I. School Wellness Policy
The Holland Patent Central School District participates in USDA Child Nutrition programs including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) and supports a healthy environment where children learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices.

II. Goals for Nutrition Promotion and Education, Physical Activity and other School Based Activities
A. Nutrition Promotion and Education The primary goal of nutrition promotion and education is to influence lifelong eating behaviors in a positive manner. To achieve this goal, the District has established these operating standards:

1. Students in grades Pre-K through 12 receive nutrition education that follow applicable New York State Standards, is interactive, and teaches the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors.
2. Students receive consistent nutrition messages through health posters, signage or displays.
3. District health education curriculum standards and guidelines include both nutrition and physical education.
4. Staff limit the use of food as a reward or punishment in school.
5. Staff who provide nutrition education will have appropriate training.

B. Physical Activity The primary goals and characteristics of quality physical education and physical activity are to provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities; maintain physical fitness; reduce sedentary time; learn about cooperation, fair play and responsible participation that meets the needs of all students (at all levels of physical ability); and gain an appreciation for lifelong physical activity through a healthy lifestyle. To achieve these goals, the District has established these operating standards:

1. The District will have a Board approved Physical Education Plan on file with the New York State Education Department that meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in Section 135.4 of the Commissioner’s Regulations. All students will be required to fulfill the physical education requirements as set forth in the regulations of the Commissioner of Education as a condition of graduating from the District.
2. Physical activity shall be included, when possible, during the school day.
3. Students will not be denied participation in recess or other physical activities as a form of discipline or for classroom make-up time.
4. Students are given daily opportunities for physical activity through a range of before and/or after school programs including, but not limited to, interscholastic athletics and intramurals.

C. Other School-Based Activities

1. Dining Environment
The District will:

a. Provides a clean, safe environment for students;

b. Provide enough space and serving area to ensure that all students have access to school meals;

c. Make available free potable water in schools, so that students may obtain water at mealtime and throughout the day;

d. Encourage all students to participate in the school meals program and protect the identity of students who eat free and reduced price meals.

2. Consistent School Activities and Environment
The District will:

a. Provide opportunities for on-going professional training for foodservice staff and teachers in the areas of nutrition and physical education.

b. Promote efforts to keep school physical activity facilities open for use by students and community outside regular school hours.

c. Encourage school and community members to serve as role models in practicing and promoting a healthy life style.

d. Support initiatives regarding self-help and other Food and Nutrition Services programs. 

e. Encourage parents/guardians to send in healthy alternatives for classroom celebrations.

f. Utilize a system of student payment that ensures all eligible students have access to free/reduced meals in a non-stigmatizing manner.

III. Nutritional Guidelines
A. The District will develop standards and nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages sold to students on the school campus during the school day that are consistent with Federal regulations for school meal nutrition standards and the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.

B. The District will develop standards and nutrition guidelines per each school district building for all foods and beverages provided but not sold, to students during the school day (e.g., in classroom parties, classroom snacks brought by parents, or other foods given to students).

C. Fundraisers conducted during the school day will meet, or exceed, the nutritional requirements listed in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act “Smart Snacks in Schools” Rule and no fundraising foods and beverages will be sold until the end of the last lunch period. Fundraisers conducted outside of the school day will be encouraged to promote the sale of healthy foods items, non-food items, and events involving physical activity.

D. For purposes of this section, the school day means the period from the midnight before the start of student attendance to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day.

IV. Marketing and Advertising
Marketing and advertising of foods and beverages on school campuses during the school day will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion. Schools will restrict food and beverage marketing to the promotion of those foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards set forth by the Healthy-Free Kids Act “Smart Snacks in Schools” Rule.

V. Guidelines for Reimbursable School Meals
The District will ensure that reimbursable school meals meet the program requirements and nutrition standards set forth in Federal Regulations (7 CFR Part 210 and 220.) 

VI. Community Involvement and Wellness Leadership
The Superintendent will designate a Wellness Committee by October 15th of each school year with members chosen from the public, parents, students, school food service workers, teachers, administrators, Board of Education members and support staff personnel. The Wellness Committee will review the policy and make recommendations to the Superintendent as needed.

IV. Implementation and Evaluation of Policy
Under the direction of the Superintendent or designee as designated by the Superintendent in writing, the District will be responsible for the following:

A. Periodically assess whether the school district is meeting the requirements of this policy.

B. Inform and update the public (including parents, students and others in the community) about the content and implementation of this policy.

C. On a triennial basis, measure and make available to the public an assessment of the implementation of the policy including:

1. Compliance with the policy;
2. How well the policy compares to model wellness policies; and
3. Description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the policy.

