Wellness

6164.8

Wellness

Policy Intent/Rationale

Cranston Public Schools promotes healthy schools by supporting physical, mental,and emotional health and wellness as part of the learning environment. The district supports both staff and student wellness, and acknowledges that it optimizes student performance potential.

Cranston Public Schools will use the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coordinated School Health approach to comprehensive school wellness. The Coordinated School Health model includes eight areas of school health: (1) safe environment; (2) physical education; (3) health education; (4) staff wellness; (5) health services; (6) mental and social health; (7) nutrition services; and (8) family involvement.

This policy will provide Cranston Public Schools with guidelines, goals and information that will help the district maintain Federal, State and district regulations.

The School District will engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals, physical, mental and social emotional health professionals and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring and reviewing district-wide nutrition and physical activity policies.

All students in grades Pre-K through 12 will have opportunities, support and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.

Staff and students will have the opportunity for regular assessment and support for mental and social -emotional needs.

Food and Nutrition

Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet and/or exceed the nutrition recommendations of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as well as the USDA and RINR regulations.
Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of every student; will accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat.
To the maximum extent practicable, all schools in our district will participate in the available Federal Schools Meal Programs (including the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program (including after-school snacks), Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Food Program.
Schools will provide nutrition education and physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs; and with related community services.

Mental Health Awareness, Services and Support

To foster a positive learning environment that prioritizes mental health, the district shall implement measures that ensure effective access to services and supports.

The District will provide age-appropriate, evidence based programs to promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and support the well-being of students, staff and families.
The District will partner with relevant committees and organizations to advance mental health initiatives.
Annual mental health awareness training will be provided to administrators and staff, including education on prevention, intervention and available resources.
Periodic reviews will evaluate the effectiveness and adequacy of mental health outreach and offerings.
The District will establish intervention, risk assessment, and reintegration protocols to address student mental health concerns at all grade levels. (see policy 5290, 5220)
Collaboration with local and state partners will ensure access to wrap around services for students and families.
Confidentiality will be maintained consistent with district and professional standards.

RI General Laws § 16-21-28

RI General Laws § 16-2-9

RI Board of Education regulation, 200-RICR-20-1.4.2

The Nathan Bruno and Jason Flatt Act (2021-H 5353, 2021-S 0031

School Wellness Committee:

RI General Law (16-21-28) requires the establishment of a district-wide coordinated school health and wellness subcommittee chaired by a full member of the School Committee.

The School Committee shall establish a Wellness Committee that will be composed of, at a minimum, a School Committee member, a School Administrator, a School Food Authority

representative, a parent or guardian, a representative of SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee), a member of CEAB (Cranston Educational Advisory Board), a school nurse, a member of the school clinical staff and a member of the physical education department. Members of the public, students and community organizations are encouraged to attend these public meetings.

This committee shall meet no less than four times during the school year.

The members of the committee shall:

collaborate and coordinate resources to drive school health objectives
communicate with the public regarding issues of health and wellness
make recommendations to the Superintendent regarding issues of health and wellness ● review and update Wellness policies
ensure that all policies are being followed
ensure that all areas of health and wellness standards are current
report yearly to the School Committee regarding nutrition, physical education, physical activity and the health and well-being of the school community.

See: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/statutes/title16/16-21/16-21-28.htm

Nutrition Guidelines for all foods on school campus

The integrity of the school nutrition environment depends on the quality of all foods and beverages served and sold at school. Foods that provide little nutritional value compete with healthy school meals, send mixed messages to students, undermine nutrition education efforts and discourage healthy eating. School nutrition guidelines shall address all food and beverages sold or served to students from reimbursable meals, vending machines, in school stores, fundraisers, school celebrations, as well as a la carte items sold during school meals. All food sales shall comply with the applicable federal, state and district regulations. Each school will be responsible for ensuring that all policy guidelines are followed.

School Meals

R.I. General Law (16-21-7) At a minimum, reimbursable meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs must meet USDA nutrition requirements and Rhode Island Nutrition Requirements

The full meal school breakfast and lunch programs must comply with the USDA and RINR Requirements for Federal School Meals Programs and follow the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

See: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/legislation/nutritionstandards.htm http://www.thriveri.org/documents/RINR2009

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/

Breakfast

To ensure that all children have breakfast, either at home or at school, in order to meet their nutritional needs and enhance their ability to learn:

Schools will operate the School Breakfast Program.
Schools will utilize methods to serve breakfasts that encourage participation, including serving breakfast in the classroom,” grab- and- go” breakfast or breakfast prior to the start of school.
Schools that serve breakfast to students will notify parents/guardians and students of the availability of the School Breakfast Program.
Schools that serve breakfast will provide menus as well as any available nutritional information. This can be done with menus, posts on websites, menu boards, in school offices.

Free and Reduced-priced Meals

Schools will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals.

