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Policy JL
The South Portland School Department is committed to creating a healthy school environment that enhances the development of lifelong wellness practices to promote healthy eating and physical activity. The Board recognizes that student wellness and good nutrition are related to students’ physical and psychological well-being and their readiness to learn. The Board is committed to providing a school environment that supports student wellness, healthy food choices, nutrition education, and regular physical activity. The Board believes that students who learn and practice healthy lifestyles in their formative years may be more likely to be conscious of the importance of good nutrition and exercise as adults, practice healthy habits, and reduce their risk of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Nutrition Standards
The school unit will ensure that meals provided by its Food Services Program meet the nutrition standards established by the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and other applicable Federal child nutrition programs.
Other foods and beverages sold or available for sale to students during the school day (“competitive foods”) will meet the federal Smart Snacks guidelines.
Water
To promote hydration, free, safe, unflavored drinking water will be available to students throughout the school day, including mealtimes, at every school.
Nutrition Education
Nutrition education will be integrated into the instructional program through the health education program and/or the curriculum as aligned with the content standards of the Maine Learning Results. Nutrition education should focus on skills students need to adopt and maintain healthy eating behaviors. Students should receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the schools, including classrooms, cafeteria, and school-home communications.
Nutrition Promotion
Schools will support healthful eating by students and encourage parents/guardians to provide healthy meals for their children by providing consistent nutrition messages and by cooperation with other agencies and organizations.
Staff Qualifications and Professional Development
All school nutrition program directors, managers and staff will meet or exceed annual continuing education/training requirements in the USDA standards for school nutrition professionals.
Physical Education and Physical Activity Opportunities
The South Portland School Department will provide all students developmentally appropriate opportunities for physical activity through physical education classes, recess periods for elementary school students, and extracurricular activities (clubs, intramural and interscholastic athletics). School programs are intended to build and maintain physical fitness and to promote healthy lifestyles. The schools should encourage parents to support their children’s participation in physical activities, including available before and after-school programs.
Other School-Based Wellness Activities
The schools, with prior approval of the Superintendent/designee, may implement other appropriate programs that support consistent wellness messages and promote healthy eating and physical activity.
The Board delegates to the Superintendent/designees the responsibility for developing guidelines for “healthy celebrations” (refreshments served at parties or celebrations during the school day) and the use of food as rewards in the instructional program.
Leadership
The Superintendent/designee shall be responsible for the oversight of the development and implementation of the wellness policy in schools. This includes ensuring that the school unit evaluates its schools’ compliance with the wellness policy and progress in attaining wellness goals. It also includes making required information available to the public.
Annual Notification of Policy
The South Portland Schools will annually inform families and the public of basic information about the wellness policy, including its content, any updates, and implementation status. This information will be made available on the district website. It will include the contact information for the person coordinating the wellness committee as well as information about opportunities for the public to get involved with the wellness committee.
Parent Communication
The school unit will inform parents of improvements that have been made to school meal standards; availability of child nutrition programs and how to apply; the school unit’s meal charging policy; and a list of healthy celebration party ideas (including a list of foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks standards).
Triennial Progress Assessments
Every three years, the Director of School Nutrition will:
Assess extent to which the school unit’s schools are in compliance with the wellness policy;
Assess the extent to which the school unit’s wellness policy compares to model wellness policies; and
Provide a description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the school unit’s wellness policy.
The school unit’s wellness committee will update the wellness policy based on the results of the triennial assessment and/or as:
The school unit’s priorities change;
Community needs change;
Wellness goals are met;
New evidence-based health science emerges; or
New or updated Federal or State regulations are issued.
The findings of this progress assessment will be made available to the public on our website.
Record Keeping
Records will be kept to document compliance with the policy, including:
Compliance with community involvement
Public notification via website for policy and triennial assessments of each school in the district
Food and Beverage Advertising in Schools and On School Grounds
Brand-specific advertising of food or beverages is prohibited in school buildings and on school grounds except for those meeting the standards for sale or distribution on school grounds in accordance with 20-A MRSA § 6662(2), i.e., those that meet Smart Snacks standards).
The Board regards the following as “advertising” for the purpose of this policy:
Brand names, logos or tags, except those that are present as labels on the food or beverage product or its container;
Displays, such as vending machine exteriors;
Corporate brands logos, names or trademarks on school equipment such as message boards or scoreboards;
Corporate brands, logos, names or trademarks on cups used for beverage dispensing, menu boards, coolers, trash cans and other food service equipment;
Corporate brands, logos, names or trademarks on posters, book covers, or school supplies distributed or offered by the school unit;
Advertisements in school and school unit publications or mailings;
Product coupons or free samples.
