This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Richmond College Prep Elementary School (RCPES) is committed to creating a healthy school environment that enhances the development of lifelong wellness practices to promote healthy eating and physical activities that support student achievement.

Nutrition Education

Every year, all students shall receive nutrition education that teaches the knowledge, skills, and values needed to adopt healthy eating behaviors. It shall be integrated into the curriculum. Nutrition education information shall be offered throughout the school campus including, but not limited to, school dining areas and classrooms. Staff members who provide nutrition education shall have the appropriate training.

Nutrition Standards

RCPES shall ensure that reimbursable school meals meet the program requirements and nutrition standards found in federal regulations. The school shall encourage students to make nutritious food choices.

RCPES shall monitor all food and beverages served to students, including those available outside the federally regulated child nutrition programs. Parents shall be notified during the annual orientation about appropriate foods for celebrations such as birthdays, Fall Festival and Thanksgiving. These instructions are part of the RCPES Parent Handbook given every year at the Orientation. The school shall consider nutrient density and portion size before permitting food and beverages to be served to students.

RCPES CEO along with the RES Board shall continually evaluate vending policies and contracts. Vending contracts that do not meet the intent and purpose of this policy shall be modified accordingly or not renewed.

Physical Education and Physical Activity Opportunities

RCPES shall offer physical education opportunities that include the components of a quality physical education program. Physical education shall equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for lifelong physical activity.

Every year, all students shall have the opportunity to participate regularly in supervised physical activities, either organized or unstructured, intended to maintain physical fitness and to understand the short- and long-term benefits of a physically active and healthy lifestyle.

Other School-Based Activities Designed to Promote Student Wellness

RCPES may implement other appropriate programs that help create a school environment that conveys consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity.

Implementation and Measurement

RCPES shall implement this policy and measure how well it is being managed and enforced. The governing body shall develop and implement administrative rules consistent with this policy. Input from teachers (including specialists in health and physical education), school nurses, parents/guardians, students, representatives of the school food service program, school board members, school administrators, and the public shall be considered before implementing such rules.

Students, staff, and community will be informed about the Local Wellness Policy annually.

Nutrition Standards

RCPES shall offer school meal programs with menus meeting the meal patterns and nutrition standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). RCPES shall encourage students to make food choices based on the most current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Food and beverages that compete with the RCPES policy of promoting a healthy school environment shall be discouraged.

RCPES shall offer and promote the following food and beverages in all venues outside federally regulated child nutrition programs:

• Whole and enriched grain products that are high in fiber, low in added fats and sugars, and served in appropriate portion sizes consistent with the current USDA standards.
• Fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruits and vegetables using healthy food preparation techniques, and 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice in 12-ounce servings or less.
• Nonfat, low-fat, plain and/or flavored milk and yogurt, nonfat and/or low-fat real cheese, rather than imitation cheese. Offer the following serving sizes: yogurt in eight-ounce servings or less, milk in 16-ounce servings or less, cheese in 1.5-ounce (two-ounce, if processed cheese) servings or less.
• Nuts, nut butters, seeds, trail mix, and/or soybean snacks in one-ounce portions or less; portions of three ounces or less of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish using healthy food preparation techniques.
• Accompaniments (sauces, dressings, and dips), if offered, in one-ounce servings or less.

RCPES shall monitor food service distributors and snack vendors to ensure that they provide predominantly healthy food and beverage choices that comply with this policy’s purpose in all venues.

Vending sales of soft drinks, artificially sweetened drinks, and candy will not be permitted on school grounds prior to the start of the school day or throughout the instructional day, but may be permitted at special events that begin after the conclusion of the instructional day.

Physical Education and Physical Activity Opportunities

Developmentally appropriate physical education shall be offered every year to all students. In addition, physical education topics shall be integrated into the entire curriculum when appropriate.

RCPES shall implement a quality physical education program that addresses the following:

Curriculum:

• Equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for lifelong physical activity.
• Influences personal and social skill development.

Instruction and Assessment:

• Aligns curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
• Builds students’ confidence and competence in physical abilities
• Engages students in curriculum choices that prepare them for a wide variety of lifetime activities.
• Includes students of all abilities.
• Is taught by a certified physical education teacher trained in best practice physical education methods.
• Keeps all students involved in purposeful activity for a majority of the class period.

Opportunity to Learn:

• Builds students’ confidence and competence in physical abilities.
• Has a teacher-to-student ratio consistent with those of other subject areas and/or classrooms.
• Has enough functional equipment for each student to actively participate.
• Includes students of all abilities.

Other School-Based Activities Designed to Promote Student-Wellness

RCPES shall strive to create a healthy school environment that promotes healthy eating and physical activity. In order to create this environment, the following activities shall be implemented:

Dining Environment

• The school shall provide:
  • a clean, safe, enjoyable meal environment for students,
  • enough space and serving areas to ensure all students have access to school meals with minimum wait time,
  • drinking fountains in all schools, so that students can get water at meals and throughout the day,
  • encouragement to maximize student participation in school meal programs, and
  • identity protection of students who eat free and reduced-price meals.

Time to Eat

• The school shall ensure:
  • adequate time for students to enjoy eating healthy foods with friends in schools,
  • that lunch time is scheduled as near to the middle of the school day as possible.