Wellness
Welcome
Jeff Rogers is the district's Wellness Coordinator. Jeff holds a bachelor of science Degree in education and is a certified wellness manager from the National Wellness Institute. Jeff spent over ten years working for an area health system in the department of health and wellness promotion. Those years allowed him to see the development, promotion and implementation of werk site wellness programs. He also holds a State of Missouri Life and Health license and spent five years in the development of health plans for both small and large employees. He brings this knowledge and experience to the disctrict to promote a healthy lifesytle for all.
Timely Opportunities
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1st Annual Support SPS Run and Community Fair
Mission
The mission of the Springfield Public School Wellness Department is to promote a healthy lifestyle for all.
Vision
The Wellness Department seeks to have a direct impact on rising healthcare expenditures while positively affecting the overall health and well being of the employees.
Overview
The Wellness Department was established by the board in January 2007. The effort of those seving on the wellness committee came to fruition with this announcement. Funds were designated to allow the department to begin the process of establishing the district as a leader in health promotion for their employees. The Wellness Department works jointly with Health Services to promote health and wellness for students and staff. Before board approval, the district has been actively involved to some degree in wellness programs primarily delivered by the nursing staff. Health Services, working in conjunction with St. John's, has provided on-site health assessments for district employees for the past 20 years. This delivery system backbone for data collection is necessary in the development of wellness programs. The wellness department will continue to work with St. John's to improve participation numbers and will focus on how best to educate our employees to healthy lifestyle changes. The department will also continue to work with providers/vendors that promote/provide online, publication, education, equipment, and incentive support.
Wellness Policy
On July 25, 2006, the Springfield R-XII Board of Education approved a local wellness policy as required by the United States Department of Agriculture for those school districts participating in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. The policy and attending practices and procedures were formulated by a broad-based committee consisting of members from the school district, the health care community, parents, wellness professionals and nutrition educators. This committee spent over one year of volunteer time formulating a policy that would positively impact the wellness and nutrition environment for our students.
The mandate from Congress required local communities to assess the current status of standards in their school district’s nutrition, nutrition education and physical education areas and identify aspects where improvements were needed. Plans to improve these areas were formulated and nutrition standards were developed for all foods present in the school environment.
The Wellness Policy which was adopted by the Board of Education, the Practices and Procedures which outline the approved changes including the nutrition standards, and an implementation plan can be found in the navigational links on the left-hand side of the page. This website also contains information regarding the district’s food service program including menus for each grade level, nutrition analysis for all menu items, and pertinent nutrition education materials.
Wellness Program
The Springfield R-12 School District Board of Education recognizes the relationship between student well-being and improving student achievement. The District will provide developmentally appropriate and sequential nutrition, physical education, physical activities, and other areas of the curriculum to assure student wellness. The wellness program will be implemented in a multidisciplinary fashion. The primary goals of the wellness program are to promote student health, reduce student overweight/obesity, facilitate student learning of lifelong healthy habits and increase student achievement. The principles of continuous quality improvement will serve as the basis for the deployment of this policy.
Wellness Committee
The District will establish a wellness committee to oversee the deployment of the wellness policy. This membership will consist of at least one representative from each of the following groups: parent, student, health services representative, school food service representative, school administrator, member of the public, employee benefits representative, and other community members as appropriate. The Superintendent designates the Coordinator of Health Services and the Director of School Food Services as Wellness Program Coordinators. Wellness Program Coordinators, in consultation with the wellness committee, will be in charge of implementation and evaluation of this policy.
Nutrition Guidelines
It is the policy of the School District of Springfield R-12 that staff will assure all foods and beverages made available on campus by the District during the school day are consistent with the Missouri Eat Smart Nutrition Guidelines and the Nutrition Standards that have been developed by the local Wellness Policy committee.
Guidelines for reimbursable school meals will not be less restrictive than regulations and guidance issued by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to law. The district will create procedures that apply to the school day and before-and after-school programs in the following areas:
- National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program meals
- À la carte offerings in the food service program
- Vending machines and school stores
- Classroom parties, celebrations, fundraisers, rewards and school events
- Snacks served in after-school programs
Nutrition and Physical Education Curriculum
The District will provide nutrition and physical education standards aligned with the Show-Me Standards and Missouri's Frameworks for Curriculum Development in Health/Physical Education in all grades. The Wellness Program Coordinators, in consultation with the principals, health/physical education curriculum department, and the wellness committee, will develop goals that address nutrition and physical education.
Other School-Based Activities
The Wellness Program Coordinators, in consultation with the wellness committee, are charged with developing goals addressing other school-based activities to promote wellness.
Evaluation
Quality assurance checks will be used to monitor the deployment of the district Wellness policy. Wellness Program Coordinators shall be responsible for devising a plan for implementation and evaluation of the District’s Wellness policy and are charged with operational responsibility for ensuring that schools meet the goals of the District’s Wellness policy. Wellness Program Coordinators will report to the Board annually.
Adopted: July 25, 2006
Cross Refs: EF, Food Services Management
EFB, Free and Reduced-Cost Food Services
Legal Refs: §§ 610.010 - .028, RSMo.
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Section 204, P.L. 108
- 265
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 - 1769h
The Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1771 – 1789
More information
| School Lunch Implementation Grid | |
| Guidelines | Other Foods Implementation Grid |
| Snacks for Classroom Celebration | Fund Raiser Implementation Grid |
| Physical Fitness Implementation Grid |