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Send Health and Wellness Policy

​Episcopal of Baton Rouge is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect children's health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity habits.
The areas addressed in the Student Health and Wellness policy include: Nutrition Services, Nutrition Education, Physical Activity and Physical Education, Communication and Promotion of the Wellness Policy, Monitoring Adherence and Evaluation and the Tobacco-Free Schools policy.
Episcopal will provide nutrition and physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity.

Nutritional Services

Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition requirements as outlined in Bulletin 1196, Louisiana Food and Nutrition Programs. Qualified Child Nutrition Program professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students; will accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat.

​Ensure that food safety and sanitation are followed throughout the school, including providing facilities to wash hands before preparing and eating food. 

Episcopal Will:

1. Offer whole and enriched grain products that are high in fiber, low in added fats and sugars, and served in appropriate portion sizes that are consistent with the current USDA standards.
2. Offer fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruits and vegetables using healthy food preparation techniques and 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.
3. Offer whole-grain breads and cereals.
4. Use healthy food preparation techniques for lean meat, poultry, and fish, such as baking. 
5. Allow the recommended 20 minute seat time for lunch.
6. Provide a cafeteria atmosphere that is conducive to a positive dining experience, encouraging socializing among  students, facuilty and staff

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​Foods and Beverages Offered Outside of the Child Nutrition Programs:

1. Vending foods and beverages must meet specific nutritional criteria if on the grounds at any time during a period beginning one-half hour before the start of the school day and ending one-half hour after the end of the school day.

• a< 150 calories
• b< 35% of total calories from fat
• c< 10% to total calories from saturated fat d < 30 grams of sugar
• d.< 360 milligrams of sodium
  

b. At least 50% of non-milk beverages shall be water and no- calorie or low-calorie options that contain up to 10 calories per eight ounces.
c.Low-fat milk, skim milk, and non-dairy milk.

​2. Episcopal will encourage parents and school officials to provide nutritious and appealing food and beverage options (such as fruits, vegetables, reduced-fat milk, reduced fat-yogurt, reduced-fat cheese, 100% juice and water) whenever foods/beverages are sold or otherwise offered before or after school at sporting and academic events, celebrations, social events, before and after care programs, camps and other school functions. 

Nutrition Education

​School-based nutrition education includes traditional classroom lessons and behavioral change programs based on social learning theory and marketing. Using all venues is recommended for optimal impact. Nutrition is not a stand-alone course. It is taught in health education and science classes and can be integrated into core content area of instruction across the curriculum. A planned, sequential curriculum where the lessons are aligned with standards, benchmarks, and grade-level expectations is essential to impact knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Behavior change can be enhanced through social learning theory and marketing, as well. Social learning theory may include a parent component for younger students and peer involvement for older students. 

Episcopal will:

Physical Education Activities

Daily physical activity is essential to student welfare and academic performance.

• Provide a unit on nutrition to ensure that it is taught in the classroom during the year.
• Encourage nutrition education programs that promote lifelong healthful eating practices that are research-based.
• Encourage lessons that are age-appropriate, behaviorally focused content that is developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant.
• Provide hands-on activities that are fun and engaging, including a school garden.
• Encourage opportunities for students to taste foods that are low in fat, sodium and added sugars and high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. 

Episcopal will:

1. Implement quality physical education programs that emphasize and promote participation in lifelong physical activities and reaching a health enhancing level of physical fitness among all students.
   
2. Align the physical education lessons with standards, benchmarks, and grade-level expectations.
   
3. Verify students in grades K-8 have a minimum of 150 minutes per week of physical education.
   
4. Verify students in grades K-5 have planned, organized, and moderate to vigorous physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes each school day.
   
5. Ensure that enough age-appropriate and safe equipment is in place to guarantee that all students have the opportunity to be physically active during physical education classes.
   
6. Ensure that qualified, certified physical education teachers guide physical activity instruction in all elementary grades as well as in middle and high school physical education classes.
   
7. Provide staff development on standards implementation for physical education instructors.
   
8. Provide a variety of fitness training, motor skills, and teamwork modules in physical education required at the high school level for graduation.
   
9. Verify that all high school students take one and a half units of physical education.
   
10. Encourage physical activity for elementary students during intramurals programs, clubs, and recess as well as in physical education programs.
    
11. Integrate physical activity in the academic curriculum. 

Communication and Wellness Policy Promotion

Episcopal will:

1. Share a summary of the Student Health and Wellness policy with school staff and faculty, students, and parents. Updates to the policy may be highlighted and discussed. Any special events or goals that the Wellness Policy Committee plans to sponsor or achieve will be shared with everyone affected and the Student Wellness Team.
   
2. Support a Student Wellness Team whose goals are to develop and promote a plan to promote staff and student wellness. The plan should include ways to encourage healthy eating, physical activity and other elements of a healthy lifestyle among school staff and students. 

Tobacco-Free Schools

It is important for school leaders to send a clear, consistent non-use message to their students, staff, and community by implementing a tobacco-free policy. Because tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death, disease, and disability, Episcopal shall provide a tobacco-free school environment. All tobacco products (e.g. smoke, smokeless, spit, spitless, etc.) and smoking devices are prohibited on any school campus, school vehicle, or parish School Board property. School campus includes any portable buildings, field houses, stadiums, equipment storage areas, vacant land, or any property owned, operated, or leased by the Board.
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All tobacco products, including pipes, e-cigarettes, and chewing tobacco are also prohibited at school-sponsored functions away from school property. School employees who violate the Tobacco-Free School policy shall, in addition to disciplinary action, also be referred to the Louisiana Quit-Line (1-800-QuitNow) which is a free counseling service for tobacco cessation. 

Monitoring and Evaluation

Episcopal will:

1. Maintain a plan of action for implementation.
2. Review plan annually.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the policy and amend it based on the results of the evaluation and the needs of the community.