This document discusses requirements for local school wellness policies under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. It outlines that local wellness policies must include goals for nutrition promotion, physical activity, and nutrition education. It also requires that the team developing and implementing wellness policies include physical education teachers and school health professionals. Additionally, it mandates that local education agencies assess and publicly report on the implementation of wellness policies, including compliance with goals. The document provides information on online and paper tools like WellSAT that can help evaluate local wellness policy quality.

1. School Wellness Policies
Katherine Pike, RDN, CD
Nutrition Program Consultant
katherine.pike@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-2410

2. Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act
Local School Wellness Policies (LWP)
• Retains requirement that each local educational agency
(LEA) participating in the National School Lunch Program
and School Breakfast Program establish a LWP
• Incorporates new requirements for LWP content
• Proposed Rule will be issued in Fall 2013
• Final Rule coming in 2014

3. Requirements of the LWP
Content Current and Continued
Requirements
HHFKA of 2010
Requirements
Elements of Local Wellness
Policy
Must include, at a
minimum:
• Goals for nutrition
education, physical activity,
and other school based
activities that promote
student wellness
• Nutrition guidelines to
promote student health
and reduce childhood
obesity
• Adds the requirement
that local wellness policies
include goals for nutrition
promotion
3

4. Public Involvement
Content Current and Continued
Requirements
HHFKA of 2010
Requirements
Public Involvement Team to develop wellness
policy include:
• Parents, students, and
representatives of the SFA,
school board, school
administrators, and the
public
Team to develop wellness
policy must NOW include:
• Physical education
teachers, and school health
professionals
• Expands the purpose of
the team of collaborators
beyond the development
to include the
implementation with
periodic review and
updates
4

5. Local Discretion
Content Current and Continued
Requirements
HHFKA of 2010
Requirements
Local Discretion • LEAs determine the
specific policies
appropriate for the school
under their jurisdiction
• Provided that those
policies address all the
required elements
specified in the Act
5

6. Implementation, Periodic
Assessment, and Public Updates
Content Current and Continued
Requirements
HHFKA of 2010 Requirements
Implementation, Periodic
Assessment, and Public
Updates
• LEAS are required to
establish a plan for
measuring implementation
of the policy.
Requires LEAs to:
• Inform and update public
about content and
implementation
• Periodically measure and
make assessment available to
the public that includes extent
schools are in compliance, how
policy compares to model
policies, and progress made in
attaining goals
• Designate one or more LEA
officials or school officials to
ensure compliance
6

7. Wellness School Assessment Tool
WellSAT
• Can be used to assess the quality of a LWP,
specifically the degree to which policy items
are addressed and the strength of the language
• Does not measure the extent of
implementation or compliance with
specific wellness policy requirements

8. WellSAT
• Policy items are categorized into 5 sections
– Nutrition Education and Wellness Promotion
– Standards for School Meals
– Nutrition Standards for Other Food Sold at School
– Physical Education and Activity
– Evaluation
• Assign a point value to wellness policy statement
– 0 = Not addressed
– 1= Weak statement
– 2 = Meets/exceeds expectations

9. WellSAT – Online
http://www.wellsat.org/default.aspx

10. WellSAT – Online

11. WellSAT – Paper
http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/resources/upload/docs/what/communities/WellSAT_FINAL.pdf

12. Other Resources
• School Nutrition Team
– http://dpi.wi.gov/fns/wellnessplcy.html
• USDA Team Nutrition
– http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.html
• Action for Healthy Kids
– http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/
• Alliance for a Healthier Generation
– http://www.healthiergeneration.org/
• CDC
– http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/npao/wellness.htm

13. Questions

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