Maine's Only Free, Public School for the Arts

JL: STUDENT WELLNESS Maine Arts Academy believes that for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental, and social success, we need to create positive, safe, and health-promoting learning environments at every level, in every setting, throughout the school year by developing students’ skills and behaviors that promote lifelong wellness. The School Board recognizes that a student’s readiness to learn is related to physical and psychological well-being. The school is committed to creating healthy school environments that allow students to take full advantage of the educational programs offered at Maine Arts Academy. Preamble: This policy outlines Maine Arts Academy’s approach to ensuring environments and opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day. Specifically, this policy establishes goals and procedures to ensure that: Students attending MEAA have access to healthy food throughout the school day. Students receive quality, sequential, and comprehensive nutrition education that helps them develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. Students have the opportunity to be physically active during school hours. MeAA will promote nutrition, physical activity, and other activities that promote student wellness. School staff are encouraged and supported to practice healthy nutrition and physical activity in and out of school. Staff are provided with Healthy Lifestyle training each semester. The community is engaged in supporting the work of MEAA in creating continuity between school and other settings for students and staff to practice lifelong healthy habits. MeAA collaborates with Healthy Communities of the Capital Area and Kennebec Valley Coaching to provide healthy lifestyle opportunities and education. Maine Arts Academy establishes and maintains an infrastructure for management, oversight, implementation, and communication about and monitoring of the policy and its established goals and objectives. The Food Service Director has the authority to oversee and comply. Wellness Approach: MEAA will integrate wellness activities across the entire school setting. MEAA will coordinate and integrate other initiatives related to physical activity, nutrition, and wellness so all efforts are complementary, not duplicative, and work towards the same set of goals and objectives promoting student well-being, optimal development, and strong educational outcomes. With a special focus on performing arts, we will incorporate and enhance our wellness education and promotion through dance, theatre, and music as part of physical activity and psychological well-being. Nutrition education is integrated into our science curriculum with a greenhouse project focus that addresses agriculture and the food system. Nutrition education is also integrated into the school food environment. Wellness Goals: Reducing Screen Time Nutrition Education and Promotion Wellness Promotion ` Nutritional Guidelines (emphasis on water consumption) Physical Education and other physical activities (emphasis on integration into the arts) Competitive Foods and Beverages Measuring Implementation and Evaluation 1. Screen Time MEAA will encourage that screen time, including television, computer, video games and other electronic media will only be used for educational purposes. All student cell phones and electronics will be put away during class time and will only be permitted for usage during lunchtime and teacher-directed activities. 2. Nutritional Education and Promotion Maine Arts Academy is committed to the following goals by teaching, encouraging, and supporting: All high school students will have the opportunity to receive health education, including nutrition education, that is aligned with federal and state laws and educational standards. MEAA’s food service director is committed to educating their high school students about daily nutritional guidelines. MEAA will include some healthy eating topics in health/nutrition education. MEAA will include some of the health education curriculum topic examples from below: Relationship between healthy eating and personal health and disease prevention. Eating a variety of foods every day Balancing food intake and physical activity 3. Wellness Promotion MeAA’s established wellness committee will continue to meet and evaluate programming. Staff will be encouraged to participate in wellness challenges initiatives. 4. Nutritional Guidelines Maine Arts Academy is committed to serving healthy meals to children, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk; moderate in sodium, low in saturated fat, and zero grams of trans fat per serving (nutrition label or manufacturer’s specification); and to meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. The school meal programs aim to improve the diet and health of school children, help mitigate childhood obesity, model healthy eating to support the development of lifelong healthy eating patterns and support healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs. All schools within the Maine Arts Academy participate in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and other applicable Federal child nutrition programs. The Maine Arts Academy also operates additional nutrition-related programs and activities, including Farm to School, school gardens, and Grab ‘n Go Breakfast. All schools within the Maine Arts Academy are committed to offering school meals through the NSLP and SBP programs and other applicable Federal child nutrition programs that: Are accessible to all students Are appealing and attractive to children Are served in clean and pleasant settings Meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and Federal statutes and regulations. (The Maine Arts Academy offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards.) Promote healthy food and beverage choices using the following Smarter Lunchroom techniques: Sliced or cut fruit is available daily Daily fruit options are displayed in a location in the line of sight and reach of students Daily vegetable options are bundled into all grab-and-go meals available to students All staff members, especially those serving, have been trained to politely prompt students to select and consume the daily vegetable options with their meal Alternative entrée options (e.g., salad bar, yogurt parfaits, etc.) are highlighted on posters or signs within all service and dining areas A reimbursable meal can be created in any service area available to students (e.g., salad bars, snack rooms, etc.) Student surveys and taste-testing opportunities are used to inform menu development, dining space decor, and promotional ideas Daily announcements are used to promote and market menu options Maine Arts Academy follows the exemption policy for fundraiser events. The school encourages creative rewards that fall under the non-food category. The