Triennial Reporting on School Wellness Progress:

Health & Wellness Meeting Minutes:

Sequoia Wellness Policy

• Sequoia Students have access to healthy foods throughout the school day ‒ both through reimbursable school meals and other foods available throughout the school campus‒ in accordance with Federal and state nutrition standards;
• Students receive quality nutrition education that helps them develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors;
• Students have opportunities to be physically active before, during and after school;
• Schools engage in nutrition and physical activity promotion and other activities that promote student wellness;
• School staff are encouraged and supported to practice healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors in and out of school;
• The community is engaged in supporting the work of Sequoia in creating continuity between school and other settings for students and staff to practice lifelong healthy habits; and
• Sequoia establishes and maintains an infrastructure for management, oversight, implementation, communication about and monitoring of the policy and its established goals and objectives.

• Be encouraged to participate in as many of the USDA’s child nutrition programs as appropriate, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program (FFVP),
• Post its menus on individual school websites and, when appropriate, at strategic locations throughout each campus.
• Work with meal providers to include nutrient content and ingredients in its menus.
• Promote participation in Federal child nutrition programs among students and families to help ensure that families know what programs are available in their children’s school.

• Local and/or regional products are incorporated into the school meal program;
• Messages about agriculture and nutrition are reinforced throughout the learning environment;
• School hosts a school garden;
• School hosts field trips to local farms; and
• School utilizes promotions or special events, such as tastings, that highlight the local/ regional products.

• Whole fruit options are displayed in attractive bowls or baskets (instead of chaffing dishes or hotel pans).
• Sliced or cut fruit is available daily.
• Daily fruit options are displayed in a location in the line of sight and reach of students.
• All available vegetable options have been given creative or descriptive names.
• Daily vegetable options are bundled into all grab-and-go meals available to students.
• All staff members, especially those serving, have been trained to politely prompt students to select and consume the daily vegetable options with their meal.
• White milk is placed in front of other beverages in all coolers.
• Alternative entrée options (e.g., salad bar, yogurt parfaits, etc.) are highlighted on posters or signs within all service and dining areas.
• A reimbursable meal can be created in any service area available to students (e.g., salad bars, snack rooms, etc.).
• Student surveys and taste testing opportunities are used to inform menu development, dining space decor and promotional ideas.
• Student artwork is displayed in the service and/or dining areas.
• Daily announcements are used to promote and market menu options.

• Students in each grade level from K-12 will be taught according to their understanding and maturity.
• At its elementary schools, nutrition education will be taught as part of a sequential, comprehensive, standards-based, health education curriculum throughout the school year.
• At its junior high and high schools, nutrition education will be integrated into core and elective subjects where appropriate.
• All junior high and high school health education teachers will provide opportunities for students to practice or rehearse the skills taught through the health education curriculum. Teachers and other staff will receive nutrition education training.
• Media literacy will be taught with an emphasis on food and beverage marketing.
• Whenever possible, nutrition education will be taught in collaboration with community partners.
• Nutrition education will be included in health education lessons or physical education and will teach at least 5 of the following essential topics on healthy eating:
• Relationship between healthy eating and personal health and disease prevention
• Food guidance from MyPlate
• Reading and using FDA’s nutrition fact labels
• Eating a variety of foods every day
• Balancing food intake and physical activity
• Eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grain products
• Choosing foods that are low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and do not contain trans fat
• Choosing foods and beverages with little added sugars
• Eating more calcium-rich foods
• Preparing healthy meals and snacks
• Risks of unhealthy weight control practices
• Accepting body size differences
• Food safety
• Importance of water consumption
• Importance of eating breakfast
• Making healthy choices when eating at restaurants
• Eating disorders
• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Reducing sodium intake
• Social influences on healthy eating, including media, family, peers and culture
• How to find valid information or services related to nutrition and dietary behavior
• How to develop a plan and track progress toward achieving a personal goal to eat healthfully
• Resisting peer pressure related to unhealthy dietary behavior
• Influencing, supporting, or advocating for others’ healthy dietary behavior
• Lessons will seek to link with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition promotion activities, school gardens, Farm to School programs, other school foods and nutrition-related community activities.

