The Success Institute Charter School Wellness Plan derives from a law requiring each local educational agency participating in the United States Department of Agriculture's school meals programs to establish a local wellness policy by the beginning of the School Year 2006-2007 in effort to combat literacy. The law places the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each school can be addressed.

 

In accordance with the vision, mission, and values of the Success Institute Charter School

(SICS), the school is committed to providing a healthy environment for students and adults within the school environment, recognizing that all students must be physically healthy in order to achieve academic success.

 

SICS recognizes that there is a strong link between academic performance and health literacy, nutrition education, physical education, physical activity, environmental awareness, and the food served in schools.

 

Introduction

 

The school will make every effort to engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals, health professional, and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring and reviewing the school's nutrition and physical activity policies in order to combat obesity.

 

All students in grades K 8 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis. Physical education and physical activities are offered to enable students to develop healthy lifetime habits conducive to cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, coordination, balance, physical strength and leisure time activities.

 

Foods and beverages served at school will meet the minimum nutritional requirements set forth by federal and state guidelines. Qualified child nutrition professionals will make every effort to provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students; and attempt to accommodate the diversity of student body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat. Health literacy and nutrition education equip students to make the most health enhancing decisions about the food choices available to them, and to understand health-related influences in the environment. The school will provide nutrition education, along with physical education, to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity. SICS will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs, and with related community services.

 

Nutrition Education

 

The main goal of nutrition education is to influence students' eating behaviors and to promote lifelong health eaters. Administrators, staff, and extracurricular groups shall ensure that all school activities, including classroom practices and incentives, are consistent with sound nutrition practices taught in the classroom and implemented in the school meal program. The curriculum will include to the extent possible, health, with emphasis on importance of proper nutrition and exercise. SICS shall offer opportunities for the students to taste different fruits and vegetables as part of nutrition education. Professional development will be offered at least annually by staff trained in the nutrition field on basic nutrition, sewing, handling and promotion of nutritious foods. Good health fosters student attendance and increased educational outcomes. All students shall have ample opportunity, support and encouragement to make healthy choices that will promote lifelong wellness through the implementation of a comprehensive health education curriculum that aligns with national standards, is research-based in includes nutrition education.

(l) Classroom teaching: All students will receive health education instruction that includes nutrition education as part of a planned, sequential and comprehensive school health education program. The program will be aimed at giving students the knowledge and skills necessary to be health literate as defined by national and state education benchmarks. To the extent possible, health curriculum will be reviewed yearly by the school's administration. Health and nutrition issues will be integrated across the curriculum in science, language arts, the social sciences, mathematics, physical education and elective courses.

 

(2) The classroom teaching of health and nutrition education will include partnerships to the community and outside resources. Teachers trained in nutrition will provide ongoing training, resources and strategies to promote best practices in health, wellness and nutrition education.

 

(3) Qualified nutrition professionals (Cafeteria Manager) will administer the school meal program.

 

(4) SICS will make every effort to schedule meal periods at appropriate times and student will be provided at least 30 minutes after sitting down for lunch.

 

(5) SICS will make every effort not to schedule tutoring, club or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes.

 

(6) SICS will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before meals.

 

(7) Rewards, celebrations and fundraisers involving the selling of foods and/or beverages will include items produced by a retailer and sealed or individually wrapped prior to service to students.

 

(8) Food or beverages will not be withheld for student as punishment.

 

(9) SICS discourages students from sharing their foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some children's diets.

 

(10) Students will be encouraged to start each day with a healthy breakfast. Tardy students have the opportunity to receive breakfast.

 

(l l) The school will provide information to families that encourage them to teach their children about health and nutrition and to provide nutritious meals for their families.

 

(12) Health information is shared and updated annually. For parents who do not attend Open House, information and forms are sent home to parents regarding allergies, and health.

 

(13) SICS partners with the local health department to ensure that required immunizations and records are documented annually.

 

 

 

Physical Education/Activities

 

Success Institute Charter School believes that physical education and health are part of the total educational process and are fundamental subjects in the school's curriculum. To become skillful movers, children need quality instruction, a variety of opportunities for practice and positive reinforcement. A child's full and proper development depends on activity and includes not only physical but also social, emotional, and intellectual development.

 

SICS has developed a physical education program that encourages physical fitness and that promotes a healthy, active lifestyle and expects all students to participate in physical education. Physical education shall consist of physical activities of at least a moderate intensity level and for a duration sufficient to provide a significant health benefit to students, subject to the differing capabilities of students.

 

(l) Participation in physical education will be regularly scheduled for students. The physical education program is designed to develop the following learning priorities:

             (a) Motor skills and other movement concepts

             (b) Positive attitudes toward individual fitness, a healthy lifestyle and lifelong physical activities

             (c) Health-enhancing levels of physical fitness

1. Responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings

             (e) Appreciation of cultural and individual differences in physical activity settings

             (f) Safety skills for physical activities

(2) Students shall be supported in establishing and accomplishing personal fitness goals that result in the achievement and maintenance of a health enhancing

level of physical fitness.

 

(3) Students shall be provided varied opportunities for enjoyment, challenge,

Self-expression and social interaction that will lead to a physically active lifestyle.

 

(4) Physical activity will be integrated across the curriculum throughout the school day. Movement can be made a part of science, math, language arts and the social sciences.

 

(5) Adequate equipment is available for all students to participate in physical education. Physical activity facilities on school grounds will be safe.

 

(6) SICS provides a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable activity for all students, including those who are not athletically gifted.

 

(7) SICS provides community access to use the school's physical activity outside of the normal school day.

 

(8) The school partners with other community agencies to promote physical fitness through and offer student incentives (Statesville Bowling, GEMS, ManUp, Piedmont Mediation Statesville Recreation, Powercross, PDYF)

 

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Other School-based Activities

 

SICS Charter School promotes increased participated in a school-based nutrition program by making the participation and the return of the application a high priority. All SICS students receive free breakfast and lunch.

 

 

SICS partners with the, Police Athletic League, an after-school programs which promotes physical and social growth healthy habit formation. The local wellness policy goals are considered in planning all school-based activities (e.g., field trips, dances, and assemblies).

 

 

Nutrition Guidelines for all Foods on Campus

 

The school food service program shall operate in accordance with the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1996 as amended and applicable laws and regulations of the state of North Carolina when developing the school menu. Varied and nutritional food choices will be consistent with the federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

 

(1) The dining facility (cafeteria) shall be conducive to eating in a safe, orderly and pleasant environment. Supervising staff (paraprofessionals, custodial staff, etc.) shall receive training in appropriate dining practices from the school principal or designee.

 

(2) Access to safe drinking water and facilities for hand washing will be available during, and throughout the school day.

      

(3) All food categories comply with the state and local food safety and sanitation regulations.

Monitoring and Policy Review

 

School food service staff members will ensure compliance with nutritional policies for the school food service area and will report this matter to the school principal.