D. Retain basic records demonstrating compliance with the policy, to include:

1. The written wellness policy;
2. Documentation demonstrating compliance with community involvement requirements;
3. Documentation of the triennial assessment of the wellness policy;
4. Annual local wellness policy progress reports for each school; and
5. Documentation to demonstrate compliance with the public notification requirements.

E. Reinforce policy goals with school staff as needed.  ===================================================================== Holland Patent Central School District

Legal Ref: Education Law Sections 915, 1709 and (23); National School Lunch Act 1946 as amended (42 USC 1751-1760); Child Nutrition Act 1966; Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (PL 108-265); Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-296) added Section 9A to the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1758b), Smart Snacks in School Rules 2014; 8 NYCRR 135.4; 7 CFR 210.11; 7 CFR Parts 210 and 220.
Adopted: 06/07/06
Revised: 03/03/10, 04/19/16, 2/14/18, 09/12/18

August Wellbeing Tip from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield – Gearing up for Fall
Between back-to-school schedules, work demands, and shorter days, fall can feel hectic. It’s also the time of year when illnesses tend to increase, making it more important than ever to prioritize your wellbeing. A few simple, proactive habits can help you and your family stay well:

➢ Practice good hand hygiene
Frequent handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs.
Encourage regular handwashing—especially before meals, after school, and after time in
public spaces.

➢ Stay current on vaccines and preventive care
Seasonal vaccines, like the flu shot, can reduce your risk of illness and help protect your
community. Staying up to date on routine preventive care for you and your family helps
support overall health and can catch potential concerns early.

➢ Make sleep a priority
Busy schedules can cut into rest, but sleep is essential for a strong immune system and
overall wellbeing. Aim for consistent bedtimes and routines.

➢ Adjust to new routines proactively
The back-to-school season can bring big changes. Gradually shifting sleep schedules,
planning morning and evening routines, and building in time for homework, meals, and
downtime can help ease the transition.

➢ Support mental wellbeing
As days begin to shorten, it’s important to check in with yourself and your family. Make
time for activities that boost mood, encourage connection, and provide balance. Small, consistent steps can make a big difference in helping you stay healthy—inside and out
this fall season.

Small, consistent steps can make a big difference in helping you stay healthy—inside and out this fall season.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) provides monthly grocery benefits on a ‘debit-like card’ to purchase food from places families normally shop like grocery stores or farmers markets.

Any U.S. citizen and certain lawfully present non-citizens can receive SNAP benefits if they qualify. The program is available nationwide and may have a different name depending on where you are located (such as CalFresh in California and FoodShare in Wisconsin). To qualify for SNAP, a household’s income has to be below a certain amount based on a state’s requirements. Benefits levels are based on a household’s income and expenses, for example benefits can be up to $939 a month for a household of four (benefits amounts are higher in Alaska and Hawaii). Learn more about SNAP.

SNAP is a valuable resource for families, but many families may not know about it. Families generally trust schools, which make schools an important messenger for sharing about SNAP benefits and ensuring families know about and can access this food assistance.

Conducting SNAP outreach helps eligible families know about the program while also expanding the reach of school meals and boosting school revenue. There are many ways schools can increase awareness of SNAP and this toolkit helps provide customizable tools for outreach. Learn more about SNAP outreach strategies in schools.

Think about the families in your school and community—how do they typically receive information? Utilize the channels that families are familiar with to share information about SNAP.

Helpful outreach resources

• The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) links to each state’s SNAP information and application. This link will also help you confirm the name of the SNAP program in your state. Make sure the below messages have the correct name.
• No Kid Hungry has a webpage in English and Spanish with information about SNAP for families that you can use to share about the program. It includes basic information about the program, how to apply along with connections to each state’s application, and a link to a SNAP eligibility screener.
• mRelief provides an online and text based SNAP eligibility screener that can be integrated into outreach materials and messaging. Your state or a local partner might offer a SNAP application assistance hotline which you could add to your materials.
• There are communities, such as immigrant and rural communities, that have increased barriers to SNAP access and it’s important to provide targeted messaging and support. This toolkit integrates proven messages for these communities, in particular immigrant communities and mixed status families (households where family members have different citizenship and/or documentation statuses). Learn more about efforts to increase awareness about SNAP for immigrant communities from the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition and find additional outreach tools from UnidosUS and No Kid Hungry.

