Elysian Charter School

Model Nutrition Policy

2007-2008

The Board of Elysian recognizes that child and adolescent obesity has reached epidemic levels in the United States and that poor diet combined with the lack of physical activity negatively impacts on student’s health, and their ability and motivation to learn.  The Board is committed to:

Providing students with healthy and nutrition foods:

• All staff will be made aware of the prohibition of foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) as per USDA definition.  These items are to be prohibited from being served, sold or given out as free promotion anywhere on school property at anytime before the end of the school day.

These foods are as follows:  Soda water, water ices, chewing gum, hard candy, jellies and gums, marshmallow candies, fondants, licorice, spun candy, and candy coated popcorn.

All snack and beverage items sold or served anywhere on school property during the school day, including items sold in a la carte lines, vending machines, snack bars, school stores and fundraisers or served in the reimbursable After School Snack Program, shall meet the following standards:

1.  Based on Manufacturers nutritional data or nutrient facts labels:

• No more than eight grams of total fat per serving, with the exception of nuts and seeds.
• No more than two grams of saturated fat per serving.

2.  All beverages shall not exceed 12 ounces, with the following exceptions:

• Water.
• Milk containing two percent or less fat.

3.  Whole milk shall not exceed eight ounces.

• All food and beverage items listing sugar, in any form, as the first ingredient.  These may included but are not limited to:  corn syrup, dextrin, fructose, high glucose corn syrup, galactose, glucose, honey, lactose, malt, maltose, maple syrup, molasses and sucrose.  If the first ingredient is a component of the product, such as a filling, and the first ingredient of the filling is sugar, then the product cannot be served.

• All forms of candy.

• Elysian is committed to reducing or eliminating the usage of products with Trans fats. 

• All beverages served in all food programs, i.e. the Breakfast Program, the Lunch Program and the After School Snack program, for all grade levels from Kindergarten to 8^th grade, will consist of 100% fruit or vegetable juice and milk containing 2 percent or less of fat.  Due to the naturally high sugar content of many fruit juices, the serving size for beverages other than water or low fat milk shall not exceed twelve (12) ounces. 

• All snacks served in the After School Snack Program will not contain more than 2 grams of saturated fat or 8 grams of total fat per serving, with the exception of nuts and seeds.  Only 100% fruit and vegetable juices and low fat milk will be served. 

• Grades Kindergarten through Fourth will have their recess scheduled before lunch.  Due to scheduling conflicts, it is not possible at this time for the remaining grades to have their break before lunchtime.  Also, all students at Elysian will have from 30 – 45 minutes to eat lunch.  To provide a calmer atmosphere at lunch time, all students eat in their classroom with their teachers. 

Commitment

·         Elysian realizes that for successful implementation of this policy – to provide a healthier environment for students – requires cooperation from everyone in the school.  The goal is to provide a consistent, healthy message to students throughout the school environment, not just at lunch time.  Awareness of this policy must be provided to all food service personnel, teachers, nurses, coaches and all administrative staff so that they can lead by example.  Informing parents and the community of standards used in school will help garner their support for carrying out the goals of this policy into their home and community lives as well. 

·         Elysian will share information about physical activity and nutrition education through channels such as the school web site, newsletter, and/or healthy eating seminars for parents.  We will encourage parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks and to refrain from including beverages and foods that do not meet the above nutrition standards.  To that end, Elysian will provide parents a list of foods that meet the guidelines and offer suggestions for healthy celebrations/parties, rewards and fundraising activities. 

Exceptions to the Nutrition Standard

• Elysian will continue to allow class room celebrations for birthdays and curriculum activities. However, foods of minimal nutritional value, as explained above will still be excluded.  We will encourage, but not demand, that teachers   implement a policy of one party per class per month. To assist them with implementing this, the Food Program will issue a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.   We will also encourage staff members to not use food and beverages that do not meet nutritional standards, or food in general, as a reward for academic performance or good behavior, as research has shown that using food items for rewards can negatively impact students’ healthy attitudes toward eating.  In addition, staff will not withhold food or beverages (including food served through school meals) as a punishment.

Nutrition Education

• The Elysian Charter School aims to teach, encourage, and support healthy eating by students.  Activities to be suggested will include developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, participatory activities such as contests, promotions, taste testing, healthy food preparation methods, and promotion of fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. 

Physical Education and Activities

• Elysian has always been committed to outdoor recess.  All classes have 45 minutes of outdoor activity where moderate to vigorous physical activity is encouraged and provided for.  Our students play basketball, catch, baseball, tag, jump rope and climb on jungle gyms, to name just a few activities.   Elysian students also receive physical education from a certified physical education teacher at least once a week for 45 minutes.  Combined with recess, our students receive approximately 270 minutes of physical activity a week. In addition, both schools are located on the 4^th floor, requiring them to go up 8 flights of stairs, at least 2 – 3 times a day.

• In addition, Elysian’s After School Enrichment Clubs, offer many other types of activities such as Jump Rope Club, Softball, Soccer, Woodworking, Skateboarding and numerous other activities that encourage kids to get off the couch and see that there is a world without video games.  Our After School Care Program takes the children to the park every day from 3:00 until 4:00, weather permitting. Outdoor activities are encouraged and provided for, just as at recess.   Afterwards, they have a healthy snack.  

• Teachers and staff will not use physical activity or withhold physical activity as punishment. 

Monitoring and Policy Review

• A designee will be appointed by the Director to ensure compliance with established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.  The designee will ensure compliance with those policies and will report on the school’s compliance to the school’s Director.  Susan Gilbertson, as head of the School Nutrition Program, will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within school food service areas and will report to the Director.  A summary report will be developed every three years on the district’s established nutrition and physical activity policies, based on input from both schools.  This report will be provided to the school board and also distributed to all school health councils, the PTSO, and school health personnel. 

• Assessments will be compiled every three years to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement.  As part of that review, the school will review our nutrition and physical activity policies; provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity; and nutrition and physical education policies and program elements. 

• A committee has been established and all interested members of our community have been invited to assist in establishing Elysian’s Wellness Policy.  To date, our present committee is:  Susan Gilbertson, Food Program;  Diane De Sambre, School Nurse;  Donna Olah-Reiken, Nutritionist and School Board Member; Diane Sasso, Elysian Social Worker;  Grace Leong, parent.