SY 2019-20 Wellness Updates

1. SY 2019-20 Wellness Updates Stephanie Alsbrook, MS, RD, LD Assistant Director Child Nutrition Unit Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

2. Objectives • Describe the history of wellness policies and committees in Arkansas schools • Identify wellness regulations and rules • List required content of wellness policies • Describe timeline for updating and evaluating wellness policies • Describe Triennial Assessment process • List wellness committee responsibilities • Identify tools for wellness policies and committees

3. History Lesson • SY 2004-2005Deadline for districts to create Wellness Committees • SY 2004-2005 ADE Rules for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and BMI became effective • June 30, 2006 Deadline for districts to establish Wellness Policies • July 1, 2014 Federal Smart Snacks Regulations became effective • May 31, 2016 ADE Rules for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and BMI are updated • July 29, 2016 USDA Final Rule on Local Wellness Policy Implementation is published • June 30, 2017 Deadline for required update to Wellness Policies (Policies must now be assessed every three years, at a minimum)

4. Wellness Regulations and Rules • Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003 • Child Nutrition Program Reauthorization of 2005 • Wellness Policy Establishment • Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 • Smart Snacks Regulations • Wellness Policy Implementation • Child Nutrition Reauthorization • Currently being discussed by Congress • Be sure to follow developments

5. USDA and Arkansas Terms USDA Wellness Policy = Arkansas Wellness PolicyHealth and Wellness Priority (district policy approved by board)(district and school reports in Indistar)

6. Wellness Policies Commissioner’s Memo CNU-17-016

7. Wellness Policies: Required Contentper USDA Local Wellness Policy Implementation Final Rule • Specific goals • Standards and nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages sold • Standards for all foods and beverages provided • Policies for food and beverage marketing • Description of public involvement, public updates, policy leadership, and evaluation plan

8. Required Content: Specific Goals • For nutrition promotionand education • Physical activity • Other school-based activities that promote student wellness • Districts are required to review and consider evidence-based strategies in determining these goals • In Arkansas, this is met through the Health and Wellness Priority district and school reports in Indistar.

9. Required Content: Nutrition Guidelines - Sold • Standards and nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages sold to students on the school campus during the school day • Must be consistent with Federal Regulations for: • School meal nutrition standards • Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards • Must be consistent with Arkansas Nutrition Standards

10. Required Content: Nutrition Guidelines - Provided • Standards for all foods and beverages provided, but not sold, to students during the school day (nine special event days, food as a reward, snacks brought by parents, etc.) • Must be consistent with Arkansas Nutrition Standards

11. Required Content: Food and Beverage Marketing • Policies for food and beverage marketing that allow marketing and advertising of only those foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards

12. Required Content: Public Involvement • Districts must permit participation by the general public and the school community in the wellness policy process • Wellness Committee Members are reported in the District Report in Indistar under the Health and Wellness Priority • List of required members is included in the report • All positions must be filled

13. Required Content: Public Updates • The public must have access to the wellness policy, including any updates, on an annual basis (recommend posting to district website) • The public must have access to the Triennial Assessment, including progress toward meeting the goals of the policy (recommend posting to district website)

14. Required Content: Policy Leadership • One or more district and/or school officials • Have the authority and responsibility to ensure each school complies with the Wellness Policy

15. Required Content: Evaluation Plan • Triennial Assessments • Districts must conduct an assessment of the wellness policy every three years, at a minimum. • The assessment will determine • Compliance with the Wellness Policy • How the Wellness Policy compares to model policies • Progress made in attaining the goals of the Wellness Policy • The Child Nutrition Unit will assess compliance with the wellness policy requirements as part of the Administrative Review every three years

16. Triennial Assessments • Step 1 – Wellness Committee Checklist Part 1 • Districts are required to assess their compliance with the wellness policy • Complete the Wellness Committee Checklist Part 1 to assess implementation and compliance on an annual basis to document activities of the Wellness Committee • Has historically been an optional form • Is now a required form • Simply mark the month that each required activity is completed

17. Triennial Assessments • Step 2 – Wellness Committee Checklist Part 2 • Districts are required to compare their wellness policy to model wellness policies at least once every three years • Many sample polices are available through non-profit and professional organizations and provide a guide for language in expanded policies • For documentation of Triennial Assessment, complete Part 2 of the Wellness Committee Checklist “Included in Policy?” • Everything on the checklist should be addressed in the Wellness Policy • Update Wellness Policy as Needed

18. Triennial Assessments • Step 3 – Indistar Reports / SHI / BMI • Districts are required to document progress make in attaining the goals of the Wellness Policy • Arkansas schools continue to meet this requirement annually by completing the Health and Wellness Priority district and school reports in Indistar • Including School Health Index results • And BMI (Body Mass Index) results • Reviewed annually by School Health Services, Child Nutrition, and Health Department staff

19. Triennial Assessments • Districts must make the Triennial Assessment available to the public • Including progress made toward meeting the goals of the policy • Health and Wellness Priority Reports, BMI, and School Health Index • Compliance with the Triennial Assessment will be monitored during the district’s Child Nutrition Administrative Review

20. Wellness Committee Responsibilities Commissioner’s Memo CNU-17-013

21. Responsibility #1: Regular Meetings • At least quarterly • Documented with sign-in sheets, agendas, and minutes of the meetings • At least 2/3rds of Wellness Committee members must be present to conduct business • Robert’s Rules of Order