Organizations and schools around the county have developed great resources for SNAP outreach in school settings. Here are examples of their work:

• Hunger Solutions New York: SNAP outreach for schools resources
• San Diego Hunger Coalition & No Kid Hungry California Calfresh campaign: Campaign resources, social marketing toolkit
• SNAP in School Toolkits: Second Harvest Heartland, Tennessee Justice Center, End Hunger Connecticut!
• SNAP & mixed-status families social toolkit: UnidosUS & No Kid Hungry
• Hunger-Free Oklahoma flier

About myBenefits

myBenefits is an online tool for New York State residents. Users can apply online for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), and/or Public Assistance; recertify for SNAP and/or Public Assistance; Report Changes; and View Case Details. Users receiving SNAP can also check their EBT balance, and anyone can take the quick Prescreen Eligibility questionnaire to check possible eligibility for a variety of state and federal human services benefit programs.

To view myBenefits in other languages From the myBenefits homepage click the Languages link in the navigation bar to access the following languages: عربى (Arabic), বাঙালি (Bengali), 中文 (Chinese), English, Français (French), Kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian-Creole), Italiano (Italian), 한국어 (Korean), Polski (Polish), Русскийy (Russian), Español (Spanish), اردو (Urdu), and יידיש (Yiddish).

On the myBenefits Dashboard page, or once you start an application, the Languages link can be found in the header bar at the top of the page, right below where your name and username are displayed in the upper left corner of the page.

For more information, visit https://mybenefits.ny.gov/mybenefits/begin!

SNAP FUELS LEARNING 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) supports families and kids by providing monthly grocery benefits to eligible households to purchase food from stores. Did you know SNAP also supports schools?

SNAP helps schools reach more kids with free meals, saves administration costs and staff time, and boosts nutrition department revenue.
● Kids that live in households participating in SNAP are directly certified for free school meals, which means there’s no need to collect an application from that child, saving staff administrative time and effort. A child only needs to be in a household receiving SNAP at some point in the year to be directly certified for free school meals for the full school year.
● Directly certified students means full federal reimbursement for meals and not needing to track and collect payment from caregivers reducing school meal debt.
● More directly certified students means a higher Identified Student Percentage (ISP), which increases the likelihood of qualifying for and boosts the revenue potential of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Participating in CEP allows all students to receive free school meals. Learn more about direct certification and maximizing ISP.

Did you know SNAP also Expands Access to Free School Meals and Summer EBT/SUN Bucks

Increasing SNAP enrollment also has impacts on benefits children can receive during the summer! In states that participate in SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, students that are participating in SNAP will automatically receive SUN Bucks benefits without having to apply. This automatic connection helps children and families maintain consistent access to food during the summer months when school is not in session, providing year-round support.

Boosting SNAP enrollment also provides benefits for schools and school districts that already operate the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federal option that allows schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to all students. Ensuring that all eligible families receive SNAP helps ensure schools/districts remain eligible for CEP and it continues to be financially viable.

As momentum grows for expanding access to free school meals, SNAP is an important component. Boosting SNAP enrollment boosts Identified Student Percentages, allowing more schools/districts to qualify for CEP and/or receive higher federal reimbursement for their meal operations. Receiving higher federal reimbursement, means less of a potential impact on state budgets to cover costs of providing free meals to all students.

SNAP secures more money for education programs.
● Schools are connected to additional resources, like Title 1 funding and Education Rate (E-Rate) funding for school libraries and internet access, by correctly identifying eligible students for assistance.

SNAP provides food that helps kids focus in school.
● Children with access to SNAP are more likely to be in good health meaning less absences and missed school.
● SNAP participation can lead to gains in reading and math skills for elementary school children and it increases the chance of high school graduation.

SNAP ensures more resources for students, families, and communities.
● SNAP participation helps identify areas eligible for community-wide free afterschool and summer meals programs by increasing the number of students directly certified for free school meals.
● Students and families are connected to additional resources by qualifying for SNAP such as discounted or waived school and sports fees, fee waivers for college applications and SAT/ACT/PSAT exams, and discounted internet and cell phone services.

Share about SNAP with your school community and support families to access this important food assistance while providing more resources for your school.

Find SNAP outreach resources at bestpractices.nokidhungry.org/snap-schools

SNAP helps children and families.

Many families struggle to afford enough food, and hunger is a persistent reality for kids. SNAP provides monthly benefits that eligible families can use to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and at some online retailers.

As trusted messengers, schools and community partners are strategically positioned to share information about SNAP with families and caregivers. Everyone benefits when eligible families participate in SNAP: Kids get the nutrition they need, schools can leverage more funding, and local economies grow stronger.

Connect families to SNAP using our toolkit

Our SNAP toolkit includes flyers, graphics, sample language, and more to help you promote SNAP in your communications to families. These materials:

• Provide information about SNAP and its benefits.
• Connect families with SNAP application assistance:
  • SNAP eligibility prescreening tool: Helps families see if they may be eligible in less than five minutes.
  • Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP): Local coordinators provide free, confidential one-on-one help with applying for SNAP.
• Refer families to the online SNAP application at myBenefits.NY.Gov