LLESD Wellness Introduction
LLESD aims to create a safe and healthy school environment where students can thrive academically as well as socio-emotionally and physically. The LLESD Wellness Policy described below addresses how LLESD promotes wellness in the classroom, across campus, and during school-related events.
LLESD Wellness policy is supported by the School Governing Board.
Last Updated: Spring 2023
Table of Contents
Physical Health
Nutrition
Physical Activity
Physical Education (PE)
Safety
Safe Routes to School
Disease Prevention
Menstrual Equity Act
Health Education
Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD)
Social-Emotional and Mental Health
Classroom instruction
Campus activities and opportunities
Onsite counseling
Mental Health Days
Environmental Health
Classroom-based instruction
Campus composting and recycling
Other
Assessment
CHKS
Panorama
Staff Wellness
Other
Glossary and Resources
Highlighted Wellness Policies
Physical Health
Nutrition
LLESD is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus during the school day support healthy eating, and that students learn about the importance of balanced and nutritious meals not only while they are students at LLESD but as part of their lifelong learning and habit development. LLESD will promote healthy food and beverage choices for all by implementing evidence-based nutrition education, creating food environments that encourage healthy nutrition choices and encourage participation in school meal programs, and supporting healthy food promotion techniques that meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School guidelines. Students and staff will receive consistent nutrition messages throughout classrooms, campus, and district events.
School Meals
Per AB 130, LLESD participates in California’s Universal Meals Program, which provides breakfast and lunch free of charge to all students regardless of family income levels. The Universal Meals Program aims to provide equitable access to meals for all students, improve the diet and health of school-aged children, help mitigate childhood obesity, model healthy eating to support the development of lifelong healthy eating patterns, and support healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.
LLESD is committed to serving healthy meals to children that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk, that are moderate in sodium, low in saturated fat, and have zero grams of trans fat per serving (nutrition label or manufacturer’s specification), and that meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. As part of the Universal Meals Program LLESD will provide breakfast and lunch meals that:
In addition, the Universal Meals Program will
Water
To promote hydration, free unflavored drinking water will be available to all students throughout the school day. Drinking water will be available where school meals are served during mealtimes. All water sources, including drinking fountains, will be maintained on a regular basis to ensure hygiene standards. In addition, students will be allowed to bring and carry (approved) water bottles filled with only water with them throughout the day.
Competitive Foods and Beverages
While LLESD does not currently sell food on campus, any foods and beverages that would potentially be sold to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks nutrition standards.
LLESD requests that food sold on campus during after-school hours (e.g., PTA movie event) will also comply with USDA Smart Snacks nutrition standards. A list of recommended snacks will be provided to event organizers.
Best practices and tips for Smart Snacks at school are provided by the USDA and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
Fundraising
LLESD does not currently sell food as part of any fundraising campaign. However, if applicable, only foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in schools nutrition standards may be served or sold through fundraisers on the school campus. Non-food fundraisers and those that promote physical activity will be encouraged instead. LLESD will share non-food fundraising information with staff, families, and district organizations (e.g., PTA, LLEF).
Nutrition Education
LLESD aims to teach, model, encourage, and support healthy eating and will strive to provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:
The importance of balanced nutrition will be emphasized throughout students’ learning in all grades. In alignment with California health education content standards, students especially in grades K, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 will receive specific nutrition education instruction as part of their regular physical education curriculum. Topics may include:
Celebrations
Classroom and campus celebrations, such as holiday parties or birthdays, provide an opportunity to reinforce messages about the importance of healthy, balanced eating and highlight ways in which non-food treats and other activities can serve as part of a celebration, without sweets as a focal point (e.g., stickers, reading students’ favorite books, leading an activity).
Prioritizing non-sweet treats for school-based celebrations helps instill lifelong practices for students. Given the number of students per class and events held on campus, exposure to treats quickly multiples across an academic year (e.g., 24 students per class could result in 24 birthdays plus campus events).
LLESD celebrates and prioritizes ethnic and cultural diversity among its student and staff community. Exceptions for food on campus may be granted as part of an ethnic or cultural event.
Staff, students, families, and school organizations (e.g., PTA) will be informed of and asked to provide non-food and healthy snacks during classroom and campus celebrations. This applies to staff events (e.g., PTA-organized food in staff lounge).
Food Allergies
Families will be asked to submit child allergy information as part of annual school registration and information will be stored on the District’s student health pages. This information will be available to those administering the Universal Meals Program.
Food allergy awareness and education will be reviewed and launched in fall 2023, especially at the TK-3 school site.
Staff and volunteer qualifications
All LLESD school meals program staff will meet or exceed hiring and annual continuing education/training requirements in the USDA professional standards for child nutrition professionals. These school nutrition personnel will refer to USDA’s Professional Standards for School Nutrition Standards website to search for training that meets their learning needs.
Additionally all volunteers supporting the universal meals program on site will complete annual food safety training.
Physical Activity
Recess
LLESD will provide all students morning and lunch recess on all or most days during the school year, with additional afternoon recess for younger learners. In the event recess must be held indoors staff will follow the indoor recess guidelines that promote physical activity for students to the extent practicable.
Recess monitors (i.e., yard duty) will encourage students to be active, and will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.
Recess will complement, not substitute, physical education class. Students will not be prevented from participating in recess for punitive reasons.
Active Academics and Activity Breaks
LLESD recognizes that students are more attentive and ready to learn if provided with periodic breaks when they can be physically active or stretch. Thus, LLESD recommends staff provide short (3-5 minute) physical activity breaks for students during and between classroom time.