22. Responsibility #2 – Membership • Must correlate with the current grade configuration of the school district • Must involve the general public and the school community • Must include one or more district and/or school officials who ensure compliance • Districts must conduct and document outreach to stakeholders and partners • State Required Members: School board member, administrator, food service, teacher organization, parents, students, professional groups, community members • Federal Required Members: School board member, administrator, food service, teachers of physical activity, parents, students, school health professionals, public

23. Responsibility #3 – Menu Reviews • Schools must follow the dietary guidelines of the National School Lunch Program • Districts will provide to the Wellness Committee: • Information on the requirements and standards of the National School Lunch Program • Menus for the National School Lunch Program and other food sold in the school cafeteria, at least quarterly • The committee will provide written recommendations to the Child Nutrition Director concerning menus and other foods sold in the school cafeteria

24. Responsibility #4 – School Health Index • The Wellness Committee will assess annually each school campus using all six School Health Index (SHI) modules listed below: • #1 – School Health Policies and Environment • #2 – Health Education • #3 – Physical Education and other Physical Activity Programs • #4 – Nutrition Services • #10 – Family Engagement • #11 – Community Involvement

25. Responsibility #5 – School Improvement • The Wellness Committee will develop goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness in their School Improvement Plans. The Health and Wellness Priority Reports are available in Indistar. • District Level Requirement – identify members of wellness committee • School Level Requirements – SHI, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Goal-setting

26. Responsibility #6 – Wellness Policy • SY 2006-2007 All districts were required to establish a wellness policy • SY 2016-17 Districts should begin developing a revised wellness policy • June 30, 2017 Districts must be in compliance with updated wellness policy requirements • SY 2019-2020 If you updated your wellness policy as required in 2017, your policy is due for an evaluation and possible updates in 2020

27. Responsibility #7 – State Nutrition Standards • The Wellness Committee will ensure that each school campus meets the standards outlined in the ADE Rules Governing Nutrition, Physical Activity, and BMI • Including federal Smart Snacks regulations • Each school’s “Nine Special Event Days” must be recorded in the eSchool Calendar

28. Responsibility #8 – State Physical Activity Standards • The Wellness Committee will ensure that each school campus meets the standards outlined in the ADE Rules Governing Nutrition, Physical Activity, and BMI

29. Responsibility #9 – Record Keeping • The district and/or school will maintain records including: • A copy of the wellness policy • Documentation on how the policy and assessments are made available to the public • The most recent assessment of implementation of the policy • Documentation of the efforts to review and update the policy (annual SHI and Health and Wellness Priority district and school reports) • Who was involved in the process (wellness committee members are listed in the district report under the Health and Wellness Priority in Indistar)

30. Record Keeping- Continued • The district and/or school will maintain records including: • How stakeholders were made aware of their ability to participate • Documentation of Arkansas Wellness Committee requirements, including a record of activities and meetings • Documentation of compliance with Arkansas Nutrition and Physical Activity Standards • Documentation of quarterly menu reviews • Documentation of 9 Special Event Days in eSchool

31. Responsibility #10 – Public Updates • The District will make available to the public: • The wellness policy, including updates, at least annually • The amount of funds received and expenditures made from competitive food and beverage contracts, annually • The Triennial Assessment, including progress toward meeting the goals of the policy (assessment is completed at least every three years, but the most recent assessment must be available to the public annually)

32. SY 2019-2020 Administrative Reviews • The following documentation is needed for an Administrative Review: • A copy of the current Wellness Policy • Documentation that the Wellness Policy has been made available to the public • Documentation of efforts to review and update the Wellness Policy, including an indication of who is involved in the update and methods used to make stakeholders aware of their ability to participate • A copy of the most recent assessment on the implementation of the Wellness Policy • Documentation of the Ark Wellness Committee Requirements and Ark Nutrition Standards Compliance

33. Future Administrative Reviews • Additional information regarding Wellness Policies and Wellness Committees may be asked for in the future as new guidance is issued from USDA • Schools will be informed about what documentation will be required

34. Commissioner’s Memos • CNU-17-016 Wellness Policy Requirements: Updates from USDA Final Rule • CNU-17-013 Wellness Committee Responsibilities: A Joint Memo from ADE Child Nutrition and School Health Services • CNU-17-027 Wellness Policies: Tips for Addressing Policies for Food and Beverage Marketing • CNU-17-038 Wellness Policies: Meeting Requirements of the Triennial Assessment • CNU-17-010 Tools for Arkansas Schools – Smart Snacks, Wellness, and Best Practices for Child Nutrition

35. Child Nutrition Unit Tools • Child Nutrition Unit Webpage • Wellness Tab • Wellness PowerPoint • Smart Snacks PowerPoint • Triennial Assessment Tools • Wellness Committee Checklist • Smart Snacks Cheat Sheet • Other tools from USDA and other partners

36. USDA Tools • A Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools • USDA Policy Guidance • USDA Local School Wellness Policy: Guidance and Q and A Memo SP 24-2017

37. USDA Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit • The toolkit is designed to help districts engage the school community in their wellness policy development and implementation • provides ready-to-go communication tools that can be customized with school-specific information • flyers, presentations, newsletter articles, and social media posts that include colorful and engaging graphics • Download all of the materials for free at TeamNutrition.USDA.GOV

38. Other Resources • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • Tools for Promoting a Healthy School Environment • Alliance for a Healthier Generation • Tools for Snacks and Beverages • Tools for Wellness Policies • Links found in ADE Commissioner’s Memo CNU-17-010

39. Final Thoughts • Wellness Policies were updated and in compliance with new requirements by June 30, 2017. Policies must be assessed and evaluated at least every three years. • The Arkansas School Boards Association has a model wellness policy • Wellness is important to Arkansas Students because healthy students learn best!