School Wellness
“Physical health affects learning, and schools have a role to play in developing lifelong habits of nutrition and fitness. It is time to promote and support a culture of health and fitness in our schools.”
State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell,
State of Education Address January 2005.
Promoting School Wellness with Nutrition and Physical Activity
Schools play a critical role in promoting student health, preventing childhood obesity, and combating problems associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity. To formalize and encourage this role, Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act (P.L. 108-265) into law in June of 2004. Section 204 of this law requires all school districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program to have a local wellness policy in place by the beginning of the 2006 school year that addresses student wellness issues. The CDC's Healthy Youth/Health School Initiative and the Coordinated School Health Model show how schools can provide a critical link in which many agencies might work together to maintain the well-being of young people.
Click HERE to view Marin County District Wellness Policies.
In addition, the California State Legislature passed into law SB12 and SB965 which regulate the type of foods and beverages that can be sold during the school day for all California public school campuses regardless of participation in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Program. The California School Nutrition Association has created a summary of competitive foods allowed to be sold during the school day.
Recommendations for Managing Food Allergies at School and camps can be reviewed at the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network.
The Nutrition Competencies are the current standard guiding classroom nutrition education. Health Education Model Content Standards are under development. The Physical Education Model Content Standards for California Public Schools are now available.
The Nutrition Wellness Program offers the following school wellness nutrition resources.
School Wellness Resources
