FILE: DMEE
Fred Primm, Jr., Superintendent
FILE: DMEE
BESSEMER CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM’S LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY
The Bessemer City School System 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. The Bessemer City School System’s Wellness Policy focuses on the policy
areas of general nutrition, nutrition education, physical activity and other school-based
activities that are designed to promote student and staff wellness. The local wellness policy
committee has taken into consideration the following health-related factors in developing its’
wellness policy:









Children need access to healthful foods and opportunities to be physically active in order to
grow, learn, and thrive
Good health fosters student attendance and education
Obesity rates have doubled in children and tripled in adolescents over the last two decades, and
physical inactivity and excessive calorie intake are the predominant causes of obesity
Heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are responsible for two-thirds of deaths in the
United States, and major risk factors for those diseases, including unhealthy eating habits,
physical inactivity, and obesity, often are established at childhood
33% of high school students do not participate in sufficient vigorous physical activity and 72% of
high school students do not attend daily physical activity education classes
Only 2% of children(2 to 19 years) eat a healthy diet consistent with the five main
recommendation from the Food Guide Pyramid
Nationally, the items most commonly sold from school vending machines, school stores, and
snack bars include low-nutrition foods and beverages, such as soda, sports drinks, imitation fruit
juice, chips, candy, cookies, and snack cakes;
School districts around the country are facing significant fiscal and scheduling constraints
Community participation is essential to the development and implementation of successful
school wellness policies
The Superintendent of the Bessemer City School System will ensure compliance with the established
district-wide wellness policy. In each school, the principal will ensure compliance with this policy. The
Bessemer City School System and individual schools will create, strengthen, or work within existing
Health Advisory Councils to implement, monitor, review, and as necessary, revise the local wellness
policy. Health Advisory Councils will work to ensure that the following wellness guidelines are realized:

Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition recommendations of the
U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Qualified child nutrition 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.
FILE: DMEE

To the maximum extent practicable, all schools in our district will participate in available federal
school meal programs (including the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program
[including after-school snacks], Summer Food Service Program, Fruit and Vegetable Snack
Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program [including suppers]).

To the extent possible, the school district will take advantage of farm-to-school programs,
cafeteria trainings and resources that can help increase student, fresh fruit and vegetable
consumption as well as encourage and promote opportunities to procure local/regional fresh
fruits and vegetables in accordance with the geographic preference rule.


School-based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion.

Schools 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, and with related community services.

As part of the school district's responsibility to operate a food service program, this district
will provide continuing professional development for all nutrition professionals in schools.

Staff development programs should include appropriate certification and/or training
programs for child nutrition directors, school nutrition managers, and cafeteria workers,
according to their levels of responsibility.

