1. Local Wellness Policy (LWP) Updates for School Year 2017-18
Presented by The New Jersey Department of Agriculture School Nutrition Programs
Presenters:
Erlisa Levin, MPH, RD
Katie Hunter, RD

2. A special thank you to the New Jersey Department of Health for their collaboration on this webinar!
Sheila Dunn, MBA
School Health Nutrition & Physical Activity Specialist
Joan Healy-Wielenta, MBA, RD
Senior Program Coordinator, NJ SNAP-Ed/EFNEP Programs

3. Why is School Wellness Important?
Increases academic performance
Improves classroom behavior
Helps with learning retention
Keeps students safe and healthy
Encourages healthy body weight

5. Background
2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act – Participating SFAs to establish LWP by SY 2006
2010 Strengthened by the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA)
July 21, 2016, the USDA final rule was published in the Federal Register. The final rule strengthens and expands LWP requirements
All SFAs must have their updated and compliant LWP for SY in place as of July 1, 2017

6. Webinar Objectives SFA will be able to:
List the 5 required elements of the USDA School LWP Final Rule requirements
Implement the State Agency requirements
Access the links to resources & a toolkit to strengthen your current school LWP as needed

7. USDA Local Wellness Policy Final Rule
All School Districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program MUST meet expanded Requirements:
Designates one or more district or school officials to ensure compliance and identify their position title
Establishes minimum content requirements for local school wellness polices
Ensures stakeholder participation in the development and update of such policies
Assesses and discloses compliance
Increases transparency to the public, and increases integrity

8. Required Elements of the LWP
Public Involvement (stakeholders)
Nutrition Education
Nutrition Promotion goals
Nutritional Guidelines for all foods available on the school campus
Physical Activity goals (school based activities to promote student wellness)

9. 1. Public Involvement
HHFKA requires all stakeholders to participate in the implementation and periodic review and update of LWP
Stakeholders could consist of but not limited to:
teachers
students
parents
school board members
other SFA representatives (administrators)
community members
school health professionals

10. 1. Public involvement continued
Notification
SFAs are required to inform and update the stakeholders about content and implementation of the local wellness policy
How?
Post LWP on school website
Send home hard copy of LWP with students
Put LWP in school newsletter

11. 2. Nutrition Education
Gives students the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make healthy eating choices.
Nutrition education may include:
Teaching about healthy meal patterns
Reading Nutrition Facts labels
Identifying sources of added sugars, saturated fats

12. 3. Nutrition Promotion Examples of measurable goals for nutrition promotion
Student Wellness Teams
School gardens
Classroom rewards program
Healthy classroom parties
Healthy fundraiser resources
Classroom energizers
Farmer in the Classroom

13. 4. Nutrition Guidelines
USDA Final Rule states that Local Wellness Policies include nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available during school hours
Does not apply to events outside of school hours
NEW: LWPs must include policies that allow marketing and advertising of only those foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in school nutrition standards

14. 5. Physical Activity Examples of measurable goals for physical activity
Integrate physical activity into the academic curriculum
Schedule recess before lunch whenever possible
Annual 5k walk/run
Afterschool fitness opportunities
Standardized Physical Education curriculum
Bike and walk to school days

15. Leadership
SFAs are required to designate one or more SFA officials to ensure that each school complies with the LWP.
It is suggested to designate a lead person in each school building to report the progress at each site.
SFAs can determine the specific policies appropriate for the schools under their jurisdiction, provided that those policies include all required elements

16. Implementing Your Local Wellness Policy
Requires good planning and management skills
Consistent oversight (year round)
Requires widespread buy-in by school staff and the local community 16

17. Maintain Your LWP SFAs are required to: Make the LWP public
Review policy goals periodically throughout the year

18. Measure Your Progress SFAs are required to:
Establish a plan for measuring implementation of wellness policy
Designate one or more persons to ensure schools are achieving the measurable goals

19. Evaluate Your Policies
SFAs are required to:
Assess what’s working and what’s not working
Make improvements for the following year
Use Wellness Policy Evaluation tool – (form #357)
Share results with stakeholders

20. Triennial Assessments
The Final Rule requires State agencies to assess compliance with the LWP requirements as a part of the general areas of the Administrative Review every 3 years.
SFAs must conduct an assessment of the LWP every 3 years, at a minimum. This assessment determines:
Compliance with the wellness policy
How the wellness policy compares to model wellness policies, and
Progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy

21. Requirements for Administrative Review (AR) in New Jersey
Assessments are done at the end of the year (were the goals achieved?)
Use NJ’s Wellness Policy Evaluation tool (form #357)
During an AR the prior year assessment tool will be reviewed
is first year for USDA triennial assessment requirement

22. Documentation
The State agency will examine records during the AR including:
Copy of the current wellness policy
Documentation on how the policy and assessments are made available to the public
The most recent assessment of implementation of the policy, and
Documentation of efforts to review and update the policy, including who was involved in the process and how stakeholders were made aware of their ability to participate
Completing form #357 makes you compliant

23. Your Key Take-Aways for Success
Find passionate leaders in each school
Build a good team at each school
Less is more (have a few strong measurable goals rather than many weak goals)
Regularly monitor progress

24. Contact Us
If further inquiries, please contact the presenters of this webinar:
Erlisa Levin, MPH,
Katie Hunter,

25. Resources USDA Resources
USDA’s Team Nutrition resources are at
USDA Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act
New Jersey Resources
Log into SNEARS  Resources Tab Smart Snacks
Log into SNEARS  Resources Tab Local Wellness Policy

26. Alliance & CDC Resources
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation Model Wellness Policy
AHG video on highlights of the USDA’s final rule on wellness policies:
NJSBA Task Force on the Impact of Health & Wellness on Student Achievement: Final Report—Best Practices (pg )
CDC HEALTHY SCHOOLS

27. Thank you for viewing the Local Wellness Policy Update 2017 webinar!
This webinar will count toward 1hour of professional standards training:
Key Area Communication and Marketing
Learning Topic Smarter Lunch Room Techniques
Department of Agriculture
School Nutrition Programs
This institution is an equal opportunity provider