Wellness Policy

Student Wellness: Local Wellness Policy

Last updated: 11/17/2021

Legacy Traditional Schools are committed to providing all students access to affordable and nutritious meals that adhere to the National School Lunch, National School Breakfast, and Summer Meals Program in accordance with the National School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act of 1966 as amended, and applicable laws and regulations of the State of Texas. The food service program will provide free and reduced prices for students who qualify at participating school campuses.

Legacy Traditional Schools will hold food safety as paramount, while also offering appealing meals that meet or exceed nutrition standards and are offered in a clean and attractive environment.

Our Wellness Policy is designed to support student wellness, encourage healthy food choices, and promote nutrition education and regular physical activity. The Wellness Committee hopes to help students adopt and foster healthy lifestyles starting in adolescence to achieve lifelong wellness.

I. Wellness Policy Goals

Goal for Nutrition Promotion: School meals will be promoted and advertised to parents on the school website. Menu planning and meals are designed to be as appealing to students as possible within the National School Lunch Program Guidelines. Healthy choices will be prominently displayed in the school cafeterias utilizing poster and bulletin boards. Food and beverages that do not comply with nutrition standards, with the exception of food or beverages sold as an exempt fundraiser will not be marketed or advertised on school grounds.

Goal for Nutrition Education: Schools will promote and support nutrition education by integrating nutrition into health education, and core curricula. Schools will share nutrition information with parents in menus on the Food and Nutrition portion of the website, wellness committee meetings, and other school-based wellness activities. Messages that encourage healthy eating will be displayed throughout school cafeterias.

Goal for Physical Activity: Schools will encourage and promote students to participate in physical activity to educate students on the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle.

Schools provide students with a variety of age and developmentally appropriate opportunities to participate in physical activity.

  1. Half day kindergarten students receive one 30-minute physical education instruction per week.
  2. Full day kindergarten students receive two 30-minute physical education instruction per week.
  3. Grades 1-2 receive at least two 30-minute physical education lessons to equal 60 minutes of physical education instruction per week.
  4. Grades 3-6 receive at least one 30-minute physical education class. Students who choose the momentum curriculum track receive at least 120 minutes of physical education instruction per week.
  5. Grades 7-8 receive at least 45 minutes of physical education instruction per week per chosen elective track momentum or Mozart track.

All students are provided at least 15 minutes for recess before or after their lunch period. In addition, Kindergarten through fifth grade receive two- 15 minute breaks for physical activity. The playgrounds are open a half hour before school begins and students are encouraged to be active during this time.

Goal for Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: All Legacy Traditional schools host a field day event annually and all students are encouraged to participate. Schools are encouraged to provide other physical activity opportunities such as Turkey Trots and Fun Runs for their students. Schools are encouraged to take their students on fieldtrips to local farms and to team up with organizations in the community to provide nutrition and wellness education to their students. Schools are also encouraged to educate parents and teachers to consider the wellness policy goals when planning school or classroom parties, celebrations, and events. Teachers are offered an incentive of free school lunch if they eat with their students, and are encouraged to serve as role models and advocates for the school lunch program.

II. Nutrition Standards

School Meals

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.

  1. All Legacy Traditional Schools currently participate in the Community Eligibility Provision Program.
  2. Food and beverages offered to elementary and junior high students during the day will comply with the Nutrition Standards, unless exempt from the Nutrition Standards by an exemption stated in these guidelines.
  3. Vending machines for students on Legacy Traditional school campuses are not permitted.
  4. Students, employees, and school visitors may not privately sell food or beverages to students on school grounds unless the food or beverages comply with the nutrition guidelines and the prior approval of the sale has been obtained from the school principal and approved by the district.
  5. Students and staff have access to free, potable drinking water during meal periods and throughout the day.

Competitive Foods and Beverages

Nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages must, at a minimum, meet the USDA’s Smart Snacks in Schools guidelines. These guidelines apply to all Ala Carte Snack items sold in the cafeteria during lunchtime.

Exempt Food and Beverages

  1. Food and beverages sold or served to students after the school day or days school is not in session.
  2. Food or beverages brought to the school by a student for consumption by the student only.
  3. Food and beverages served by parents at classroom parties or activities.
  4. Food and beverages sold as an approved exempt fundraiser.
  5. Food or beverages sold, served, or dispensed from vending machines restricted to school staff.

