Wellness Policy Assessment

Wellness Triennial Assessment

Date: October 30, 2023

Background

In compliance with USDA regulations, West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District (WOCCISD) conducts an assessment of its school wellness policy at least once every three years. The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Wellness Committee meets annually to review and update the policy.

Purpose

Each year, the wellness assessment reflects the evolving needs of our students, staff, and school community.

Results

A copy of the full WellSat 3.0 assessment will be made available to the public. Areas identified for improvement will be addressed during the next SHAC meeting scheduled for November 16, 2023.

SHAC Members

• Delois Harris – Director of Child Nutrition

• Alisha Renfro – Parent

• Kristin Bennett – Nurse

• Maggie Pachuca – School Staff

• Sheila Dove – School Staff

• Julie Allensworth – School Staff

• Angela Taggart – School Staff

Section Summaries

1. Nutrition Education

• Goals for nutrition education are clearly included and promote wellness.

• All grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school) receive sequential and comprehensive nutrition education.

• Topics include food systems and agriculture, and nutrition is integrated into non-health subjects.

• Education strategies are interactive and link with the school food environment.

Scores:

• Comprehensiveness: 100%

• Strength: 63%

2. USDA Child Nutrition Programs and School Meals

• The policy ensures compliance with USDA nutrition standards and improves access to school breakfast.

• Strategies are in place to increase meal program participation and allow sufficient seat time during meals.

• Training for food service staff and promotion of local food purchasing are addressed.

Scores:

• Comprehensiveness: 100%

• Strength: 71%

3. Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods

• The district fully complies with USDA Smart Snack standards.

• Policies regulate food sold in vending machines, school stores, and during fundraisers.

• Limited focus on foods served during class parties and after-school activities.

• Encourages availability of water throughout the day and limits use of food as rewards.

Scores:

• Comprehensiveness: 77%

• Strength: 77%

4. Physical Education and Physical Activity

• A comprehensive physical education curriculum is in place K-12.

• Students receive regular physical education based on national/state standards.

• Policies support teacher qualifications, training, recess, activity breaks, and safe routes to school.

Scores:

• Comprehensiveness: 100%

• Strength: 100%

5. Wellness Promotion and Marketing

• Marketing is mostly aligned with Smart Snack standards and limited to healthy choices.

• Minimal policy support exists for staff wellness or discouraging the use of physical activity as punishment.

• Physical activity and healthy behavior modeling are not yet encouraged for staff.

Scores:

• Comprehensiveness: 58%

• Strength: 25%

6. Implementation, Evaluation, and Communication

• The district has a wellness committee and provides public access to policy and assessment results.

• Stakeholders are involved in wellness policy development and updates.

• Gaps include building-level wellness committees and detailed plans for policy revisions.

Scores:

• Comprehensiveness: 88%

• Strength: 25%

Overall District Wellness Policy Scores

• Total Comprehensiveness Score: 87%

• Total Strength Score: 60%

 Federal Requirement      Farm to School      CSPAP

School Lunch Program: Key Changes Starting July 1, 2012

A Short Explanation

Before July 1, 2012, students were required to take a complete lunch meal, which typically included:

• An entrée (usually with both protein and grain)

• A grain (often part of the entrée)

• A vegetable (side item)

• A fruit (side item)

• Milk

Students had to select at least three of these items to count as a full meal.

What Changed on July 1, 2012

New USDA regulations introduced the following updates:

Meal Components

• Students must still select at least three items from the five offered:

  • Entrée (protein and grain)

  • Grain (may be separate or part of entrée)

  • Fruit

  • Vegetable

  • Milk

• One of the selected items MUST be at least ½ cup of fruit or vegetable.

Portion Requirements

• Grain Requirements: At least 50% of all grain products (e.g., bread, pizza crust, rolls, rice, noodles) must be whole grain.

• Grain portions are generally smaller than before.

• Protein portion limits are now required:

  • K–8th grade: maximum of 2 ounces per meal

  • High school: maximum of 2.4 ounces per meal

Milk Standards

• White milk must be 1% or skim (fat-free).

• Flavored milks (such as chocolate) must be skim only.

Student Choice Guidelines

• Each student must choose:

  • A minimum of ½ cup of fruit or vegetable

  • Two additional items from those offered (entrée, grain, milk, etc.)

• Students may take more than the minimum—there is no upper limit on fruits, vegetables, or other components.

Additional Notes

• These changes aim to improve the nutritional quality of school meals.

• WOCCISD’s food service program has already exceeded past USDA nutritional standards.

• A key change is the emphasis on offering fruits and vegetables more visibly in serving lines, not just at the end of the line.

• More updates will be rolled out over time, and parents will be notified in advance of any future changes.