Regulation-Code-IHAM-R1

District Wellness Program

Section I: Instructional Program

Regulation Title: District Wellness Program
Regulation Code: IHAM-R1

Print Version (In PDF)

Schools shall implement a comprehensive, integrated program for these two components of a coordinated school health program: nutrition and physical activity. The district department assigned the responsibility for comprehensive health education will maintain current resources and references to assist schools in this process. The district department(s) assigned the responsibility for professional development will provide support to assist schools and departments in meeting these requirements.

Progress towards attainment of this will occur within timelines directed by the Superintendent or designee.

Communication with Parents and Guardians:

  • Nutrition education and physical activity information will be provided by district/school to parents and guardians beginning at the elementary level. The goal will be to continue to educate parents and guardians throughout middle and high school levels.
  • The district/school will provide nutrition education and physical activity information in the form of handouts, postings on the district website, articles and information provided in district or school newsletters, presentations that focus on nutritional value and healthy lifestyles, and through any other appropriate means available for reaching parents and guardians.
  • The district/school will encourage parents and guardians to pack healthy lunches and snacks if not using the district meals programs and to refrain from including beverages and foods that do not meet the nutrition standards for individual foods and beverages.
  • Meals and beverages from home should be for individual use and not group consumption.
  • The district/school will provide parents and guardians a list of foods that will meet district and state snack standards and ideas for healthy celebrations/parties, rewards and fundraising activities.
  • The district/school will encourage parents and guardians to participate in physical activities with their children.

Employee Nutrition & Physical Activity Education:

Schools and district departments will value the health and well-being of every employee and will plan and implement activities and procedures that support personal efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle within allowable practices for risk management with the purposes of:

  • Encouraging all school and department employees to sustain or improve their own personal health and wellness which is supported by the TUSD Employee Wellness Committee;
  • Improving morale;
  • Creating positive role modeling;
  • Building the commitment of employees to promote the healthy lifestyle choices of students;
  • Building the commitment of employees to help improve the school nutrition and physical activity environment.

TUSD and the Employee Wellness Committee will provide nutrition and physical activity education opportunities for employees. These educational opportunities may include, but not be limited to, the distribution of educational and informational materials and the arrangement of presentations and workshops that focus on nutritional value and healthy lifestyles, health assessments, fitness activities, and other appropriate nutrition and physical activity-related topics.

Student Nutrition Education & Physical Activity Education:

The Tucson Unified School District has a comprehensive curriculum approach to nutrition in Kindergarten through 12th grade by utilizing the Arizona State Standards for Comprehensive Health. All K-12 instructional staff will integrate nutritional themes into daily lessons when appropriate. The health benefits of good nutrition should be emphasized. These nutritional themes include but are not limited to:

  • Knowledge of USDA Revised Food Guidance System
  • Healthy Heart Choices
  • Sources & variety of foods
  • Dietary Guidelines for Americans
  • Diet and disease
  • Understanding calories and activity
  • Healthy snacks
  • Healthy breakfast
  • Healthy diet
  • Food labels
  • Major nutrients
  • Multicultural influences
  • Serving sizes
  • Proper Food Safety/Sanitation
  • Identify and limit foods of low nutrient density
  • Media literacy related to nutrition

The District Wellness Policy and District Nutrition Standards reinforce nutrition education to help students practice these themes in a supportive school environment.

The School Breakfast & Lunch Programs:

  • The full meal school breakfast and lunch programs will continue to follow the USDA Requirements for Federal School Meals Programs and Arizona state statutes regarding foods and beverages in the school environment.
  • The district's School Food Service Program will follow the District Nutrition Standards and applicable federal and state statutes when determining the items sold separately and/or meals not sold as part of the Federal School Meals Programs.
    • À la carte and competitive foods items that do not meet the District Nutrition Standards may be acceptable when offered on a very infrequent, intermittent basis and must be recorded in the Annual Report but cannot be offered if prohibited by federal or state law.
  • The Food Services Director serves as Co-Chair of the District Wellness Committee and works closely with the committee regarding the district's school meals programs.

Cafeteria Environment:

  • Through planning and coordination of available resources, students will have a cafeteria environment that provides:
    • Adequate space to eat in a relaxed, enjoyable climate;
    • Clean and pleasant surroundings;
    • Meal periods of sufficient time and number to be served and to eat in a timely manner;
    • Convenient access to hand washing or hand sanitizing facilities before meals.

Fundraising:

  • All fund-raising projects follow district policy and regulations for fund raising and are encouraged to follow the District Nutrition Standards (IHAM-E [in PDF]).
  • All fund-raising projects for sale and consumption of food and beverages during the normal school day will follow the District Nutrition Standards except for public events.
  • The normal school day includes before, during and after school, but does not include special events, such as athletic contests or performances held outside the normal school day.

Food Use in the Classroom:

  • The use of food items as part of a student incentive program is strongly discouraged. Should teachers feel compelled to utilize food items as an incentive or a break, they are required to adhere to the District Nutrition Standards and Arizona Nutrition Standards. A list of healthy snack foods provided by teachers or school staff will be available from the district food service program director.
  • Schools are encouraged to have celebrations without involving food. However, when celebrations involve food during the normal school day they are required to adhere to the District Nutrition Standards and Arizona Nutrition Standards.

Corporate Food and Beverage Marketing in Schools:

Corporate school-based marketing (i.e. marquees, signs) will be consistent with nutrition education, national health initiatives, health promotion, and federal, state or local regulations.

Schools will:

  • Limit food and beverage marketing to the promotion of foods and beverages that meet the federal, state, and district nutrition standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually;
  • Prohibit school-based marketing of brands promoting predominantly low-nutrition foods and beverages;
  • Promote healthy foods consistent with the MyPyramid food guidance system; and
  • Market activities that promote healthful behaviors (and are therefore allowable) including vending machine covers promoting water and pricing structures that promote healthy options in a la carte lines or vending machines.

Physical Activity/Recess

District schools shall strive to provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate physical activity during the school day for all students. Recess shall be required and provided as described in Policy IHAM and in Regulation IHAM-R2.

Reviewed June 30, 2006 [Friday Report]
Revision: August 4, 2006 [Friday Report]
Revision: September 22, 2006 [Friday Report]
Revision: February 14, 2012 [Board Review Via Email]
Revision: October 24, 2014 [Friday Report]
Revision: August 9, 2018 [SLT Review]

Legal Ref: A.R.S. 15-242 Nutritional Standards
15-341 General Powers and Duties
15-720 Noncurriculum related clubs for grades seven and eight; definitions
R7-2-301 Minimum Course of Study and Competency Goals for Students in the Common Schools
R7-2-302 Minimum Course of Study and Competency Requirements for Graduation from High School
R7-2-302.04 Minimum Course of Study and Competency Requirements for Graduation from High School