Wellness Policy

What is a Wellness Policy?

A Wellness Policy is an integrated school, parent, and community approach to enhancing the health and well-being of students. School health advisory councils, coalitions, and broadly based constituencies for school health help build support for school health program efforts. Schools actively solicit parent involvement and engage community resources and services to respond more effectively to the health-related needs of students.

Want to be involved in helping develop the School System’s Wellness Policy? Well, we would welcome your help! You can either contact your school and ask to speak to a member of the Wellness Committee, or you can contact the Wellness Dietitian at the District Level who is in charge of Wellness (Allison Lairscy - [email protected] -706-554-5393). Allison Lairscy reviews the Wellness Policy every three years to update it as necessary. Then ask them if you can be a part of the process of developing the local school wellness policy!

She gets representatives from each school to help review the policy, update it, and then present it to the Board of Education for approval. We always love to include parents, community members, teachers, administration, School Nutrition staff, nurses, physical education staff, and any other stakeholders who would like to be a part of the process.

Wellness Goals for the 2019 - 2020 School Year

Nutrition Education:

1. The wellness RD will conduct at least 5 Charlie Cart sessions at each school during the 2019-2020 school year.

2. Each Tower Garden will harvest and conduct a class taste test at least twice during the 2019-2020 school year and regularly incorporate nutrition education into Tower Garden interactions.

Nutrition Promotion:

1. One bulletin board in each school cafeteria will be updated with nutrition promotional materials at least once per year.

2. The Mealviewer TV screens located in/near each school cafeteria will be utilized on a daily basis to promote local fruits and vegetables served at school and the general consumption of healthy foods in a way that is appealing to students.

Physical Activity:

1. At least one school-wide wellness initiative will be offered at elementary schools this year that utilizes physical activity-based incentives.

2. All middle school students will increase physical activity throughout the day with the implementation of school-wide brain breaks, incentivized by monthly raffle prizes for brain break participation.

School-based Activities:

1. At least one handout will be provided to all teachers to encourage non-food-based classroom incentives.

2. At least one handout will be provided to all parents each year, providing examples of health swaps.

3. Elementary school students will be offered to participate in Screen-Free Week at least once per year with a physical activity-based reward.

4. Teachers will be offered to participate in the Biggest Stepper Challenge to increase daily physical activity.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or

(3) email: [email protected].

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.