Celebrations and Rewards

Following Texas Law (ARS 15-242) all food and beverages provided and served, but not sold, to students in grades K-8 by school staff must meet the USDA’s Smart Snacks in Schools guidelines.

These guidelines apply to school-sponsored events but exclude celebrations and parties, classroom snacks provided by parents, and classroom rewards and incentives.

Staff and parents will be encouraged to serve Smart Snacks for parties and celebrations. They will be provided with healthy snack and beverage ideas as well as alternative non-food celebration ideas in the Legacy Traditional handbook as well as on the school website.

Fundraising

Food and beverage related fundraisers are not to be sold on Legacy Traditional school campuses during the school day unless it is an approved exempt fundraiser. Exempt fundraisers are to be rare and under special circumstances and approval must be obtained from the district. Exempt fundraiser food or beverages may not be sold in competition with school meals in the food service area during meal service. Schools may choose to sell food and beverages after school hours for fundraising, i.e. concession stands at sporting events, or food truck events but not within the hours of midnight through the start of the next school day.

Food and Beverage Marketing in Schools

Legacy Traditional Schools will promote healthy choices and participation in the school lunch program by providing attractive meals to the students and displaying healthy foods in the cafeterias using posters and bulletin boards to promote the school lunch menu. There is no marketing in Legacy schools for any food or beverage outside of school lunch meals and snacks sold Ala Carte which meet the Smart Snacks guidelines. The only exemption is advertising for fundraising food and/or beverages to be sold outside of school hours or to be sold off campus.

III. School Wellness Committee

Committee Role and Membership

Legacy Traditional Schools will convene a representative district wellness committee that meets to establish goals for and oversee school health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation and periodic review and update of this district-level wellness policy.

  1. Wellness Committee will meet quarterly to assess progress and participation in implementation.
  2. The Wellness Committee is led by Legacy School’s Food Service Director, Nutrition Coordinator, and Regional Food Services Managers. The committee will also be composed of school principals, classroom teachers, physical education teachers, school nurses/health staff, and is open to any other administrators, parents, students, and interested members of the community.
  3. Wellness policy communications and meeting notifications will be posted on the Legacy school’s website and made available to the public and staff at each school.

Leadership

Legacy Traditional Schools has designated one or more LEA and/or school official(s) who have the authority and responsibility to ensure each school complies with the local wellness policy.

  1. The designated official for oversight of implementation at each school is: The superintendent of Legacy Traditional Schools and each school principal.
  2. The designated official for convening the wellness committee is: Legacy Traditional Schools Food Service Director
  3. The person designated for informing the public about the wellness policy is: Legacy Traditional Schools Food Service Director

IV. Wellness Policy Implementation, Monitoring, Accountability and Community Engagement

Implementation of the Wellness Policy

A primary goal of the Wellness Committee is to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of this policy in promoting healthy eating and physical activity and changing the program as appropriate to increase its effectiveness. During the first three years of implementation assessments will be made annually by the Legacy Traditional School’s Food Service Director and members of the food services and nutrition staff. School administrators will be encouraged to participate. A goal of the Wellness Committee is to engage and encourage community and staff involvement in the regular review of the policy. Results will be measurable and determined using the Texas Department of Education’s Assessment Tool. The results of each evaluation, including the extent to which schools are in compliance with the policy, the extent to which the policy complies with federal regulations, and a description/summary of the progress made in attaining the goals of the policy will be available to the public.

Triennial Progress Assessments

Following the first three years of implementation, assessments of the wellness policy compliance and progress will move to once every three years as required by the USDA and the policy will be compared to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s model wellness policy.

Revisions and Updating the Policy

Legacy Traditional Schools will update or modify the wellness policy as appropriate following annual and triennial assessments.

Notification of Wellness Policy, Policy Updates and Triennial Assessment

Legacy Traditional Schools will inform families and the public annually of any updates to the wellness policy and every three years their compliance with the written wellness policy.

The wellness policy and annual assessments will be posted on the school’s website.

Legal: A.R.S. 15-242
National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. 1751, et. seq. Child Nutrition Act, 42 U.S.C. 1771, et. seq.