3542.34 3542.34Business and Non-Instructional Operations
Nutrition Program
The Board recognizes that healthy eating patterns are essential for students to achieve their academic potential, full physical and mental growth and lifelong health and well-being. The Board's goal is to enhance the diet and health of school children and to help mitigate the childhood obesity trend. To help ensure students possess the knowledge and skills necessary to make nutritious food choices for a lifetime, the Superintendent shall prepare and implement a comprehensive District nutrition program consistent with state and federal requirements as detailed in the "Nutritional Standards in National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs", for districts sponsoring the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or the School Breakfast Program (SBP). The input of staff, students, parents and public health professionals will be encouraged.
The program shall reflect the Board's commitment to providing adequate time for instruction to promote healthy eating through nutrition education, serving healthy, nutritious and appealing foods at District schools, developing food-use guidelines for staff and establishing liaisons with nutrition service providers, as appropriate. Nutrition education topics shall be integrated within the sequential, comprehensive health education program taught at every grade level, pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and coordinated with the District's nutrition and food services operation.
It is the intent of the Board that District schools take a proactive effort to encourage students to make nutritious food choices. Food and beverages sold or served on District grounds or at District-sponsored events shall meet federal and state statutes and regulations as well as administrative regulation requirements for nutritional standards and/or other guidelines as may be recommended by District and school health and nutrition committees, in fulfillment of state and federal standards. "The Connecticut Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools", which is consistent with current science-based national nutrition recommendations and the USDA's nutrition standards for competitive foods shall be consulted in addition to Connecticut's "List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages."
Food and beverages sold or served in District schools shall include nutritious, low-fat foods and drinks, which may include, but shall not be limited to, low-fat dairy products, and fresh or dried fruit at all times when food or drink is available for purchase by students during the school day. All milk offered shall be low-fat (1%) or fat-free.
The sale of beverages to students from any source, including, but not limited to, school stores, vending machines, school cafeterias and any fund-raising activities on school grounds, whether or not school-sponsored, shall be restricted to milk, non-dairy drinks such as soy or rice milk, 100% fruit juices, vegetable juices or combination of such juices, beverages that contain only water or vegetable juice and water. All allowed beverages must fulfill the requirements specified in Connecticut statute regarding artificial sweeteners, flavoring, caffeine and portion size.
The Superintendent shall ensure that nutritious foods are available as an affordable option whenever food is sold or served on District property or at district-sponsored events; that schools [prohibit] [limit] the sale or serving of foods or snacks high in fat, sodium or added sugars; and competition with nutritious meals served by the school nutrition and food services operation is minimized.
Meals served by the school nutrition and food services operations shall be consistent with the nutrition standards required to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and federal and state standards and will meet the recommendations of the most current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and "My Plate" published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Although the Board believes that the District's nutrition and food services operation should be financially self-supporting, it recognizes, however, that the nutrition program is an essential educational and support activity. Therefore, budget neutrality or profit generation must not take precedence over the nutrition needs of its students. In compliance with federal law, the District's NSLP [and SBP] shall be nonprofit.
The Superintendent is directed to develop administrative regulations to implement this policy, including such provisions as may be necessary to address all food and beverages sold and/or served to students at school (i.e., competitive foods, snacks and beverages sold from vending machines, school stores, and fund-raising activities and refreshments that are made available at school parties, celebrations and meetings), including provisions for staff development, family and community involvement and program evaluation.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this District is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, ancestry, marital status, genetic information, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut state and/or federal non-discrimination law. The USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 14000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410 or (800)-795-3272 may be contacted to file a complaint of discrimination.
Farm to School Program (optional revision/addition to policy)
Any bid submitted by a service management company in response to a request for proposal (RFP) or bid solicitation by the Board that is posted to the State Portal and that relates to the Board's school nutrition program shall include information detailing the consistency of such bid with the State's Farm to School Program and the ways in which such bid facilitates the purchase of products from local farmers by the Board. All other factors being equal, the Board shall give preference to the RFP or bid that promotes the purchase of local farm products.
(cf. 6142.6 - Physical Education)
(cf. 3542 - Food Service)
(cf. 3542.33 - Food Sales Other Than National School Lunch Program)
(cf. 3542.34 - Nutrition Program)
(cf. 3452.45 - Vending Machines)
(cf. 6142.101 - School Wellness)
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10-215 Lunches, breakfasts and the feeding programs for public school children and employees.
10-221 Boards of education to prescribe rules, policies and procedures.
10-215a Non-public school participation in feeding program.
10-215b Duties of state board of education re feeding programs.
10-215e Nutrition standards for food that is not part of lunch and breakfast program
10-215d Regulations re nutrition standards for school breakfasts and lunches. (as amended by PA 16-37)
22-38d Farm to school program. (as amended by PA 16-37)
10-215f Certification that food meets nutrition standards
10-221q Sale of beverages
10-216 Payment of expenses.
10-215b-1 State board of education regulation
10-221o Lunch periods. Recess.
10-221p Boards to make available for purchase nutritious low fat foods and drinks.
PA 06-63 An Act Concerning Healthy Food and Beverages in Schools
P.L. 111-296 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA), 42 U.S.C. 1751
7 CFR Parts 210 & 220 - Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. (Federal Register, Vol. 78, No. 125, June 28, 2013
Policy adopted: