Wellness Policy:
Lutheran West Policies on Physical Activity and Nutrition

Updated 2025

There is an overwhelming amount of literature describing the positive associations of healthy eating, physical activity and academic performance.

Eating a nutritious diet has been known to have a variety of benefits to the health of children and youth, especially on the development and health of brain structure and function. Also, a positive relationship exists between energy expenditure through participation in physical activity and improved cognitive health and function. 1

Despite this knowledge, obesity rates have soared over the past 20 years due primarily to excessive caloric intake combined with physical inactivity.

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

  • About 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 2-19 (16.1%) are overweight 2
  • Almost 1 in 5 children and adolescents ages 2-19 (19.3%) have obesity 2
  • About 1 in 16 children and adolescents ages 2-19 (6.1%) have severe obesity 2

Children need access to healthful foods and opportunities to be physically active in order to grow, learn, and thrive.

Thus, Lutheran West is committed to providing an environment that promotes and protects students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. Therefore, it is the policy of Lutheran West that:

  • Lutheran West will engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals, health professionals, and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing school-wide nutrition and physical activity policies.
  • All students will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.
  • Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutritional recommendations of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
  • To the maximum extent practicable, our school will participate in available federal school meal programs (National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs).
  • Lutheran West will provide nutrition education and physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs.

To Achieve These Policy Goals:

I. Lutheran West Wellness Committee

Lutheran West will create and maintain a Wellness Committee to develop, implement, monitor, review, and, as necessary, revise school nutrition and physical activity policies (itemized in the Wellness Policy). The committee will also serve as a resource for implementation of those policies. The Wellness Committee will consist of a group of individuals representing the school and community, and should include parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, members of the school board, school administrators, and teachers.

The Wellness Policy will be assessed at least once every three years to update guidelines and measure the progress made in attaining nutritional, fitness, and overall health goals.

The Lutheran West Wellness Policy is available on the schools website at https://www.lutheranwest.com/about/wellness-policy/.

II. Nutritional Quality of Foods and Beverages Sold and Served on Campus

School Meals

Nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold on campus during the school day through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs are consistent with federal regulations for school meals.

Additionally, meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will:

  • be appealing and attractive to children;
  • be served in clean and pleasant settings;
  • meet, at minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state, and federal statutes and regulations;
  • offer a variety of fruits and vegetables 3;
  • serve only low-fat (1%) and fat-free milk 4 and nutritionally equivalent non-dairy alternatives (to be defined by USDA); and
  • ensure that at least half of the served grains are whole grains 5

In addition, upon request, Lutheran West will strive to share with parents and students the information pertaining to nutritional content of meals.

Lutheran West will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals6. This is done through the Titan point of service system, which protects the anonymity of students who receive free or reduced lunch.

Meal Times and Scheduling

Lutheran West will:

  • schedule meal periods at appropriate times; e.g. lunch should be scheduled between 10:15 a.m. and 1:40 p.m.;
  • not schedule tutoring, club meetings, or organizational activities or meetings
  • during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities;
  • provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat
  • meals and snacks; and
  • take reasonable steps to accommodate the tooth-brushing regimens of students with special oral health needs (e.g., orthodontia or high tooth decay risk).

Sharing of Food and Beverages

Schools should discourage students from sharing their foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some children’s diets.

Foods and Beverages Sold Individually are Considered a Smart Snack.

All foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable school meal programs but during the lunch period, during the school day, or through programs for students after the school day (including those sold through a la carte [snack] lines, vending machines, student stores, or fundraising activities), will meet the following nutritional and portion size standards:

Beverages

Smart Snack Requirements for Beverages:

Beverages that can be sold in schools to all students:

  • Plain water with or without carbonation
  • Unflavored or flavored low-fat milk
  • Unflavored or flavored fat-free milk and milk alternatives allowed by NSLP (National School Lunch Program) and SBP (School Breakfast Program)
  • 100% fruit and vegetable juice
  • 100% fruit or vegetable juice diluted with water, with or without carbonation, and no added sweeteners
  • No portion limit on water sold to students in any age group.
  • Portions of juice and milk – Middle and High – 12 oz. portions.
  • High schools have a little more flexibility with what types of beverages can be sold during the school day. Specifically, no more than: 1) 20 oz. portions of calorie-free, naturally sweetened flavored water (with or without carbonation); 2) 20 oz. portions of flavored and/or carbonated beverages that contain less than 5 calories per 8 fl. oz. or less than or equal to 10 calories per 20 fl. oz.; 3) 12 oz. portions of beverages with no more than 40 calories per 8 fl. oz. or no more than 60 calories per 12 fl. oz.; NOT allowed: soft drinks containing caloric sweeteners; sports drinks; iced teas; fruit-based drinks that contain less than 50%real fruit juice or that contain additional caloric sweeteners; beverages containing caffeine, excluding low-fat or fat-free chocolate milk (which can contain trivial amounts of caffeine).