Staff 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.
When physical activity is woven into the classroom instruction it will complement, not substitute, physical education class, recess, and class transition periods.
Campus Activities
Fall Fun Run
Physical Education (PE) Courses
Physical education instruction will be provided to all K-8 students in accordance with state guidelines and state content standards, with a minimum of 200-400 minutes per 10 days depending on grade level.
Safety
LLESD will follow the protocols described in the San Mateo County’s Big 5 Immediate Action Response for Schools, which addresses what to do in the event of: shelter in place; drop, cover, and hold; secure campus; lockdown/barricade; and evacuation.
Safety Oversight Committees
A site safety committee, composed of administrators, staff, and community members, will be convened for each school site (Las Lomitas and La Entrada) each year. The responsibilities of the committees include: reviewing and ensuring compliance of existing and new safety-related policies including those outlined in the San Mateo County Big 5 linked above, connecting with stakeholders for support as needed, and planning school safety drills.
Drills
Under the leadership of the site safety committee and designated site administrators, students will practice grade-level appropriate bus evacuation and earthquake preparedness drills.
Staff will be trained in and practice secure campus and lockdown/barricade drills (e.g, in the event of an active shooter), but students will not practice these drills directly.
Safe Firearm Storage
Per SB 906, every year LLESD will notify the school community of California's child access prevention laws as well as legislation and best practices for safe storage of firearms.
In February 2023 the LLESD governing board passed a resolution in support of SB 906 as well as additional district-wide efforts to communicate safe firearm storage with families and gun safety with students.
Student Threat Assessment and Suicide Prevention
Safe Routes to School
Through a combination of classroom lessons, campus activities, and district-wide events, LLESD will provide a comprehensive program that teaches and allows students time to practice pedestrian and cycling safety. The program will help increase opportunities for physical activity, decrease risk of road-related injury, and help protect the environment.
Menstrual Equity Act
Per AB 367, LLESD school will provide free menstrual products on the La Entrada campus in all women’s and gender neutral bathrooms as well as in at least one men’s restroom.
Athletics
LLESD will promote after school opportunities for physical activity, including team sports and athletic classes offered by the Las Lomitas League.
Through shared/joint use agreements, LLESD will provide the on-site facilities for team sports and athletics or other events that promote physical activity for students and community members.
Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD)
LLESD will remain an alcohol- and tobacco-free campus at all times and signage indicating this is posted on campus.
Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) education will be included as part of classes teaching the California health education content standards.
LLESD is part of the San Mateo County Office of Education's Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) Consortium which provides professional development, classroom education, peer-to-peer mentoring, networking, and other support to staff and students to address tobacco and other drug education.
LLESD participates in the Naloxone for Schools Program which provides training and a supply of naloxone to the district free of charge. Naloxone is a life-saving treatment intended to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose; it can be administered to any individual who is suspected of having an overdose without the risk of severe side effects. Nasal spray naloxone (narcan) will be available in the nursing offices and first aid kits at both school sites as well as the first aid kits at the district office and the opertaions/transportation building.
Disease Prevention
Immunization and health examination forms
School nurses and site administration will be responsible for communicating information about immunization requirements to families, collecting student immunization records, and enforcing compliance.
Required Immunization and Health Examination Requirements Timeline
Timeline | Immunization and/or form |
K-12 Admission | Polio Dtap Hep B MMR Varicella |
Kindergarten - due end of year | Oral Health (evidence of dental visit or waiver) |
Grade 1 - due mid-year | Health Examination |
Grade 7 - due upon entry | 1 tdap 1 varicella |
LLESD will follow all local and state communicable disease prevention and reporting guidelines. Notices will be sent to students and staff in the event of exposure including but not limited to COVID-19, lice, RSV.
Medications on campus
Prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications will not be disbursed to students without a written Medical Authorization form signed by physician and guardian.
In the event that students require medication during school hours___.
Food Allergies
Handwashing
Social-Emotional and Mental Health
Classroom instruction
Wayfinder and Second Step
Digital Citizenship
Campus activities and opportunities
On-site counseling
Counselors
ACS
Assessments
Electronic Surveys
Panorama surveys are sent district-wide to students, staff, and families annually in the spring. Questions address social emotional health. Results are reported in the spring in which the surveys are administered, and are used to inform ongoing curricula and school planning.
The California Healthy Kids Survey is administered electronically to students in grades five and seven bi-annually in the fall. Questions address students behavioral, physical, and social-emotional health (e.g., number of hours of sleep, stress, sense of belonging and safety on campus). Results are reported to the governing board in the spring of the same academic year.
Other
Additional Opportunities for Wellness
PTA events
School events
Involvement and Leadership
LLESD convenes a wellness committee annually. The committee is led by the District Wellness Coordinator and Superintendent. Staff, students, and families are invited to participate on a voluntary basis; membership is advertised to families via regular email communication, school newsletters and at board meetings, and offered to staff through standard process to join district-wide committees. Key stakeholders, such as the Parent Teacher Associations, LLEA, Governing Board, site nurses, and the School Meal coordinator are represented. The function of the committee is to learn about and provide input on district-wide health and wellness efforts. Committee meetings are held virtually 5 times throughout the academic year, with additional meetings held by subcommittees who are working on specific initiatives.
Staff Wellness
Resources
Menlo Park Safe Routes to School
San Mateo County Office of Education
San Mateo County Health
California Department of Public Health