What is the Local Wellness Policy?
The local wellness policy (LWP) is a written plan that districts use to support the health and well-being of students throughout the school day. USDA programs such as the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program are required to develop and implement a wellness policy.
The LWP enables districts to cultivate a healthy school environment that promotes nutrition education, physical activity and other school-based wellness initiatives while allowing input from parents, staff, administration, and community stakeholders. An effectively written wellness policy provides students and families with varied opportunities to engage in healthy practices within the school environment.
Local Wellness Policy Tools for Districts
Districts can use this optional tool to assess or update elements of their LWP to ensure compliance with all requirements.
Districts must review their wellness policy at least once every three years and provide assessment documentation. The evaluation should address the following areas:
- Compliance with the district policy
- Comparison of the district policy to the Model Wellness Policy and,
- Progress toward attaining wellness policy goals
Districts must share the results of the Triennial Assessment with the public.
Districts must assess how their wellness policy compares to the Model Policy at least once every three years. This tool helps districts identify strengths, areas of improvement, and any other areas they want to work on in the future. The results can be included within the Triennial Assessment or shared as a separate document.
Stakeholder Engagement Resources
These resources provide strategies to help increase stakeholder engagement through wellness teams, school or district-wide activities, and community involvement. Please share these resources with the current and potential partners in your wellness work, your wellness committees, coordinators, and any additional staff.
Wellness Learning Opportunities
Wednesday Wellness Wins Series
Happy WinsDay! We’re excited to share our new monthly series, Winning with Wellness, delivered by our School Nutrition Wellness Support Specialist, Adrienne Holloway. Adrienne will share tips, insights and resources on how school districts and local school nutrition programs use wellness initiatives to help create whole-child centered school environments.
Wellness webinars, e-Learning series recordings, and resource documents are available in the School Nutrition Training Catalog to assist districts and schools with strategies for wellness policy promotion and initiatives. Please contact Adrienne Holloway, Wellness Support Specialist, for support or feedback on your wellness policy.
Wellness Policy Resources
Districts must ensure that all foods and beverages available (provided and sold) meet nutrition standards. To determine if a product meets these standards, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation has a Smart Snacks Products Calculator:
https://foodplanner.healthiergeneration.org/calculator/