Student Wellness Policy

Student Nutrition and Physical Activity
The District promotes healthy schools by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular
physical activity as part of the total learning environment. The District supports a healthy
environment where children learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. By
facilitating learning through support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity,
schools contribute to the basic health status of children. This is a coordinated effort by the entire
community, which includes parents, students, school administrators, teachers, school board
members, City Health department members, food service professionals and the business
community.
The Board adopts the following wellness beliefs and policies for the District, to be implemented
in accordance with the attached Rule:
A. Provide a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing
lifelong wellness behaviors. The entire school environment, not just the classroom,
shall align with healthy school goals to positively influence a student’s understanding,
beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity.
B. Support and promote proper dietary habits contributing to students’ health status
and academic performance. All foods available on school grounds and at
school-sponsored activities during the school day should meet or exceed the District
Nutrition Standards. (District standards are set by the USDA. These guidelines are
found at https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/cn/allfoods-summarychart.pdf.)
Emphasis should be placed on foods that are nutrient dense per calorie. Foods should be
served with consideration toward variety, appeal, taste, safety and packaging to ensure
high quality meals.
C. Increase the amount of time students are engaged in physical activity. A quality
physical education program is an essential component for all students to learn about and
participate in physical activity. Physical activity should be included in a school’s daily
education program from grades pre-K through 12. Physical activity should include
regular instructional physical education, co-curricular activities, recreation activities and
recess. Substituting any one of these components for the others in not appropriate.
Students should be encouraged to be physically active outside the school day.
D. The South Milwaukee School District is committed to the optimal development of
every student. Educators, administrators, parents, health practitioners and community
members must all acknowledge the critical role student health plays in academic stamina
and performance and adapt the school environment to ensure students’ basic nourishment
and activity needs are met. Research shared with staff and parents should highlight the
positive relationship between good nutrition, physical activity and the capacity of
students to develop and learn, to ensure widespread understanding of benefits of healthy

school environments. The diversity of the student population (e.g., economic, religious,
minority, cultural and medical) should be considered at all times to ensure that all
students’ needs are being met.
LEGAL REF.: Federal Laws

The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010

APPROVED: July 19, 2006
July 20, 2016