6142.10

Instruction

Health Education Program

Student health and school success are interrelated. Schools cannot achieve their primary mission of education if students are not healthy and fit physically, mentally and socially. To help prevent disabling chronic health conditions, unnecessary injury and disease; to help students learn to take responsibility for their own health and to adopt health- enhancing attitudes and behaviors, Preston Public Schools shall develop a comprehensive health education program consistent with state and federal laws.
The District's program will be developed in cooperation with staff, parents, members of the community and state and local agency representatives, as appropriate, and adopted by the Board. Student input will be encouraged. Development of the District's program will be guided by the following goals:

1.  Each District school shall be a safe and healthy place for students and employees to learn and work, with a climate that nurtures learning, achievement and growth of character;

2.  All students shall be taught the essential knowledge and skills they need to become health literate - that is, to make health-enhancing choices and avoid behaviors that can damage their health and well being;

3.  Each District school shall be organized to reinforce students' adoption of health- enhancing behaviors and staff shall be encouraged to model healthy lifestyles; and

4.  School leaders shall ensure that the nutrition health services and social services students need in order to learn are provided, either at the school site or in cooperation with other community agencies.

Preston Public Schools shall provide at least a twenty (20) minute daily student lunch period. Students at Preston Veterans' Memorial School shall also have a daily period of physical exercise (recess), of not less than 20 minutes unless waived by a Planning and Placement team action. Students at Preston Plains Middle School do not have a daily recess.

(Note: legislation requiring the daily period of physical activity for students in elementary school does not spell out types of activity. It can be a combination of planned physical education classes, recess, and/or teacher -directed classroom activities).

Preston Public School employees (teacher, substitute teacher, administrator, superintendent, guidance counselor, psychologist, social worker, nurse, physician, paraprofessional, coach, or any other individual working in a District school, who in the performance of his/her duties has regular contact with students and provides services to or on behalf of students enrolled in a District school, pursuant to contract with the Board of Education) shall not deny a student's participation in the entire time devoted to physical exercise in the regular school day as a form of discipline or punishment, nor should they cancel it for instructional make-up time.  In addition, any student in kindergarten through grade eight shall not be required to engage in physical activity as a form of discipline.

District schools shall encourage students to make nutritious food choices, and food and beverages sold or served in District schools shall include such food choices which may include, but shall not be limited to, low-fat dairy products, natural fruit juices and fresh or dried fruit at all times when food or drink is available for purchase by students during the school day.

(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

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-215 Lunches, breakfasts... for public school children and employees.

10-215a Non-public school participation..

10-215b Duties of state board of education..

10-216 Payment of expenses.

10-215b-1 State board of education regulations

PA 04-224 An Act Concerning Childhood Nutrition in Schools, Recess, and Lunch

Policy Adopted:  10-7-13