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JLA- PRC1

Policy JLA - PRC1

Adopted: September 1, 2013
Amended: December 10, 2021

Hopkinton Public Schools

Wellness Plan


 

Effective September 1, 2013

Revised March 27, 2018



 

Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness Mission Statement

 

The Wellness Department and Administration of the Hopkinton Public Schools recognize that Wellness Education must address the whole student, according to the Six Dimensions described by the National Wellness Institute, including physical, occupational, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health.

 

The Six Dimensions of Wellness Hexagon, developed by Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute (NWI), represents the areas in which each student is able to assess personal behaviors and set goals to improve their lives. Classes and lessons are created based on the National Health Education Framework, the National Physical Education Framework, and the MA Comprehensive Health Education Framework.

 

In Hopkinton, we are passionate about helping our students transition from child, to adolescent, to healthy adult, and in the process avoiding life-long ailments and reaching their physical and mental potentials. Our individual schools contribute to the basic health status of children by facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity.

 

Wellness Committee & Wellness Plan Sub-Committee

 

Hopkinton Wellness Committee

Kathryn Bain - RN Maureen Burns -RN

Mary Ann DeMello - Asst. Superintendent Deborah Dionne - HPTA

Bruce Elliott - Wellness Coordinator Cheryl Kelly - M.D.

Patricia Laglenne - Parent Kathy Lewinsky - Teacher Austin Morrissey -Student

Mary O’Brien - Food Services Director Debra Pinto - Teacher

Paula Vanesian - RN

Jean Vazza - Youth Services Coordinator Diane Welch - Teacher

Ed Wirtanen - Public Health Administrator

 

Wellness Plan Sub-Committee

Kathryn Bain - RN Deborah Dionne - HPTA

Bruce Elliott - Wellness Coordinator 

Mary O’Brien - Food Services Director

 

School Committee Representative for Plan

Rebecca Robak

  1. Purpose of Plan/Rationale

This Plan complies with Federal and Massachusetts laws, which require all schools to develop a local Wellness Policy.

 

Children need access to healthful, safe foods and educational content and experiences that promote wellness in order to foster school attendance and educational success. Obesity rates, chronic diseases, allergies, and food intolerances challenge students’ maximum academic performance. Participation in vigorous physical activity, quality physical education, nutrition education, and balanced food choices foster lifelong health habits that can lead to longer and healthier lives.

 

The purpose of this Plan is to:

A. Ensure that each student develops the tools and acquires the knowledge necessary to make positive health decisions throughout his/her life.

  • The wellness curriculum will ensure that students develop and demonstrate health-related knowledge, attitudes and practices.

  • Physical education and regular physical activity will contribute to the physical development of the individual through promotion and appreciation of physical fitness.

 

B. Ensure that food offered within a school day by the school district is safe and nutritious, and fulfills the requirements of the Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004, and the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

  • Provide a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods through the food service program that meet the health and nutrition needs of the students, and information about the food content to parents.

  • Develop clear, consistent guidelines for food offered during celebrations and educational activities. These guidelines will allow students with life-threatening food allergies or intolerances to safely participate, and will reflect what is taught in the wellness curriculum.

 

C. Respect individual family decisions regarding food choices for all school related activities.

 

D. Federal Guidelines: (Please see Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness School - Guidelines & Protocols for details - pg. 4)

 

  1. Hopkinton Wellness Plan

A. Wellness Education

  1. Physical Education/Fitness

Vigorous activity is essential in maximizing student development in both physical and cognitive areas. Hopkinton Public Schools strives to implement a rigorous physical education program in which students participate and build lifelong habits. (Please see Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness School - Guidelines & Protocols for details - pg. 5)

 

  1. Nutrition Education

The Hopkinton Public Schools will teach, encourage, and support healthy eating choices for our student body. Nutrition education will be offered at each grade level as part of a sequential, comprehensive, standards-based wellness program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to choose a diet that supports lifetime health, therefore aiding in the reduction of the risk of illness and future hypokinetic diseases. (Please see Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness School - Guidelines & Protocols for details - pg. 5-6)

 

  1. Health Education

The goal of the HPS Wellness Department is to encourage, educate, and motivate our students to make positive daily decisions and develop healthy life time skills and habits. The K-12 Health Education curriculum will strive to follow the SHAPE America National Health Education Standards and the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework. Hopkinton will emphasize The Six Dimensions of Wellness Hexagon, developed by Dr. Bill Hettler co-founder of the National Wellness Institute (NWI). Additionally, research-based health education resources will be utilized in classroom instruction. (Please see Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness School - Guidelines & Protocols for details- pg. 6-7)

 

B. Nutrition

Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2011, Sec. 204 for National School Lunch & School Breakfast Programs:

(Please see Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness School - Guidelines & Protocols for details - pg. 8)

Massachusetts School Nutrition Standards

Massachusetts passed HB 4459 on March 13, 2010. The legislation requires the state Board of Education to develop nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages. The competitive food and beverage guidelines may include:

(Please see Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness School - Guidelines & Protocols for details - pg. 9-11)

 

COMPETITIVE FOOD ITEMS not prepackaged with nutritional information by the distributor that are not fresh fruit or fresh vegetables shall be required to have nutritional information; calories, % of calories fat and saturated fat, cholesterol, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A and C.

 

This should be available to students either: on the packaging; in the display case; in a binder; or within information packets held by food service staff for requests by students. Competitive foods are defined as foods and beverages provided in:

  1. School cafeterias food offerings

  2. School buildings including classrooms and hallways

  3. School stores

  4. School snack bars

  5. Vending machines

  6. Concession stands

  7. Booster sales

  8. Fundraising activities

  9. School-sponsored events, and any other location on school property

 

** Hopkinton Public Schools and On-Campus Events will strive to offer for sale fresh fruit and non-fried vegetables at any location where food is sold.

 

  • Public schools shall make available plain, potable water to all public school students during the school day at no cost.

 

  • Public schools shall not use fryolators in the preparation of food; provided, however, that the department, in consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education, may establish reasonable exceptions for the use of fryolators in the preparation of food sold after the end of the school day, during school sponsored fundraisers and events, at booster sales, concession stands and other activities at school-related events.

  • A review of the implementation of these guidelines will take place annually after the effective approval date of this section.

 

C. Health Services

The Hopkinton Public School Health Services Department will strive to provide a broad scope of services from qualified health care providers. The Hopkinton School District shall collaborate with community health liaisons and resources to promote health and wellness for students, families, staff and the community. (Please see Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness School - Guidelines & Protocols for details - pg. 12)

 

D. Other School Based Activities:

  1. The Hopkinton Public School district will strive to adhere to national and Massachusetts Nutrition Standards when food is served.

  2. Hopkinton Public Schools will continue to meet Massachusetts’s mandate on Body Mass Index (BMI) in grades 1, 4, 7, 10. This is a state requirement and all Hopkinton schools are required to meet this directive unless a parental “opt-out” form is provided to the representative school nurse prior to screening dates.

  3. Elimination of edible items used for reinforcement or reward, unless included in a student’s individual education plan.

  4. Limitation of food served to a whole class unless integral to the learning, such as when learning about cultural food nuances of different ethnicities.

  5. All groups participating in fundraising projects are encouraged to follow the district nutrition standards.

  6. The use of food items as part of a student incentive program is strongly discouraged due to possible safety concerns, such as choking and allergic reactions.

  7. The Hopkinton Public School district will maintain the nutritional standards set forth in this Plan in all of its vending machines.

  8. Allergen precautions in all classrooms/curriculum areas will be followed to avoid student contact with certain foods, chemicals, latex, or other potential harmful substances.

  9. Physical education / recess shall not be taken away from students for either punishment or privilege reduction.

 

Rationale For School Based Activities:

  • Safety – Concern for the increasing number of students with allergies, digestive diseases, or food intolerance that can cause mild to life-threatening responses.

  • Focus on Learning - Classroom celebrations can cause loss of instructional time, thus impacting student learning and performance.

  • Wellness Philosophy – The school curriculum will model wellness and nutrition throughout the Hopkinton Public Schools

  • Increase in Childhood Obesity – Nationwide data indicates an increase in childhood obesity leading to hypokinetic diseases like Hypertension, Cardiopulmonary Disease, and Type II Diabetes.