• Nutrition education will include experiential, hands on learning experiences whenever possible including at least one of the following enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant and participatory activities:
• Cooking demonstrations or lessons,
• Taste-testing,
• Promotion of new school menu items,
• School gardens,
• Farm visits.
• Nutrition education will promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy food preparation methods.
• Nutrition education will emphasize caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (physical activity/exercise).
• Sequoia schools will promote healthy food and beverage choices for all students and encourage participation in school meal programs by doing the following:
• Implementing at least 5 or more evidence-based healthy food promotion techniques through the school meal programs using Smarter Lunchroom techniques; and
• Ensuring 100% of foods and beverages promoted to students meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.

• Physical activity is available for at least 20 minutes per day for all students.
• Physical activity during the school day (including but not limited to recess, classroom physical activity breaks, or physical education) will not be withheld as punishment for any reason (This does not include participation on sports teams that have specific academic requirements.)
• Sequoia provides this list of ideas for alternative ways to discipline students.
• A substantial percentage of students’ physical activity will be provided through a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP). Each school’s CSPAP will reflect strong coordination and synergy across all of the components: quality physical education as the foundation; physical activity before, during and after school; staff involvement and family and community engagement. Sequoia is committed to providing these opportunities to every extent possible under each school’s respective circumstances.
• To the extent practicable, Sequoia will ensure that its grounds and facilities are safe and that equipment is available to students to be active. Sequoia will conduct necessary inspections and repairs.
• Through a formal joint-or-shared-use agreement, indoor and outdoor physical activity facilities and spaces will be open to students, their families, and the community outside of school hours per the Edkey Building Use Policy.
• Sequoia schools will strive to ensure that inventories of physical activity supplies and equipment are known and, when necessary, will work with community partners to ensure sufficient quantities of equipment are available to encourage physical activity for as many students as possible.

• Whenever possible students will have opportunities to participate in physical activity before school.
• Whenever possible students will have opportunities to participate in physical activity after school.

• Whenever possible all elementary students in each grade will receive physical education for at least 60-89 minutes per week throughout the school year
• Whenever possible all secondary students (middle and high school) are required to take the equivalent of one academic year of physical education.
• Sequoia will provide students with physical education, using an age-appropriate, sequential physical education curriculum consistent with national and state standards for physical education.
• Sequoia schools’ physical education programs will promote student physical fitness through individualized fitness and activity assessments (via the Presidential Youth Fitness Program or other appropriate assessment tool) and will use criterion-based reporting for each student.
• Students will be moderately to vigorously active for at least 50% of class time during most or all physical education class sessions.
• Sequoia schools’ physical education teachers will participate in at least a once a year professional development in physical education.
• Where possible, Sequoia schools’ physical education classes will be taught by teachers who are certified, highly qualified, or endorsed to teach physical education.
• Waivers, exemptions, or substitutions for physical education classes are not granted except under extenuating circumstances.

• Sequoia elementary schools will offer at least 20 minutes of recess on all school days during the school year. This policy may be waived on early dismissal or late arrival days.
• Since recess is offered before lunch, schools will have appropriate hand-washing facilities and/or hand-sanitizing mechanisms to ensure proper hygiene prior to eating and students are required to use these mechanisms before eating.
• Outdoor recess will be offered when weather is feasible for outdoor play.
• Recess will complement, not substitute, physical education class.
• Recess monitors or teachers will encourage students to be active.
• Recess monitors will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.
• In the event that the school must conduct indoor recess, teachers and staff will follow the indoor recess guidelines that promote physical activity for students, to the extent practicable.

