Wellness
The North Tama County Community School District is committed to creating a supportive learning environment that promotes health, safety, and well-being. In partnership with parents, schools play a critical role in helping students establish lifelong patterns of healthy behavior and setting them up for greater success in school and in life.
North Tama's Wellness Policy promotes wellness for students and staff in our schools. The policy encompasses nutrition education and promotion, physical activity, staff wellness, food marketing, and nutrition guidelines for all foods sold to students.
Staff, students, parents, or community members are welcome to share input on the wellness policy with the board of education during the public forum at any monthly school board meeting. Input can also be shared with Superintendent David Hill in person, via email or by telephone at (319) 478-2265 ext. 152. A school wellness committee may be formed if there is sufficient interest. If you are interested, please contact Superintendent Hill.
North Tama Wellness Documents for Public Review
Board of Education Wellness Policy (PDF Download, Also Shown Below)
Board of Education Wellness Regulation (PDF Download, Also Shown Below)
Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment (Fall 2021)
Wellness Policy Progress Report (Fall 2021)
Wellness-Related Links & Resources
Non-Food Alternatives for School Rewards and Fundraising (ISU Extension Publication, PDF)
Snacks for Healthy Kids (ISU Extension Publication, PDF)
What's for Lunch? It's in the Bag (ISU Extension Publication, PDF)
Healthy School Snacks (Center for Science in the Public Interest, External Link)
American Dietetic Association (External Link)
American Diabetes Association (External Link)
Federal Government US Dietary Guidelines (External Link)
Iowa Department of Public Health (External Link)
Kids Health (External Link)
Code No. 507.9
The Board of Education is committed to the optimal development of every student. The board believes for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental, and social success, there needs to be a positive, safe, and health-promoting learning environment at every level, in every setting.
The school district provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors. The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with healthy school district goals to positively influence a student's understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity. In accordance with law and this belief, the board commits to the following:
The school district will identify at least one goal in each of the following areas:
- Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors.
- Physical Activity: Schools will provide students with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet the Iowa Healthy Kids Act.
- Other School Based Activities that Promote Wellness: As appropriate, schools will support students, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The following nutritional guidelines for food available on school campuses will be adhered to:
- Meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program will be appealing and meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by state and federal law;
- Schools providing access to healthy foods outside the reimbursable meal programs before school, during school and thirty minutes after school shall meet the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards, at a minimum. This includes such items as those sold through a la carte lines, vending machines, student run stores, and fundraising activities;
- Snacks provided to students during the school day without charge (e.g., class parties) will meet standards set by the district in accordance law. The district will provide parents a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations; and
- Schools will only allow marketing and advertising of foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in school nutritional standards on campus during the school day.
The superintendent or superintendent’s designee shall implement and ensure compliance with the policy by:
- Reviewing the policy at least every three years and recommending updates as appropriate for board approval;
- Implementing a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy;
- Making the policy and updated assessment of the implementation available to the public (e.g., posting on the website, newsletters, etc). This information shall include the extent to which the schools are in compliance with policy and a description of the progress being made in attaining the goals of the policy; and
- Developing administrative regulations, which shall include specific wellness goals and indicators for measurement of progress consistent with law and district policy.
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq; 42 U.S.C. §§ 1771 et seq; Iowa Code §§ 256.7(29); 256.11(6); 281 I.A.C. 12.5; 58.11.
Cross Reference: 504.5 Student Fund Raising; 504.6 Student Activity Program; 710 School Food Services
Reviewed and approved by the North Tama Board of Education on 9-20-21
Code No. 507.9R1
To implement the Wellness Policy, the following district specific goals have been established:
Goal 1 – Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goal(s) for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:
- Ensure nutrition education and promotion are not only part of health education classes, but also integrated into other classroom instruction through subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, and elective subjects
Goal 2 – Physical Activity: Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goal(s) for addressing physical activity include the following:
- Promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits;
- Engage students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50 percent of physical education class time;
- Encourage teachers to incorporate movement and kinesthetic learning approaches into core subject instructions when possible;
Goal 3 – Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Schools will support student, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goal(s) for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include the following:
- Share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students;
- Support the consumption of breakfast at school by implementing alternative breakfast options to the extent possible
- Discourage students from sharing foods or beverages during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and dietary needs;
Public Involvement: There is a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy.
- The superintendent or invites suggestions or comments concerning the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy. As such, interested persons are encouraged to contact the superintendent.
Reviewed and approved by the North Tama Board of Education on 9-20-21
