ADE Director's Communication Memo Form


Memo Number : IA-05-022

Date Created : 08/06/2004

Attention:

Superintendents
Co-op Directors
other: Principals
Food Service Directors
School Nurses

Type of Memo: Regulatory
Response Required: Yes
   
Section:   Internal Administration - Dr. Bobbie Davis
Subject:
District Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Committee Requirement

Regulatory Authority:
Arkansas Act 1220; Federal Public Law 108-265 Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2004, Section 204

Contact Person:
Wanda Shockey, Barbara Smith or CNU Area Specialists

Phone Number:
501-324-9502

E-mail:
wshockey@arkedu.k12.ar.us

According to Act 1220 of 2003, each school district is required to create a district School Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory (SNPAA) Committee beginning school year 2004-2005. The school district’s SNPAA Committee shall include members from school district governing boards, school administrators, food service personnel, teacher organizations, parents, students, and professional groups such as nurses and community members.

Act 1220 stipulates that beginning school year 2004-2005, every school district shall convene a SNPAA Committee to:

· Help raise awareness of the importance of nutrition and physical activity;
· Assist in the development of local policies that address issues and goals, including but not limited to, the following:

1. Assisting with the implementation of nutrition and physical activity standards developed by the committee (Arkansas Child Health Advisory Committee) with approval of the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and the State Board of Health;
2. Integrating nutrition and physical activity into the overall curriculum;
3. Ensuring that professional development for staff includes nutrition and physical activity issues;
4. Ensuring that students receive nutrition education and engage in healthful levels of vigorous physical activity;
5. Improving the quality of physical education curricula and increasing training of physical education teachers;
6. Enforcing existing physical education requirements;
7. Pursuing contracts that both encourage healthy eating by students and reduce school dependence on profits from the sale of foods of minimal nutritional value.

Additionally, Act 1220 requires each school district to:
· Incorporate the goals and objectives for nutrition and physical activity into the annual school planning and reporting process.

Based on the 2004 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Program Reauthorization Public Law 108-265, each local education agency participating in the National School Lunch, Breakfast and Afterschool Snack programs will be required to establish a local wellness policy by no later than June 30, 2006. To prevent duplication of efforts and meet the wellness policy requirements, school districts can use policies developed by the district advisory committee required by Act 1220 and passed by the local school board to meet the federal requirement.

As a result of the federal requirement, the Child Nutrition Unit (CNU), ADE will maintain a list of all district SNPAA Committee members and member contact information. This list will be used to provide resources and training of local education agency personnel and committee members to meet the new federal requirement.

Each school district will be required to submit a list of the district's Committee members to CNU, ADE by October 1, 2004, and will be required to update the committee list as changes occur. See Attachment for Submission Form for the SNPAA Committee. This form will need to be e-mailed to: kfranklin@arkedu.k12.ar.us before October 1, 2004.

As of June 30, 2006, a report on local wellness policies passed by the school board will be required as part of the renewal of agreement process.

Attachments:

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