 

E. S.M.A.R.T. Goals of Hopkinton Public Schools Wellness Plan

 

S.M.A.R.T. Goal #1:

In order to ensure fitness and overall health of the Hopkinton Public School student population, the nursing and wellness committee will report and analyze Massachusetts mandated BMI percentages for grades 1,4,7, and 10 annually.  Wellness teaching staff will work with students to continue to build on the positive percentage that currently exists in the district. Curriculum and instruction will strive to keep BMI in the healthy ranges set forth by the CDC (Center for Disease Control).

 

S.M.A.R.T. Goal #2:

By the start of the 2013-14 school year, The Michigan Model for Health curriculum will be fully implemented into social/emotional/ safety instructional units to reduce Bullying and Cyber-Bullying. Intensive instruction for all grade levels will strive to decrease instances by 15% prior to the next MetroWest Health Survey in 2014-2015.

 

Reference:

The 2010 MetroWest Health Survey report revealed 41% of middle school and 29% of high school students responded to have been bullied on school property. 2012 survey results will be provided in the fall of 2013 and all future reports will be key instruments in tracking progress on Bullying behaviors.

 

S.M.A.R.T. Goal #3:

In order to ensure district food services are compliant with all Federal and State regulations, a semi-annual & annual assessment by the Director of Food Services will be conducted. The assessment findings will be reported back to the Wellness Committee and other appropriate school board reviews. By the end of 2012-13 school year all Federal and Massachusetts Nutritional Policies will be 100% compliant. This is directed at all before-school, lunch, and after-school cafeteria related offerings.

 

S.M.A.R.T. Goal #4:

In order to be compliant with all federal and state nutrition and safety standards each of the five (5) Hopkinton Public Schools will work to reduce food activities in the classroom. Principals will remind staff of the safety issues associated with allergies / food intolerances at the start of the school year and on an on-going basis. Additional reminders to parents through school communication imparting the importance of these health and safety concerns relating to foods in the classroom. If food items are to be used for classroom instruction, then principal and nurse pre-approval must be sought.



 

Resources:

 

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). National Health Education Standards (NHES)Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/SHER/standards/index.htm

 

Educational Materials Center (EMC), Central Michigan University. (n.d.). Michigan Model for Health (overview). Retrieved from http://www.emc.cmich.edu/mm/default.htm

 

Goodenow, C. School Wellness Advisory Committees: Why, What, and How. [PowerPoint Document]. Massachusetts Department of Education. (2012).

 

Massachusetts Department of Education. (1999). Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Education Curriculum Frameworks. Retrieved from http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/health/1999/1099.pdf

 

Massachusetts Food & Beverage Standards http://www.johnstalkerinstitute.org/MA_Food_Standards.pdf

 

National Physical Education Standards (NASPE). (2004). Moving into the Future: National Standards for Physical Education, 2nd Edition. Retrieved from http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/standards/nationalStandards/PEstandards.cfm

 

Olson, R. Strengthening Local School Wellness Policies [PowerPoint Document]. Massachusetts Department of Education. (2012).

 

Texas Woman's University. (2012). Six Dimensions of Wellness. Retrieved from http://www.twu.edu/wellness-connections/six-dimensions.asp

 

The 187th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (2010). School Nutrition.

Retrieved from www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2010/Chapter197

 

The 187th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (2012). An Act Making Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2012. (2012)

www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2012/Chapter96.

 

Adapted from: Canton, Mansfield, Haverhill Public Schools’ Wellness Policies Adopted: December 18, 2012



 

Legal References:

 

Regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture

 

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Section 204, P.L. 108-265

 

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42

U.S.C. §§ 1751 - 1769h

 

The Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1771 – 1789

 

Massachusetts a la Carte Food & Beverage Standards to Promote a Healthier School Environment

 

 

Hopkinton Public Schools

Wellness Plan

 

Pre-Approval Form / Foods in Classroom

 

In reference to the S.M.A.R.T Goal #4 per the Hopkinton Schools Wellness Plan pre-approval of food items is required for classroom instruction. This is in response to safety issues related to food allergies, food intolerances, and digestive illness that could cause mild to life threatening conditions in students. Please seek approval from the following individuals prior to administering food in your instruction.

 

Date of Instruction:

 

Type of Food: 

 

Purpose of food in Lesson/Unit Instruction:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Principal Signature Date




 

 

 

Nurse Signature Date


 

Hopkinton Wellness Plan

School Committee Policies