JL-R: WELLNESS PLAN
This Wellness Plan has been developed for the purpose of implementing the School Committee’s policy JL, Wellness Policy. The School Committee endorses the goals identified in the Wellness Plan and will consider recommendations for action by the Superintendent and the Wellness Team when School Committee approval is needed before implementation. Except as may be required by law, implementation of the Wellness Plan shall depend upon feasibility, availability of fiscal and other resources and other relevant factors.
The Wellness Plan is subject to ongoing administrative review and modification as necessary to ensure compliance with the School Committee’s wellness policy. Any parent, student, school administrator or staff member, or member of the community wishing to provide input or express an opinion concerning the Wellness Plan should contact:
Superintendent of Schools
200 Rogers Road, Kittery, ME 03904
(207) 475-1334
The Wellness Team
The Superintendent shall appoint a member of the administrative staff of the district to lead the Health Coordinating Team and invite appropriate district stakeholders to become members of the Health Coordinating Team. The team may include representatives from the following areas:
• Health education;
• Physical education;
• Health services;
• Nutrition Program;
• Counseling/psychological/and social services;
• Administration;
• Parent, student and community (including health care providers, hospital and public health department staff, non-
profit health organizations, physical activity groups, community youth organizations, and university or other
governmental agencies).
The Health Coordinating Team will provide an ongoing review and evaluation of the Wellness Policy and Plan and make recommendations to the School Committee for policy or action.
Nutrition Education
Nutrition education shall be offered to all students of the district, K-12 and will focus on the skills students need to adopt healthy eating behaviors. The schools’ nutrition education will be provided in a sequential, comprehensive health education program aligned with the content standards of the Maine Learning Results. Nutrition education will be integrated into other subject areas as appropriate to complement, not replace, the health education curriculum. Consistent messages will be disseminated throughout the school district in the classroom, the cafeteria, and school-home communications.
Physical Education
Age appropriate Physical Education shall be offered to all students in the Kittery School Department in accordance with Chapter 127 of Maine statute. In addition, physical education topics shall be integrated into classroom instruction in subjects such as Math, Science, Language Arts and Social Studies when appropriate. The district shall implement a quality physical education program that addresses the following:
Curriculum:
• Has a curriculum aligned with the K-12 Physical Education standards of the Maine Learning Results;
• Equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for lifelong physical activity; and
• Influences personal and social skill development.
Instruction and Assessment:
• Is taught by a certified Physical Educator trained in best practice;
• Aligns curriculum, instruction, and assessment;
• Engages students in curriculum choices that prepare them for a wide variety of lifetime activities; and
• Keeps all students involved in purposeful activity for a majority of the class period.
Opportunity to Learn:
•Strives to offer instructional periods totaling 150 minutes per week (elementary) and 225 minutes per week (middle
and high school);
• Has a teacher to student ratio consistent with those of other subject areas and/or classrooms;
• Provides facilities to implement the curriculum for the number of students served;
• Has enough functional equipment for each student to actively participate;
• Builds students’ confidence and competence in physical abilities; and
• Includes students of all abilities.
Physical Activity Opportunities
The schools will encourage parents and students to take advantage of
Developmentally appropriate community-based after-school programs that emphasize physical activity.
As feasible, school physical activity facilities will be made available after school hours for student, parent and community use, in accordance with the Facilities Use Policy, to encourage participation in physical activity.
Physical activity will be integrated into other subject areas as appropriate to complement, not replace, the physical education curriculum.
Elementary school students (Pre-K-5) will have at least 35 minutes a day of supervised recess for all students during normal school hours, preferably outdoors, during which school staff will encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity for students. Students in grades 6-8 will have at least 20 minutes of recess. Teachers and other school personnel will not use physical activity as consequences for inappropriate behavior.
Nutrition Standards
Meals served through the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, as provided by the Kittery School Department will:
• Be appealing and attractive to children;
• Be served in clean and pleasant settings;
• Meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state, and federal statutes and regulations;
• Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;
• Serve only reduced-fat (1%) and fat-free milk and nutritionally-equivalent non-dairy alternatives (to be defined by USDA); and
• Strive to provide half of the served grains as whole grain.
Schools will share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students. Such information may be made available on the school nutrition web pages, on cafeteria menu
boards, placards, or other point-of-purchase materials.
The School Committee encourages administrators to follow best practices concerning the scheduling of school meals, which includes:
• Providing students with at least 25 minutes for lunch;
• Scheduling meal periods at appropriate times (e.g. lunch should be scheduled between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.);
• Not scheduling tutoring, club, or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat
during such activities; and
• Providing students access to handwashing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks.
Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the school nutrition programs. As part of the school district’s responsibility to operate a food service program, the district will provide continuing professional development for all nutrition professionals in schools. Staff development programs should include appropriate certification and/or training programs for child nutrition directors, school nutrition managers, and cafeteria workers, according to their levels of responsibility.
In order to meet the nutritional needs of students and enhance their ability to learn, schools will encourage parents to provide a healthy breakfast for their children, either at home or at school, through newsletter articles, take-home materials and other means.
All foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable school meals program (including those sold through a la carte [snack] lines and vending machines during the school day, will meet the following nutrition and portion size standards:
Food and Beverages
•A food or beverage item sold individually will meet the USDA standards of healthy food in schools.
To encourage the choice of healthful food and beverage options, pricing differentials will be used, and healthier food options will be priced lower than less nutritious options.
To support children’s health and school nutrition-education efforts, school fundraising activities will not involve food or will use only foods that meet the USDA standards for foods and beverages sold individually. Schools will encourage fundraising activities to promote physical activity. The school district will make available a list of ideas for acceptable fundraising activities.
Snacks served during the school day or in after-school care or enrichment programs will make a positive contribution to children’s diets and health, with an emphasis on serving fruits and vegetables as the primary snacks and water as the primary beverage. School administrators will assess if and when to offer snacks based on timing of school meals, children’s nutritional needs, children’s ages, and other considerations.
The district will disseminate a list of healthful snack items to teachers, after-school program personnel, and parents.
Schools will not use foods or beverages; (especially those that do not meet the nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually), as rewards for academic performance or good behavior, and will not withhold food or beverages (including food served through school meals) as a punishment. Exceptions to this will be made for students who have Individualized Education Plans.
Classroom parties that include food will include no more than one food or beverage that does not meet nutrition standards for food and beverages sold individually. The district will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.
Foods and beverages sold at school-sponsored events outside the school day (e.g. athletic events, dances, and performances) will include foods that meet the nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually.
Maintaining Student and Staff Wellness
Students learn healthy lifestyle habits by observing the food and physical activity patterns of school personnel and other adults who serve as role models in their lives. The district shall work through its
Wellness Team and building level staff to find no or low cost ways to encourage staff wellness, including the development of staff fitness rooms. School Department teams will adhere to the following Healthy Meeting Guidelines:
• When food is offered at meetings, fresh fruit or vegetables are offered.
• When soda is available, 100% fruit juice is offered.
• Water is always available.
Adopted: July 18, 2006
Revised: June 30, 2014; June 18, 2024