New resources are now available to help school districts engage parents and school staff in Local School Wellness Policy efforts. A Local School Wellness Policy is a written document that guides school district’s efforts to establish a school environment that promotes students’ health, well-being and ability to learn. It’s important for parents and school staff to be a part of this process so the wellness policy is representative of both the community and student’s needs.
The Food and Nutrition Service’s Team Nutrition initiative has developed a free Local Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit that school districts and schools can customize to communicate information about their Local School Wellness Policy to parents and staff. The kit includes:
- A letter to the wellness coordinator;
- Sample letter to school principals;
- Informational flyers, in English and Spanish;
- Presentations for parents and school staff;
- Sample newsletter article; and
- Social media posts and graphics.
The free Local Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit is available for download at: http://TeamNutrition.usda.gov.
Today, most schools have a Local School Wellness Policy, but parents and school staff are not always aware of the policy and how it is being put into action at their school. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act added new provisions for implementation, evaluation and public involvement and reporting on progress of Local School Wellness Policies. Team Nutrition’s new Local School Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit helps support these requirements.