- Promote fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, low fat and fat-free dairy products
- Identify required state and federal changes in a la carte, vending and fundraising activities and ensure compliance
- Work towards increasing participation in breakfast and lunch
- Provide professional development for all food service personnel as necessary
- Notify the community of wellness goal activities through the District’s website
- Nutrition Guidelines for all Foods Available during the School Day: The school district nutrition standards shall be in compliance with state and federal law*.
*For the purpose of this policy, the school day is defined as first bell to last bell, Monday through Friday, when students are regularly scheduled for classes.