“Advertising” does not include advertising on broadcast media or in print media such as newspapers and magazines, clothing with brand images worn on school grounds or advertising on product packaging.
Corporate brand names, logos and trademarks for companies that market products that comply with the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards will not be prohibited solely because they offer some noncompliant food or beverage items in their product line.
Appointment and Role of the Wellness Committee
The Board shall appoint a district-wide Wellness Committee comprised of at least one of each of the following:
Board member
School Administrator
Food Services Director/designee
Student representative
Parent and/or Community representative
The Wellness Committee may also include
School nurse and/or other school health professional;
Physical education teacher;
Guidance counselor;
Social worker;
Community organization or agency representative;
Other staff, as designated by the Board; and/or
Other persons, as designated by the Board.
The Wellness Committee shall serve as an advisory committee in regard to student wellness issues and will be responsible for making recommendations related to the wellness policy, wellness goals, administrative or school regulations and practices, or raising awareness of student health issues.
The Wellness Committee shall provide periodic reports to the Superintendent/designee and, as requested, to the Board. With the prior approval of the Superintendent/designee, the Wellness Committee may survey parents, students, and the community and/or conduct focus groups to obtain input.
Wellness Goals - The Board has identified the following goals associated with student wellness:
Nutrition Education:
The schools will provide nutrition education that focuses on the skills students need to adopt and maintain healthy eating behaviors.
The school’s nutrition education will be provided in a sequential, comprehensive healthy education program aligned with the content standards of the Maine Learning Results.
Nutrition education will be integrated into other subjects as appropriate to complement, not replace, the health education program.
The school unit will provide foods that meet or exceed the federal nutrition standards, adequate time for students to obtain food and eat, lunch scheduled at appropriate hours of the day (OR: as close to the middle of the school day as possible), adequate space to eat, and a clean and safe meal environment.
Appropriate professional development will be provided for food services staff.
Nutrition Promotion:
School unit staff will cooperate with agencies and community organizations to provide opportunities for nutrition-related student projects and learning experiences.
Consistent nutrition messages will be disseminated throughout the school unit in the classroom, the cafeteria, and school-home communications.
Administrators and staff will be encouraged to model nutritious food choices and eating habits. ○ Schools will encourage parents/guardians to provide healthy meals and snacks for children through take-home materials and other means.
Students will have access to clean and safe drinking water throughout the school day and during school activities
Schools will promote consumption of water as an essential element in maintaining overall health and wellness.
Physical Activity:
The physical education program will provide all students with the knowledge and skills needed to be physically fit and take part in healthful physical activity on a regular basis.
Students will develop motor skills and apply them to enhance their coordination and physical performance.
Students will demonstrate responsible personal and social behaviors in physical activity settings. ○ The physical education curriculum will be aligned with the content standards of the Maine Learning Results.
Physical education classes will keep all students involved in purposeful activity for a majority of the class period.
Physical education classes will provide opportunities to learn for students of all abilities. ○ The schools will provide a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable physical activity and fosters the development of a positive attitude towards health and fitness. ○ The schools will provide opportunities for physical activity through physical education classes, recess periods for elementary school students, and extracurricular activities (clubs, intramural and interscholastic athletics).
Other School-Based Activities:
Goals of the wellness policy will be considered when planning school or classroom parties, celebrations or events.
Parents will be encouraged to provide nutritionally sound snacks from home and a balance of nutritionally sound snacks for classroom parties or events.
Schools will encourage parents and students to take advantage of developmentally appropriate community-based after-school programs that emphasize physical activity.
School administrators, staff, parents, students and community members will be encouraged to serve as role models in practicing healthy eating and being physically active, both in the school environment and at home.
Student organizations will be encouraged to engage in fundraising projects that are supportive of healthy eating and student wellness.
School-based marketing of food and beverages, such as through advertisements in school publications, school buildings, athletic fields, and other areas accessible to students should support the goals of the wellness policy.
The schools are encouraged to cooperate with agencies and community organizations to support programs that contribute to good nutrition and physical activity.
Cross References: EFE – Competitive Food Sales
Nutrition Standards for Foods and Beverages
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. 1751 (Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act)
7 CFR parts 210 and 220
20-A MRSA § 6662
Adopted: June 12, 2006
Revised: September 10, 2018
Board Adopted: October 10, 2018
Revised and Reclassified from JLC to JL: Date - March 13, 2023
*Please excuse any formatting errors.
