507.9R1 Wellness Regulation

To implement the Wellness Policy, the following district specific goals have been established:

Goal 1 – Nutrition Education and Promotion:  Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goal(s) for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:

1. Providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health.

Goal 2 – Physical Activity: Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goal(s) for addressing physical activity include the following:

1. Promoting the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits.
2. Engage students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50% of physical education class.
3.  Encourage teachers to provide short physical activity breaks (3-5 min.) as appropriate.
4. Afford elementary students with recess according to the following:
   1. At least 20 min a day.
   2. Outdoors as weather and time permits.
   3. Encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity.
   4. Scheduled to avoid extended periods of inactivity.

Goal 3 – Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Schools will support student, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goal(s) for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include the following:

1. Provide parents with a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations.
2. Develop a plan to promote staff health and wellness.
3. Share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students as requested.
4. Permit students to bring and carry water bottles throughout the day.

Public Involvement: There is a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy:

1.  The district has a local wellness policy committee to advise the district on the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy.

NOTE: School districts are required by federal law to have at least one specific wellness goal in each of the goal areas identified above. These goal areas include the following: nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness. Options have been provided, but districts must remember the sample policy and sample regulation cannot be adopted in the current format. School boards and administration must make a choice for all text in italicized brackets.

NOTE: The Iowa Department of Education has tools and resources available to help districts with progress reports and other aspects of policy implementation and review. Please visit the "School Wellness Policy" section of the Iowa Department of Education's website, located at:

https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk-12/nutrition-programs/school-wellness.