Toward this end schools may:

utilize electronic identification and payment systems;
provide meals at no charge to all children, regardless of income,
Promote the availability and access of school meals to all students;
Use nontraditional methods for serving school meals ( “grab-and-go” or classroom

breakfast)

Include student voice in menu and promotional events

Summer Food Service Program

Schools may provide a food service program for those students attending an extended school year program or attending a school-sponsored enrichment program. These costs will be determined by the food service provider and agreed upon by the district and School Committee vote.

Eating Environment

A well designed and pleasant eating environment is important to the promotion of students’ healthy eating habits. Schools need to assess traffic flows, time allotted for school meals and cafeteria layout to ensure that students are actually encouraged to eat.

All schools will strive towards providing:

Adequate space to eat in clean, pleasant surroundings
Adequate time to eat meals
Convenient access to hand washing or hand sanitizing facilities before meals • Scheduled lunch periods at appropriate times
Water will be made available to student in the cafeteria

Additionally; schools will adhere to the following rules:

There should not be scheduled tutoring, club or organizational meetings during mealtimes, unless students are allowed to eat during such activities.
School personnel should take reasonable steps to accommodate the tooth-brushing regimens of students with special oral health needs. (A note must be provided to the School Nurse)
School District will work with school food providers to explore and implement ways to minimize the time students spend waiting in line.

Food Safety and Security

The food offered to students in the schools must not only be nutritious, but must also comply with state and local safety and sanitation regulations. The quality of the food is determined both by the nutrient value and by the standards by which it was prepared.

All foods made available to students will comply with the State and local food safety and sanitation regulations.
Sharing of food by students is not encouraged.
Guidelines shall be implemented by the Food Service Provider in order to avoid food illness in schools.
Access to food service operations is limited to Food Service staff and personnel authorized by the Superintendent or designee.

Food Marketing in Schools

School based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion. As such, schools will limit food and beverage marketing to the promotion of foods and beverages that meet the nutritional standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually.

School-based marketing or promoting of predominantly low-nutrition foods and beverages is prohibited.
The promotion of healthy foods; including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products is encouraged.
The promotion of healthy activity and behaviors is encouraged.

School Food Service Provider Operations

The purpose of the National Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, operated by either the district or a contracted service provider, is to safeguard the health of our children. In order to achieve this purpose the Food Service Provider must provide students with adequate and high quality nutrition during the school day. Menus will comply with all federal, state, and local regulations.

Food Service providers will work within the community to provide information, to provide locally grown foods in a cooperative effort with area farms, and to work with the Wellness Committee to maintain standards and provide updates as to regulation changes.

School meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will:

Be appealing and attractive to students.
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 low-fat (1%) and fat free milk and nutritionally-equivalent non-dairy alternatives (to be defined by the USDA).
Ensure that half of the served grains are whole grain.

Schools/Food Service Providers should engage students and parents, through taste-tests of

new entrees and surveys in order to identify new, healthful and appealing food choices and

to identify issues within the program.

Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy

R.I. General Law 16-21-31 & 16-21-32

Depending on the nature and extent of the student's allergy, the measures listed in the IHCP may include, but are not limited to:

Posting additional signs (e.g., in classroom entryways).
Prohibiting the sale of particular food items in the school.
Designating special tables in the cafeteria.
Prohibiting particular food items from certain classrooms and/or the cafeteria. • Completely

prohibiting particular food items from the school or school grounds. • Educating school

personnel, students, and families about food allergies; and/or • Implementing particular

protocols around cleaning surfaces touched by food products, washing of hands after eating,

etc.

The measures shall be taken in conjunction with the Cranston Public Schools' health and wellness policy and food safety policy.
A plan may also be developed for each staff member with a serious food allergy. The above policy is set forth in Policy #5141.5 under Students.

District Protocol

The Superintendent of Schools shall forthwith establish a District wide protocol facilitating the terms of this policy consistent with applicable state law, rule, regulation and to the extent appropriate with guidance from the Rhode Island Department of Education including, but not limited to providing for appropriate posting of signs, staff training, communication to the District Community of the policy, provision for student and staff self-management of his/her condition where and when appropriate, and issuance of emergency protocols and standing orders. (This protocol shall provide for reasonable accommodations for non-allergic students to consume peanut/tree-nut based food Products)

Competitive Food

Student Nutrition: R.I. General Law (16-21-7) requires that elementary, middle, junior, and senior high schools sell only healthier beverages and healthier snacks, except when items are sold by pupils away from the premises of school; by pupils one hour or more after the end of the school day; or during a school sponsored activity pupil activity after the end of the school day.