Foods

Any food sold during the school day must:

  • Be a whole grain rich grain product (at least 50%); 80% of the weekly grains offered during breakfast & lunch must be whole grain rich, or
  • Have as a first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food, or
  • Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup fruit and/or vegetable

Smart Snack Requirements for Foods:

  • Pertain to any food that is sold individually;
  • The foods must conform to nutrient standards that vary between entrée items and snack items.
  • Per serving, snack items must contain no more than: 1) 200 calories; 2) 200 milligrams of sodium; 3) 35% of calories from total fat; 4) < 10% of calories from saturated fat; 5) 0 grams trans fat; 6) 35% of weight from total sugar
  • Nutrient requirements are the same across all age groups; can be sold to both middle and high school

III. Nutrition and Physical Activity Promotion and Food Marketing

Nutrition Education and Promotion

Lutheran West aims to teach, encourage, and support healthy eating by students. Lutheran West will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

  • is offered through a number of different required classes which will instruct students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
  • elective subjects;
  • promotes fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products; healthy food preparation methods, and health-enhancing nutrition practices
  • emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (physical activity/exercise);
  • links with school meal programs, other school foods, and nutrition-related community services.

Integrating Physical Activity into the Classroom Setting

For students to receive the nationally recommended amount of daily physical activity (i.e., at least 60 minutes per day) and for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity beyond physical education class. Toward that end:

  • classroom health education will complement physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities.
  • Lutheran West curriculum requires students to complete a semester of Health Education during Middle School and again in High School. Additionally, a semester of Physical Education is required in the 6th and 7th grades, and again in either 8th grade or during 9th-12th grade.
  • 80% of all Lutheran West students play on a school sports team at some time during their career.

Communications with Parents

Lutheran West will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children. Lutheran West will encourage parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks and refrain from including beverages and foods that do not meet the above nutritional standards for individual foods and beverages. This will extend to all food or beverages provided, but not sold, to students during the school day (e.g. classroom snacks, items brought in for parties). In addition, the school will provide opportunities for parents to share their healthy food practices with others in the school community.

Lutheran West will provide information about physical education and other school-based physical activity opportunities before, during, and after the school day; and support parents’ efforts to provide their children with opportunities to be physically active outside of school. Such supports will include sharing information about physical activity and physical education through a website, newsletter, social media, or other take-home materials; special events; or physical education homework.

Food Marketing in Schools

School-based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion. As such, Lutheran West will limit food and beverage marketing to the promotion of foods and beverages that meet the nutritional standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually (above)7. The promotion of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products is encouraged.

Staff Wellness

Lutheran West highly values the health and well-being of every staff member and will plan and implement activities and policies that support personal efforts by staff to maintain healthy lifestyles. This will include rewards offered through our health care provider for healthy lifestyle choices.

IV. Physical Activity Opportunities and Physical Education

Daily Physical Education (P.E.) 6-12

All students in grades 6-12, including students with disabilities, special health care needs, and in alternative educational settings, will receive the opportunity for physical education. All physical education will be taught by a licensed educator. Student involvement in other activities involving physical activity (e.g. interscholastic or intramural sports) will not be substituted for meeting the physical education requirement. Students will spend at least 50 percent of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Physical Activity

Lutheran West will offer a range of activities that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including boys, girls, students with disabilities, and students with special health care needs.

Physical Activity and Punishment

Teachers and other school and community personnel (outside of athletic coaches) will not use physical activity (e.g. running laps, push-ups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g. recess, physical education class) as punishment.

V. Monitoring and Policy Review

Monitoring

The Superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with established school nutrition and physical activity wellness policies. In each school, the Principal or designee will ensure compliance with those policies in his/her school and will report on the school’s compliance to the Superintendent or designee. School food service staff will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within school food service areas and will report on this matter to the Superintendent (or, if done at a school level, to the school Principal). In addition, the school will report on the most recent USDA School Meals Initiative (SMI) review findings and any resulting changes.

Policy Review

To help with the initial development of the school’s wellness policies, each school in the district will conduct a baseline assessment of the school’s existing nutrition and physical activity environments and policies8. The results of those school-by-school assessments will be compiled at the administrative level to identify and prioritize needs.

Assessments will be repeated every three years to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement. As part of that review, the school will review our nutrition and physical activity policies; provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity; and nutrition and physical education policies and program elements.

Footnotes:

  1. Burkhalter, T.M.; Hillman, C.H. A narrative review of physical activity, nutrition, and obesity to cognition and scholastic performance across the human lifespan. Adv. Nutr. Int. Rev. J. 2011, 2, 201S–206S. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  2. Fryar CD, Carroll MD, AffulJ. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and serve obesity among children and adolescents ages 2-19 years; United States, 1963-1965 through 2017-2018 NCHS Health E-Stats, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Updated January 29,2021. Accessed April 22, 2021 www.ced.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-child-17-18/overweight-obesity-child-H.pdf
  3. To the extent possible, schools will offer at least two non-fried vegetable and two fruit options each day and will offer five different fruits and five different vegetables over the course of a week. Schools are encouraged to source fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers when practicable.
  4. As recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.
  5. A whole grain is one labeled as a “whole” grain product or with a whole grain listed as the primary grain ingredient in the ingredient statement. Examples include “whole” wheat flour, cracked wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal.
  6. It is against the law to make others in the cafeteria aware of the eligibility status of children for free, reduced-price, or “paid” meals.
  7. Advertising of low-nutrition foods and beverages is permitted in supplementary classroom and library materials, such as newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and similar media, when such materials are used in a class lesson or activity, or as a research tool.
  8. Useful self-assessment and planning tools include the School Health Index from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Changing the Scene from the Team Nutrition Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Opportunity to Learn Standards for Elementary, Middle, and High School Physical Education from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement


For all other FNS nutrition assistance programs, state or local agencies, and their subrecipients, must post the following Nondiscrimination
Statement:

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

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

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online
at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    [email protected]
    This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
    05/05/2022