All students in grades K-12 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically
active on a regular basis.
School-based marketing of brands promoting predominantly low-nutrition foods and
beverages is prohibited. The promotion of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, and low-fat dairy products is encouraged.
Local Wellness Policy Area 1: Setting Nutrition Education Goals
Within the Bessemer City School System the primary goal of nutrition education shall be defined as “any
set of learning experiences designed to facilitate the voluntary adoption of eating and other nutritionrelated behaviors conducive to lifelong health and well-being,” (ADA 1996) to influence students’ eating
behaviors and increase their knowledge of nutrition education.
a) Classroom teaching: provide nutrition education that is integrated into classroom
instruction
b) Education, marketing and promotion outside classroom links with school: nutrition
education that occurs outside the classroom, or that links classroom nutrition education to
the larger school community, such as school gardens and cafeteria-based nutrition
education
c) Teacher training: requirements for professional preparation or on-going professional
development for teaching nutrition
FILE: DMEE
Nutrition Education Goals
1. Provide nutrition education that will be integrated in other areas of the curriculum such as
math, science, language arts, social studies, health, family and consumer science and
physical education.
2. Provide nutrition education information that has been reviewed by qualified nutrition
professionals
3. Work with staff responsible for nutrition education ensuring they are adequately prepared
and participate regularly in professional development activities to effectively deliver an
accurate planned nutrition education program.
4. Ensure that the school cafeteria serves as a “learning laboratory” to allow students to apply
critical thinking skills taught in the classroom.
5. Share nutrition education information with students, families and the entire community to
positively impact their health knowledge and to select more nutritious meals for themselves
and their families
6. Encourage all students to start each day with a “healthy” breakfast.
7. Require that after school snacks be comprised of a food combination that includes milk,
fruits, grains and protein
a. Milk (dairy) – 1 cup or 8 ounces
b. Fruits and Vegetables (including 100% fruit or vegetable juice) – ¾ cup
c. Grains – 1 serving
d. Protein – 1 ounce
Local Wellness Policy Area 2: Setting Physical Activity Goals
Physical education plays a critical role in educating the whole student. Research supports the
importance of movement in educating both mind and body. Physical education contributes directly to
development of physical competence and fitness. It also helps students to make informed choices and
understand the value of leading a physically active lifestyle. The benefits of physical education can affect
both academic learning and physical activity patterns of students. The healthy, physically active student
is more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful. In the preschool and primary years,
active play may be positively related to motor abilities and cognitive development. As children grow
older and enter adolescence, physical activity may enhance the development of a positive self-concept
as well as the ability to pursue intellectual, social and emotional challenges. Throughout the school
years, quality physical education can promote social, cooperative and problem solving competencies.
Quality physical education programs are essential in developing motor skills, physical fitness and
understanding of concepts that foster lifelong healthy lifestyles.
The Bessemer City School System will integrate physical activity across curricula and throughout the day.
Participation in physical activity will take into consideration the “balancing equation” of food intake and
FILE: DMEE
physical activity. The following physical activity opportunities and physical education goals will be
considered:
1. All students in grades K-12, including students with disabilities, special healthcare needs, and in
alternative educational settings, will receive physical education based on the Alabama Course of
Study. All physical education will be taught by a certified physical education teacher. 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.
2. Physical education courses will allow students to learn, practice and be assessed on
developmentally appropriate motor skills, social skills and knowledge.
3. Time allotted for physical activity will be consistent with research, national and state standards.
4. Physical activity should replace screen time except when screen time is necessary for
educational purposes (especially in after school programs).
5. Adequate equipment is available for all students to participate in physical education.
6. It is encouraged that all elementary, middle, and high schools will offer extracurricular physical
activity programs, such as physical activity clubs or intramural programs. All high schools, and
middle schools as appropriate, will offer interscholastic sports programs. Schools will offer a
range of activates that meet the need, interests, and abilities of all students, including boys,
girls, students with disabilities, and students with special health-care needs.
7. Teachers and other school and community personnel will not use physical activity (e.g., running
laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education) as
punishment.
8. The school district will assess and, if necessary and to the extent possible, make needed
improvements to make it safer and easier for students to walk and bike to school. When
appropriate, the district will work together with local public works, public safety, and/or police
departments in those efforts.
9. The school district encourages that school spaces and facilities be available to students, staff,
and community members before, during, and after the school day, on weekends, and during
school vacations. It is encouraged that these spaces and facilities also be available to community
agencies and organizations offering physical activity and nutrition programs. School policies
concerning safety will apply at all times.
10. Information will be provided to families to help them incorporate physical activity into the lives
of their children.
Local Wellness Policy Area 3: Setting Goals for Other School-Based Activities Designed to Promote
Student Wellness
Bessemer City Schools will take into consideration the local wellness policy when planning all school
based activities (i.e. school events, field trips, dances, assemblies, etc.). Consideration will be given to
the following goals, designed to promote student wellness, when planning other school based activities:
FILE: DMEE
1. Creating a school environment that is safe, physically, socially, and psychologically healthful, and
that promotes health enhancing behaviors. After school programs will encourage physical
activity and healthy habit formation. Food and/or physical activity will not be used as a reward
or punishment.
2. A sequential, age-appropriate health education, physical education, and nutrition instruction
curriculum will be provided in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve that is designed to
motivate and assist students in maintaining and improving their health, prevent disease, and
avoid health-related risk behaviors. Nutrition education will be included during snack time as
well as during meal time.
3. School health service activities will be designed to ensure access and/or referral to primary
health care services, foster appropriate use of health care services, prevent and control
communicable disease and other health problems, and provide emergency care for illness or
injury.
4. Counseling, psychological, and social service activities will be designed to ensure access and/or
referral assessments, interventions, and other services for students’ mental, emotional, and
social health.
5. Integrated family and community involvement activities will be designed to engage families as
active participants in their child’s education. These activities will enhance the ability of families
to support student’s school achievement and encourage collaboration with community
resources and services to respond more effectively to the health-related needs of students.
Schools will organize local wellness committees comprised of families, teachers, administrators,
and students to plan, implement, and improve nutrition and physical activity in the school
environment.
6. Opportunities will be provided for school staff to improve their health status through activities
such as health assessments, health education, health related fitness and similar activities.
Bessemer City Schools Child Nutrition Program USDA Guidelines:
The Bessemer Board of Education will comply with all of the guidelines of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA).
ADOPTED: APRIL 18, 2006
AMENDED: April 17, 2012
Legal Ref.: P.L. 108-265 (2004) Section 204 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004