Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children's Academy
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School Wellness Policy
Preamble
Whereas, children need access to healthful foods and opportunities to be physically active in order to grow, learn, and thrive:
Whereas, good health fosters student attendance and education;
Whereas, 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;
Whereas, heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes are responsible for two-thirds of deaths in the Unites States, and major risk factors for those diseases, including unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, and obesity, often are established in childhood;
Whereas, more high school students should participate in sufficient vigorous physical activity and attend daily physical education classes;
Whereas, very few children (2 to 19 years) eat a healthy diet consistent with the recommendations from MyPyramid;
Whereas, 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 juices, chips, candy, cookies, and snack cakes;
Whereas, school districts around the country are facing significant fiscal and scheduling constraints; and
Whereas, community participation is essential to the development and implementation of successful school wellness policies;
Thus, The Fellows Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children's Academy is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children?s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting health eating and physical activity. 
The Fellows Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children?s Academy has appointed Anne Kotch to coordinate and assess the implementation of a wellness policy. 
Therefore, it is the policy of the Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children's Academy that:
The school will engage students, parents,  teachers, food service professionals, health professionals, and other      interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and  reviewing school nutrition and physical activity policies. 
All students in the school will have  opportunities, and will receive support, and encouragement to be  physically active on a regular basis.
Foods and beverages sold or served at  the school will meet the nutrition requirements as outlined in Bulletin  1196
Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students will 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. 
To the maximum extent practicable, the school will participate in available federal school meal programs  (including the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program,  Summer Food Service Program)
The school 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 other related community services.
Federal and State Requirements
The Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children?s Academy will: 
Offer a school lunch program with menus that meet the meal patterns and nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Louisiana Department of Education, Office of School and Community Support.
Provide school breakfast and snack programs (where approved and applicable) with menus that meet the meal patterns and nutritional standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Louisiana Department of Education, Office of School and Community Support.
; Encourage school staff and families to participate in school meal programs
Operate all Child Nutrition Programs with school foodservice stall who are qualified according to current professional standards (Policies of Operation, Bulletin 1196).
Establish food safety as a key      component of all school food operations and ensure that the food service      permit is current for the Food Service school site.
Follow State Board of Education      policies on competitive foods and extra food sales (refer to Bulletin      1196)
Establish guidelines for all foods      available on the school campus during the school day with the objective of      promoting health and reducing obesity.       (See  Other School Policies. )
School Policies
The Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children?s Academy will provide: 
; Adequate time for breakfast and the recommended 30 minutes for lunch.
Whole and enriched grain products that are high in fiber, low in added fats and sugars, and served in appropriate portion sizes consistent with the current USDA standards.
Fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruits and vegetables using healthy food preparation techniques and 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.
Nonfat, reduced fat, low fat, plain and/or flavored mild and yogurt, nonfat, reduced fat, and/or low-fat real cheese.
Nuts, nut butters, seeds, trail mix, and/or soybean snacks.
Healthy food preparation techniques for lean meat, poultry, and fish.
School meals accessible to all students with a variety of delivery strategies, such as breakfast in the classroom, grab-and-go meals, or alternate eating sites.
A cafeteria environment conducive to a positive dining experience, with socializing among students and between students and adults, with supervision of eating areas by adults who model proper conduct and voice level; and with adults who model healthy habits by eating with the students. 
Other School Policies
The Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children's Academy will: 
Eliminate the use of fools as rewards for student accomplishment.  (See appendix A for reward alternatives)
Encourage serving healthy food at school parties.  Notices shall be sent to parents/guardians either separately or as part of a school newsletter, reminding them of the necessity of providing healthy treats for students and/or encouraging the use of non-food treats for classroom birthday or award celebrations.  (See appendix B for healthy school parties.)
Strongly discourage selling food items of limited nutritional value as fundraisers, such as candy, cupcakes, or sugar beverages.  (See appendix C for healthy fundraising alternatives.)
Strongly encourage nutritious and appealing options Such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beef jerky, reduced-fat mild, reduced fat-yogurt, reduced-fat cheese, 100% juice and water) whenever foods/beverages are sold or otherwise offered after school at sporting and academic events, celebration, social events, after school care, and other school functions.
Nutrition Education
The Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children's Academy will:
Promote and implement nutrition  education that promotes lifelong healthful eating practices;
Use lessons that are age-appropriate,  behaviorally focused content that is developmentally appropriate and  culturally relevant;
Use lessons that are sequential and are  correlated with standards, benchmarks, and grade level expectations;
Provide hands-on activities that are fun;
Provide repeated opportunities for students to taste foods that are low in fat, sodium, and added sugars and  high in vitamins, minerals and fiver;
Focus on positive aspects of healthful  eating behaviors; and
Promote social learning techniques such  as role modeling, providing incentives, developing social resistance  skills, overcoming barriers to behavioral changes and goal setting, social   resistance skills, overcoming barriers to behavioral changes and goal  setting.
Strive toward hiring qualified, certified  health education teachers.
Provide staff development for  teachers. 
Physical Education
The Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children's Academy will:
Promote and implement quality physical  education programs that emphasize and promote participation in lifelong  physical activities and reaching a health enhancing level of physical  fitness among all students.
Provide student's ages birth to five  with the appropriate minutes each week of health and physical education.
Strive toward have teachers/teaching  assistants take appropriate courses/staff development so they may better  guide students in physical activity instruction that is age appropriate      (standards implementation).
Ensure that adequate safety policies and provisions are in place for physical education programs
Strive toward ensuring the adequate  equipment is in place to guarantee that all students are able to be active      for a minimum of 30 minutes per school day.
Provide a variety of fitness training,  motor shills, and team work modules in the required physical education      minutes
Use a recognized instrument of program such as Fitnessgram, to evaluate a student?s physical fitness.
Provide age-appropriate equipment and  facilities for implementing quality physical education programs. 
Physical Activity Opportunities
The Fellows Academy Charter Schools, Inc. DBA Fellows Children's Academy will provide opportunities for physical activity?
Recognizing that daily physical  activity is essential to student welfare and academic performance.
Encourage physical activity during  recess.
Provide daily recess for all children
Work with the community to create ways  for students to walk, bike, skateboard, roller-skate, play basketball,   play softball, play baseball, or participate in other physical activities  in a safe location at times other than the school day.
Encourage parents and guardians to  support students? participation in physical activities, to be physically  active role models, and to include physical activities in family plans.
Encourage school staff to participate in physical activities to serve as role models
Support community-based physical  activities programs.