• Sequoia recognizes that students are more attentive and ready to learn if provided with periodic breaks when they can be physically active or stretch. Thus, students will be offered periodic opportunities to be active or to stretch throughout the day on all or most days during a typical school week.
• Sequoia recommends teachers provide short (3-5-minute) physical activity breaks to students during and between classroom times at least three days per week. These physical activity breaks will complement, not substitute, for physical education class, recess, and class transition periods.
• Teachers will incorporate movement and kinesthetic learning approaches into “core” subject instruction when possible (e.g., science, math, language arts, social studies and others) and do their part to limit sedentary behavior during the school day.
• Sequoia will support classroom teachers incorporating physical activity and employing kinesthetic learning approaches into core subjects by providing annual professional development opportunities and resources, including information on leading activities, activity options, as well as making available background material on the connections between learning and movement.
• Teachers will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.
• Health education will be required in all grades (elementary).
• Sequoia will require middle and high school students to take and pass at least one course that includes health education curriculum.
• Sequoia schools will include in the health education curriculum a minimum of 12 the following essential topics on physical activity:
• The physical, psychological, or social benefits of physical activity
• How physical activity can contribute to a healthy weight
• How physical activity can contribute to the academic learning process
• How an inactive lifestyle contributes to chronic disease
• Health-related fitness, that is, cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition
• Differences between physical activity, exercise and fitness
• Phases of an exercise session, that is, warm up, workout and cool down
• Overcoming barriers to physical activity
• Decreasing sedentary activities, such as TV watching
• Opportunities for physical activity in the community
• Preventing injury during physical activity
• Weather-related safety, for example, avoiding heat stroke, hypothermia and sunburn while being physically active
• How much physical activity is enough, that is, determining frequency, intensity, time and type of physical activity
• Developing an individualized physical activity and fitness plan
• Monitoring progress toward reaching goals in an individualized physical activity plan
• Dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs, such as steroids
• Social influences on physical activity, including media, family, peers and culture
• How to find valid information or services related to physical activity and fitness
• How to influence, support, or advocate for others to engage in physical activity
• How to resist peer pressure that discourages physical activity.

• Sequoia schools will support and encourage active transport to and from school, such as walking or biking by engaging in six or more of the activities below; including but not limited to:
• Designate safe or preferred routes to school
• Promote activities such as participation in International Walk to School Week, National Walk and Bike to School Week
• Use crosswalks on streets leading to schools
• Provide secure storage facilities for bicycles and helmets (e.g., shed, cage, fenced area)
• Provide instruction on walking/bicycling safety to students
• Use crossing guards
• Coordinate walking school buses
• Document the number of children walking and or biking to and from school
• Create and distribute maps of school environment (e.g., sidewalks, crosswalks, roads, pathways, bike racks, etc.)
• Promote safe routes program to students, staff, and parents via newsletters, websites, local newspaper

• The Sequoia Wellness Committee will have a staff wellness subcommittee that focuses on staff wellness issues, identifies and disseminates wellness resources and performs other functions that support staff wellness in coordination with human resources staff at all Sequoia schools and business office. The subcommittee leader is the Jerry Lewis or his designee.
• Sequoia schools will implement strategies to support staff in actively and explicitly promoting and modeling healthy eating and physical activity behaviors by encouraging teachers and administrators to do at least four of the following:
• Eat lunch with students;
• Eat healthy foods in front of students;
• Engage in Edkey staff wellness programs and talk openly about them with students;
• Participate in outside fitness activities (biking, swimming, dancing, Zumba, running, etc.) and share experiences with students;
• Join students in PE and recess activities;
• Avoid sharing experiences or practices that contradict a healthy lifestyle;
• Plan Holiday fun-runs/walks on or around campus (Goblin Gallup, Turkey Trot, Reindeer Romp, Presidents Derby, Bunny Hop, Spring Sprint, etc.); Walk-a-thons; Bicycle, scooter, and skateboard safety classes; etc.
• Sequoia strongly encourages and incentivizes staff member participation in health promotion programs and will support programs on healthy eating/weight management that are accessible and free or low-cost.
• The Sequoia Wellness Committee will create a healthy meeting policy to optimize healthy food options for all staff events.

