Archdiocesan School Wellness Policy

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia recognizes that student wellness, proper nutrition, and regular physical activity are related to a student’s physical well-being, growth, development, and readiness to learn. It also recognizes that schools can provide an environment in which students can learn about and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. The Archdiocese is committed to providing a healthy school environment that promotes these concepts as part of the education of the whole child.

The Archdiocesan School Wellness Policy addresses the nutrient content of food at school, nutrition education, physical activity, and other environmental factors that promote a healthy school environment.

 

You may also access the Wellness Activity tracker by clicking here!

Triennial Wellness Policy Assessment: 2021

Each Local Education Agency (LEA) participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program was required to revise its written local school wellness policy and meet expanded requirements consistent with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 by June 30, 2017. As part of these expanded requirements, LEAs are now required to complete an assessment of the local school wellness policy at least once every three years and to make the results available to the public.

This triennial assessment must measure the implementation of the local school wellness policy and include:

  • The extent to which schools in the LEA are in compliance with the wellness policy;
  • The extent to which the LEA’s wellness policy compares to model school wellness policies; and
  • A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the local school wellness policy.

The PA Department of Education, Division of Food and Nutrition developed a Wellness Policy Assessment Tool and Report template that NDS used to assess the current policy in Spring 2021.

To review the results of the assessment, please use this link.

To review the presentation of the results and a summary of goals for the 21-22 school year, please use this link.

Wellness Newsletter

Each month we will post a Wellness Newsletter to be shared with your school community. Parents and teachers will find seasonal tips, resources, and healthy opportunities. Want to share wellness activities occurring at your school with others? Send your stories and pictures to Jean Falk, jfalk@ndsarch.org.

October 2023

  • Stress Management
  • Safe Halloween Tips
  • Digital Detox

September 2023

  • Fuel Up Resources
  • National School Lunch Week is Coming!
  • Improving Sleep Health

August 2023

  • Healthy Summer Hydration
  • Mindful Eating
  • Food Safety in the Classroom

July 2023

  • Summer Fruits and Vegetables
  • Staying Active in the Summer

April 2023

  • Move More Month
  • Harvest of the Month- Leafy Greens

March 2023

  • National School Breakfast Week
  • Harvest of the Month- Dairy
  • National Nutrition Month
  • Nutrition Education in School

February 2023

  • National Heart Month
  • Harvest of the Month- Potatoes
  • Healthy Eating to Lower Cholesterol
  • Heart Healthy Physical Activity

January 2023

  • All Weather Family Activities
  • Harvest of the Month- Eggs
  • National Fiber Focus Month
  • Starting a Physical Fitness Plan

Summer 2022

  • Hydration Awareness Month (July)
  • July Harvest of the Month- Beets
  • National Watermelon Day (8/3)
  • August Harvest of the Month- Tomatoes
  • National Wellness Month (August)
  • Kids Eat Right Month (August)

September 2022

  • Back to School Breakfast
  • National Food Safety Education Month
  • PA Harvest of the Month- Peppers
  • World School Milk Day (9/28)

October 2022

  • Healthy Halloween Treats
  • National Apple Month & Harvest of the Month
  • National Farm to School Month
  • National Pumpkin Day (10/26)

November 2022

  • Healthy Thanksgiving Celebrations
  • Harvest of the Month- Winter Squash
  • Better Sleep
  • Thanksgiving Food Safety

December 2022

  • National Handwashing Week
  • Harvest of the Month- Cabbage
  • Healthier Holiday Celebrations
  • Making the Most of Mealtimes

Newsletter Archive

Setting the Table for Healthy Eating

Looking for a resource to promote healthy eating?  The USDA has created a new toolkit to educate communities on the nutrition facts label and how to use the information to make healthier food choices.  Inside the toolkit, you can find a wide range of resources including nutrition education tools and health promotion messages which provide knowledge on making healthier food choices both at home and while eating out.  Schools can use this Nutrition Toolkit to educate students, families, and faculty on how they can make healthier food choices!  Click here to access the toolkit Setting the Table for Healthy Eating!  If your school does use the toolkit make sure to add this information to the Wellness Activity Tracker!

Pennsylvania Harvest of the Month

Promote nutrition education through The Pennsylvania Harvest of the Month!  This program was created by the Department of Education and Project PA (Penn State University) in order to promote local agriculture by featuring a Pennsylvania-grown crop each month!  For more resources, click here.

September- Peppers

October- Apples

November- Winter Squash

December- Cabbage

January- Sweet Potato

February- Mushrooms

March- Dairy

April- Leafy Greens

May- Asparagus

June- Strawberries

July- Beets

August- Tomato

All Foods Sold at School

Starting in school year 2014-15, all foods sold at school during the school day are required to meet nutrition standards. The Smart Snacks in School regulation applies to foods sold a la carte, in the school store, vending machines, and any other venues where food is sold to students. Use this calculator to review products. https://foodplanner.healthiergeneration.org/calculator/ Questions about Smart Snack standards should be directed to Jean Falk, jfalk@ndsarch.org.