School or District Fundraising

Food may not be sold or distributed during school hours.
Food sold from fundraisers must be picked up before or after school hours. • Schools are encouraged to consider non-food items or activities for fundraisers. All food sold before, during and one hour after school must comply with State Law

(RIPL 06-231/06-234) as well as USDA, RINR and District Nutritional Standards. • Any group, organization or individual that wishes to sell food for profit before, during or up to one hour after school may purchase their items through the school Food Services Provider. The Food Services Provider will provide a price for any item on the approved lists. The organization or individual may purchase their own items as long as they meet the standards.

Culinary programs at the Cranston Area Career and Technical Center or any Life Skills programs are exempt from these criteria
Community and Parent organizations using CPS facilities or sponsoring school events outside of school hours shall be notified of the wellness policy and encouraged to comply with the standards, but will not be mandated to follow policy.

School/Classroom/Birthday Celebrations

Cranston Public Schools recognizes that school events such that reflect learning activities, awards, transitions and end of the year activities are special for students and families. Any food that is served to students must be provided by the CPS Food Service Vender. The purpose is to ensure that all foods made available to students during school hours comply with the State and local food safety and sanitation regulations and follow the Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy- R.I. General Law 16-21@16-21-32.

Nutrition Education

Cranston Public Schools aims to teach, encourage and support healthy eating. Schools should provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

Physical Activity Opportunities and Physical Education

Physical Education is required for all students in grades 1-12 according to RI General Law ( 16-22-4) and Sec. 3.5 of the Rules and Regulations for School Health Programs. Students should receive an average of 100 minutes per week of health/physical education. Recess, free play, and after-school activities are not counted as physical education. School PE curriculum must be aligned with the standards and performance indicators in The Rhode Island Physical Education Framework.

See: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/title16/16-22/16-22-4.htm

Physical education classes and physical activity opportunities required for all students.

Physical activity opportunities shall be offered as when possible before, during (recess) and after school.

As recommended by the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), school leaders of physical activity and physical education shall guide students through a process that will enable them to achieve and maintain a high level of personal fitness by:

Exposing them to a wide variety of physical activities.
Teaching physical skills to help maintain a lifetime of health and fitness.
Encouraging self-monitoring so students can see how active they are and set their own

goals

Individualizing the intensity of activities.
Focusing on feedback on the process of doing your best rather than on product.
Being active role models.
Introduce developmentally appropriate components of health-related fitness assessment, to students at an early age to prepare them for future assessments.
The physical education program shall be provided adequate space and equipment and conform to all applicable safety standards.
Schools may choose to offer intramural sports or activities after school that meet the needs, interests and abilities of all students. These offerings may require a fee for students to participate.
Waivers for physical education are discouraged.
Physical education will be taught by a licensed instructor.
The district will ensure that PE staff will receive professional development on a yearly basis.

Recess

All elementary school students will have at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors( weather permitting) during which schools should encourage moderate physical activity as long as there is appropriate space and equipment.

Recess/physical activity opportunities shall not be withheld as a consequence except when issues of safety arise.

Community Involvement

The district/school will support families efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children.via the District’s communication platforms.:

Implementation, Monitoring Reporting and Policy Review

This policy and any proposed updates will be posted and accessible on the school district website.

The Superintendent and his/her designee will ensure compliance of these policies within the district and will report on the school’s compliance to the School Committee.

Policy Review

A self assessment of the district’s Wellness Policy to determine policy compliance will be done every two years.

The district will, as necessary, revise the wellness policies and develop procedures to facilitate their implementation. The revision will be based on the review of the latest national recommendations and new Federal/State regulations and laws.

Resources for Local School Wellness Policies on Nutrition and Physical Activity

RI Board of Education regulation, 200-RICR-20-1.4.2 Accountable Operational Systems requires that:

“…each LEA shall develop and implement policies and protocols that promote the health of school employees to support their overall well-being and their performance as educators and role models, including, as necessary, wellness programs, EAP, referral systems, and/or other services or supports as may be needed to help school staff maintain healthy lifestyles.”

RI General Laws § 16-21-28 requires each RI School Committee to establish a School District Health and Wellness Subcommittee, Per the statute:

“The Subcommittee will make recommendations regarding the district's health education curriculum and instruction, physical education curriculum and instruction, and nutrition and physical activity policies to decrease obesity and enhance the health and wellbeing of students and employees.”

RI General Laws § 16-2-9 states that the general powers and duties of school committees assert:

“The entire care, control, and management of all public-school interests of the several cities and towns shall be vested in the school committees of the several cities and towns. School committees shall have, in addition to those enumerated in this title, the following powers and duties:…(24) To address the health and wellness of students and employees.”

Nathan Bruno Act RI General Law 16-21.7

Policy Adopted: September 18, 2006 CRANSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Resolution No.: 06-9-24 CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND Policy Amended: 11-26-09

Resolution No.: 09-7-21

Policy Amended: June 24, 2013

Resolution No.: 13-6-27

Policy Amended: May 15, 2017

Resolution No: 17-05-45

Policy Amended: April 7, 2025

Resolution No: 25-04-05