• Sequoia encourages annual health fairs at its schools.
• The Sequoia Wellness Committee in connection with the Human Resources Department will continue to offer employee programs including but not limited to:
• Walking Works
• Health Screenings
• Health Coaching

• All Sequoia schools participate in the National School Lunch Program.
• Lunch meals served meet the new meal pattern requirements for fruits, vegetables (and subgroups), whole-grain rich foods, meat/meat alternatives, and two varieties of milk.
• For schools that do not have Sequoia’s catered service, 50% of lunch items will be prepared from scratch or made on site.
• Students are served lunch at a reasonable and appropriate time of day.
• Where possible, lunch will follow the recess period to better support learning and healthy eating.
• Students will be allowed at least 10 minutes to eat breakfast and at least 20 minutes to eat lunch, counting from the time they have received their meal and are seated.

• Sequoia schools with sufficient populations of qualifying students participate in the School Breakfast Program.
• Breakfast meals served meet the new meal pattern requirements for fruits, vegetables (and subgroups), whole-grain rich foods, meat/meat alternatives, and two varieties of milk.
• When feasible, Sequoia schools are encouraged to provide breakfast in the classroom via mobile grab and go carts.

• Meals are appealing and attractive to children.
• Meals are served in clean and pleasant settings.
• Local and/or regional products are incorporated into the school meal programs.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are served every school day.
• Sequoia schools serve a variety of milk including low-fat and fat-free.
• Menus will be created/reviewed by a Registered Dietitian or other certified nutrition professional.
• School meals are administered by a team of child nutrition professionals.
• School meals meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and Federal statutes and regulations. (Sequoia offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards.)
• Sequoia’s child nutrition program will accommodate students with special dietary needs.
• Meals are accessible to all students.

• To promote hydration, Sequoia will make free drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes.
• All water sources and containers will be maintained on a regular basis to ensure good hygiene and health safety standards.
• Students will be allowed to bring and carry (approved) water bottles filled with only water with them throughout the day.

• Foods and beverages sold and served outside of the school meal programs (e.g., “competitive” foods and beverages) on the *school campus during the *school day (see Glossary for definition) will meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, at a minimum.
• These standards will apply in all locations and through all services where foods and beverages are sold, which may include, but are not limited to, à la carte options in cafeterias, vending machines, school stores and snack or food carts.
• Smart Snacks aim to improve student health and well-being, increase consumption of healthful foods during the school day and create an environment that reinforces the development of healthy eating habits. Each Sequoia school is encouraged to become familiar with the standards and information that promote Smart Snacks found at: http://www.fns.usa.gov/healthierschoold a y/tools-schools-smart-snacks.

• Foods served to K-8 students meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snack in School nutrition standards per the Arizona Nutrition Standards (ARS 15-242)
• Foods served to 9-12 students meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snack in School nutrition standards per the Arizona Nutrition Standards (ARS 15-242)

• Foods served to students during classroom celebrations and parties (e.g. Holidays and birthdays) will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards per the Arizona Nutrition Standards (ARS 15-242)
• Sequoia provides the following list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers, including non-food celebration ideas: Alliance for a Healthier Generation and USDA.
• Classroom snacks brought by parents will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards per the Arizona Nutrition Standards (ARS 15-242).
• Sequoia provides the following list to help parents meet the nutrition standards: list of foods and beverages that meet Smart Snacks.
• Foods and beverages will not be used as a reward, or withheld as punishment for any reason, such as for performance or behavior.
• Sequoia provides the following list to teachers and other school staff to plan alternative rewards and incentives: list of alternative ways to reward children.

• Foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards may be sold through fundraisers on the school campus during the school day. Healthy fundraising ideas can be found at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and USDA.
• Schools are encouraged to use only non-food fundraisers, especially those that promote physical activity (such as walk-a-thons, Jump Rope for Heart, fun runs, etc.). Fundraising during and outside school hours will sell only non-food items or foods and beverages that meet or exceed the Smart Snacks nutrition standards.
• Any exceptions to policies 1 and 2 will require an exemption request from the school that Sequoia will submit to ADE.
• Exemptions to policies 1 and 2 will be allowed no more than two times per semester.
• Fundraisers will not exceed two weeks in duration.

• This fundraising policy is distributed and made available online to all Sequoia schools as part of this wellness plan.
• This fundraising policy is distributed and made available online to all parents/guardians as part of this Sequoia Wellness Plan.

• All foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition such that only those foods that comply with or exceed those nutrition standards are permitted to be marketed or promoted to students. Food and beverage marketing is defined as advertising and other promotions in schools. Food and beverage marketing often includes an oral, written, or graphic statements made for the purpose of promoting the sale of a food or beverage product made by the producer, manufacturer, seller or any other entity with a commercial interest in the product. These guidelines apply to the following:
• Vending machine exteriors;
• School equipment, such as marquees, message boards, scoreboards, buses, etc.
• Cups used for beverage dispensing, menu boards, coolers, trash cans and other food service equipment;
• Posters, book covers, school supplies displays, etc.
• Advertisements in school publications or school mailings
• Free product samples, taste tests, coupons of a product, or free samples displaying advertising of a product.

• Sequoia will convene a representative wellness committee, known as the Sequoia Wellness Committee.
• The Sequoia Wellness Committee will meet at least four times per year to establish goals for and oversee school health, nutrition, fitness, and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation and periodic review and update of the Sequoia Wellness Plan.
• The public is notified of their ability to participate on the Sequoia Wellness Committee by using the following methods:
• Notice on the Sequoia website
• Presentations to parents

• The Sequoia Wellness Committee will actively recruit and has representation from:
• All school levels (elementary and secondary schools)
• Parents and caregivers
• Students
• Representatives from the school nutrition program (e.g. school nutrition coordinator);
• Physical education teachers
• Health education teachers
• School health professionals (e.g., health education teachers, school health services staff [e.g. nurses, physicians, dentists, health educators, and other allied health personnel who provide school health services
• Mental health and social services staff (e.g. school counselors, psychologists, social workers, or psychiatrists)
• School administrators (e.g. principals, vice principals)
• School board members
• Health professionals (e.g. dietitians, doctors, nurses, dentists)
• The general public.
• When possible, membership will also include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education coordinators (SNAP-Ed).
• To the extent possible, the Sequoia Wellness Committee will include representatives from each campus and reflect the diversity of the community.
• Each school within Sequoia will establish an ongoing School-Level Wellness Committee that convenes to review school-level issues, in coordination with the Sequoia Wellness Committee

• The assistant superintendent or designee, also known as the Facilitator, will convene the Sequoia Wellness Committee and facilitate development of and updates to the Sequoia Wellness Plan.
• The current Facilitator is Assistant Superintendent Jerry Lewis (jerrylewis@edkey.org; 480.861.6931)
• The assistant superintendent will ensure each school’s compliance with the policy.
• The assistant superintendent is Jerry Lewis (jerrylewis@edkey.org; 480.861.6931)
• Each school will designate a school wellness representative who will ensure compliance with the Sequoia Wellness Policy at the school level. Refer to Appendix A for a list of school-level wellness representative.
• The title of the school wellness representative is Wellness Policy Coordinator.

• Sequoia will develop and maintain a plan for implementation to manage and coordinate the execution of the Sequoia Wellness Plan at each of its schools. The plan delineates roles, responsibilities, actions and timelines specific to each school to ensure compliance that promotes the utmost in student wellness.
• The Sequoia Wellness Committee strongly encourages each school to use the Healthy Schools Program online tools to complete a school-level assessment and create an action plan that fosters improvement and implementation.