2021-2022 Wellness Committee- Meeting Dates

Meeting 1 – Topic: Triennial Survey Results & Committee Membership Thursday, August 19, 2021. 3:00 – 4:00 PM Zoom

Meeting 2 – Topic: Committee Recruitment, Resources for Winter & Spring, School Level Wellness Groups; When: Thursday, November 4, 2021 – 3:00-4:00 PM Zoom

Meeting 3 – Topic: Revised Policy Update, Resources, Recruitment; When: Thursday, February 3, 2021 – 3:00-4:00 PM Zoom

Meeting 4 – Topic: Triannual Policy Update, Results of Administrative Review; When: Thursday, April 28, 3:00-4:00 PM Zoom

Until further notice, all Committee meetings will be held via Zoom.

We ask that you kindly RSVP to Jean Falk at Jfalk@ndsarch.org if you would like to participate.

A Zoom link to the meeting will be sent out to those who RSVP.

Wellness Committee

NDS is looking for additional members for our Wellness Committee.

Parents, PE teachers, school health professionals, and school administrators from the schools we sponsor are encouraged to participate in addition to NDS board members, the public, and any other interested stakeholders.

Committee members will be responsible for updating policy language, recruiting new members, assisting with policy assessment, promoting wellness activities and policy adherence at their schools, and sharing ideas for wellness activities that schools can implement.

Please contact Jean Falk at 215-895-3470 or email jfalk@ndsarch.org for background information or other details.

Dates for meetings will be posted on the page (see above) and volunteers are welcome to start attending any time during the school year.

Thanks for considering!

Planning for Wellness

Making wellness part of the school year from the very beginning can help get the year started on the right foot. Get teachers, staff, parents, and students involved in planning and decision-making for healthy activities and events this school year. Planning for the year can be a lot of work, but getting the school community focused on making healthy choices is a great goal and an even better reason to get started now!

There are certain aspects of the school year that may be good areas to focus on first. Here are some ways you can get the 2017-2018 school year started in a fun and healthy way:

  1. FUNDRAISING: Swap junk food and candy sales for fundraisers that support a healthy student body. Selling pizzas, baked goods, and unhealthy foods does not teach children how to make healthy choices. Each elementary and middle school building is limited to five fundraisers per year that will not meet the Smart Snacks Standards. Take advantage of non-food sales and physical activities that can get the whole school community involved. Be creative and enthusiastic about new ideas and your fundraiser will be a big success! Check out these Healthy Fundraisers to get some great ideas.
    • Exemption: PDE does allow exemptions to the fundraising rule during which foods that do not meet Smart Snack standards are allowed to be sold.  Elementary and Middle School buildings may have a maximum of five (5) exempt fundraisers and High School buildings may have a maximum of ten (10) exempt fundraisers per building per school year.  Exempt fundraisers can last up to one school week OR five (5) consecutive school days.  Using the Non-Compliant Fundraiser form can help keep track of all exempt fundraisers.
  2. FOODS FROM HOME: Maybe your school does not sell soda or candy during the school day, and maybe you provide healthy lunches for your students, but what about foods that children bring from home? It’s important to encourage parents to pack healthy snacks and lunches for their children that are consistent with the school’s Wellness Policy. Use this article about creating healthy standards to address foods brought from home.
  3. WELLNESS COMMITTEE: Forming a school wellness committee comprised of teachers, faculty, staff, parents, and students is an effective way to get the school community involved in making health and wellness a priority. It’s important to get everyone on board and to be supportive of changes and ideas for the school year. Wellness involves the whole school community, so do your best to encourage everyone’s participation!
  4. PARTIES AND CELEBRATIONS: Classroom birthday parties and school celebrations are often overflowing with cupcakes, cookies, and other sugary foods. Consider offering fruit and vegetables trays with the sweet treats, and swapping sodas and lemonade for 100% juice and water. Check out these Tips for Healthy Celebrations for more ideas!
  5. EDUCATION: Providing nutrition education at teacher in-service days, Home & School meetings, and student assemblies is an important part of wellness. NDS can be a resource for you by providing information, handouts, and presentations for your wellness event.
  6. FOODS SOLD ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS: All foods sold to students on the school campus during the school day must meet nutrition standards known as Smart Snacks in School. To verify that a certain food meets these regulations, enter the product information into the Smart Snacks Product Calculator.

 

Policy Goals and Resources

For more information about the School Wellness Policy, contact Jean Falk, RD at jfalk@ndsarch.org.