school also provides free drinking water in the building every day. Our school participates in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Maine Arts Academy is committed to offering school meals through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, and other applicable Federal child nutrition programs that: Are accessible to all students Are appealing and attractive to children Are served in clean and pleasant settings Meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and federal statutes and regulations (MEAA offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards) Promote healthy food and beverage choices using the following Smarter Lunchroom techniques. Maine Arts Academy supports the premise that students who have unpaid balances are prohibited from being shamed in any way. At this time, all breakfast and lunch are free in the state of Maine. Students at Maine Arts Academy will be provided the same lunch provided to all students regardless of an unpaid balance. Application for free and reduced meals is sent home to all current student households through the mail and through DocuSign. The application is on the website as well. Families also have the opportunity to change their application and resubmit it if their income changes throughout the school year. Maine Arts Academy takes steps to make sure families who qualify for free and reduced lunch are notified in a private, personal letter sent directly to the home. Maine Arts Academy provides free drinking water during meals. Daily fruit options are displayed in a location in the line of sight and reach of students to select and consume the daily vegetable options with their meal A reimbursable meal will be created in any service area available to students Menus are posted on the school website and social media portals Menus with nutrient content and ingredients available upon request School meals are administered by a team of nutrition professionals The school nutrition program will accommodate students with special dietary needs documented by a healthcare professional Students will be allowed at least 10 minutes to eat breakfast and at least 20 minutes to eat lunch, counting from the time they have received their meal and are seated Students are served lunch at reasonable and appropriate times of the day. Participating in Federal school nutrition programs will be promoted among students and families to help ensure that families know what programs are available in their children’s school 5. Physical Education and other physical activities Maine Arts Academy will provide a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable physical activity and fosters the development of a positive attitude toward health and fitness. Maine Arts Academy provides opportunities in a variety of classes that foster physical activity. The school has a comprehensive physical activity curriculum through its dance department and specifically schedules students to take Stretching and Conditioning as part of this curriculum. This curriculum is aligned with the common core standards. Maine Arts Academy promotes physical activity as a lifestyle. Maine Arts Academy provides 210 minutes of physical activity per week. All students are required to take 1 dance class during their time at MeAA unless they have met the physical education requirement at their previous school. MeAA only hires teachers who are either certified or hold a graduate degree or unique qualification to teach in the dance department. Teachers in this department are encouraged and provided opportunities to participate in training for their field. Maine Arts Academy approved independent studies for a physical education credit with proof from experienced instructors. (For example, horseback riding). MeAA does allow exemptions for physical education credit. Maine Arts Academy provides 30 minutes for physical activity breaks throughout the school day. (Example: Outdoor Exploration, Bike Riding, Snow Shoeing) Maine Arts Academy uses outdoor time as a reward for classroom incentives. 6. Competitive Foods and Beverages Maine Arts Academy is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus during the school day support healthy eating. A summary of the standards and information are available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/tools-schools-smart-snacks. To support healthy food choices and improve student health and well-being, all foods and beverages outside the reimbursable school meal programs that are sold to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks nutrition standards. These standards will apply in all locations and through all services where foods and beverages are sold, which may include, but are not limited to, a la carte options in cafeterias, vending machines, school stores, and snack or food carts. The school is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the campus during the school day support healthy eating. Maine Arts Academy is committed to working towards a farm-to-table program in which local food is grown and sourced. An effort will be made to remove advertising from the cafeteria, textbooks, school publications, radio, and printed or electronic material. Advertising of any food or beverage that may not be sold on campus is prohibited. 7. Measuring Implementation and Evaluation The School Board recognizes the importance of implementing and maintaining the Wellness Policy. The wellness team will serve as an advisory committee. This team will be responsible for making recommendations related to the wellness policy and wellness goals for raising awareness for student and staff health issues. Maine Arts Academy is committed to making its health and wellness policy public and posts an updated policy on the website each year. The wellness committee will provide updates on wellness policy, compliance, and wellness initiatives to the school board as well as staff. Every 3 years, the wellness committee will review the latest national recommendations for school health and will update the policy accordingly. Maine Arts Academy Food Service Directors are provided with 12 hours of training each year that meet the USDA professional standards for child/nutrition professionals. Food Service Staff are provided with 6 hours of annual training that meets the USDA professional standards. School Wellness Committee: Maine Arts Academy convenes a representative wellness committee that meets at least two times per year (once each semester) to establish goals for and oversee school health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the wellness policy. The committee shall be composed of individuals invited to participate and represent at least one of the following sectors. (The first six sectors are required to be represented.) Administrator Food Service Designee Student Representative or Alumni Parent Representative Teacher/Guidance Counselor Community Member