• Each school will be required to complete the Arizona Department of Education’s Local Wellness Policy Activity and Assessment Tool (http://www.azed.gov/hns/nslp/lwp/) Click on this link for form to be used delineating goals and their fulfillment: https://www.sequoiaschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Wellness-Report-Card.pdf at least once each three years to guide their wellness efforts and inform all stakeholders, including the Sequoia Wellness Committee, of its progress.
• The Facilitator will meet with each school principal and Wellness Policy Coordinator at least once each year to conduct a School Health Index, review, manage, and coordinate the execution of the Sequoia Wellness Plan at their school.
• Each year during the plan review, specific roles, responsibilities, actions, and timelines will be agreed upon and assigned.

• At least once every three years, Sequoia management will evaluate compliance with the wellness policy to assess the implementation of the policy and include:
• The extent to which schools under the jurisdiction of Sequoia are in compliance with the wellness policy
• The extent to which Sequoia’s wellness policy compares to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s model wellness policy
• A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of Sequoia’s wellness policy
• The Facilitator is responsible for managing the triennial assessment. The current Facilitator is Jerry Lewis (jerrylewis@edkey.org; 480.861.6931).

• The Sequoia Wellness Committee will update or modify the Sequoia Wellness Policy when appropriate including when:
• Sequoia’s priorities change
• Community needs change
• Wellness goals are met
• New health science, information, and technology emerges
• New Federal or state guidance or standards are issued.
• The results of the annual school reviews, School Health Index, or triennial assessments warrant
• The Sequoia Wellness Committee will conduct an annual School Health Index at each school.

• Sequoia’s schools will ensure that the public has access to this wellness plan at all times.
• The Sequoia Wellness Plan and the progress reports can be found at

• Sequoia actively informs families and the public each year of basic information about this policy, including its content, any updates (with date of change) to the policy and implementation status.
• Sequoia will make this information available via:
• Its website.
• Each Sequoia school will inform parents of the improvements that have been made to school meals and compliance with school meal standards, availability of child nutrition programs and how to apply, and a description of and compliance with Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Sequoia will use electronic mechanisms, such as email or displaying notices on Sequoia’s website, as well as non-electronic mechanisms, such as newsletters, presentations to parents, or sending information home to parents, to ensure that all families are actively notified of the content of, implementation of, and updates to the Sequoia Wellness Plan, as well as how to get involved and support the policy. Sequoia will ensure that communications are culturally and linguistically appropriate to the community, and accomplished through means similar to other ways that Sequoia and individual schools are communicating important school information with parents.

• Sequoia will actively notify the public about the content of or any updates to the Sequoia Wellness Plan.
• Sequoia will post the annual and triennial reports to inform the community about their availability at http://www.sequoiaschools.org/

• Sequoia will retain records to document compliance with the requirements of the Sequoia Wellness Plan on its website. Documentation maintained in this location will include but will not be limited to:
• The written Sequoia Wellness Plan
• Documentation demonstrating that the policy has been made available to the public
• Documentation of efforts to review and update the Sequoia Wellness Plan, including an indication of who is involved in the update and methods Sequoia uses to make stakeholders aware of their ability to participate on the Sequoia Wellness Committee
• Documentation to demonstrate compliance with the annual public notification requirements
• The most recent assessment on the implementation of the local school wellness policy
• Documentation demonstrating the most recent assessment on the implementation of the Sequoia Wellness Plan has been made available to the public.

Glossary:

Extended School Day – The time during, before and after-school that includes activities such as clubs, intramural sports, band and choir practice, drama rehearsals and more.

School Campus – Areas that are owned or leased by the school and used at any time for school-related activities, including on the outside of the school building, school buses or other vehicles used to transport students, athletic fields, and parking lots.

School Day – The time between midnight the night before to 30 minutes after the end of the instructional day.

Triennial – Recurring every three years.