Dodge County Schools Wellness Policy
The mission of the Dodge County School Nutrition Program is to provide school meals that are consistent with the dietary guidelines and USDA standards for school meals and to make all foods and beverages available on campus during the school day consistent with a healthy lifestyle.
1. Dodge County School Nutrition Program complies with federal, state, and local requirements.
2. Dodge County School Nutrition Program is accessible to all students.
3. All food items for sale during the school day must be Smart Snack Compliant to include vending machines.
4. No food items should be available to students thirty minutes before or after a meal service.
5. Food or beverages within the school meal program shall not be withheld from students as a punishment.
6. Foods served in the school meal program are developmentally appropriate and encourage consumption within the time allotted.
7. A la carte food sales by the school nutrition program shall be limited to foods offered as part of the school meal and shall be served in the same portions as served in the school meal. A reimbursable meal must be purchased in order to purchase a la carte food items.
8. Sanitation deficiencies cited on local inspections are corrected accordingly, including facility deficiencies.
9. Each school kitchen has at least one person certified in food safety.
10. Drinking water is available to students throughout the day.
Updated 5/30/23
Dodge County Wellness Specific Goals
Dodge County is committed to the wellbeing of all students, staff and our community. In accordance with the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, this wellness policy provides the guidelines for a sustainable environment of wellness.
Nutrition Education- The Dodge County School Nutrition Program will be responsible for implementing age appropriate nutrition education programming in all Dodge schools. These procedures are maintained and monitored by the SNP Director.
Nutrition Promotion- Nutrition promotion and marketing will encourage participation in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. These procedures are maintained and monitored by the School Nutrition Program.
Physical Activity- Physical Activity is an integral part of developing healthy lifestyles. Dodge County Physical Education Teachers will meet all state requirements in terms of physical education curriculum and will encourage recreational activities. School playground equipment will remain open to the public after school hours.
Other school-based activities will encourage wellness by promoting physical activity and healthy food choices. Teachers and administrators will be encouraged to find alternatives to food and physical activity as methods of reward or discipline strategies for student behavior. In addition, students will be given sufficient time to consume meals in a clean dining environment. These areas are maintained and monitored by each school site’s administrator.
Dodge County Wellness Nutrition Guidelines
Reimbursable meals will meet all federal guidelines as specified in 7 CFR Parts 210 and 220. The School Nutrition Program will be responsible for ensuring compliance with these regulations as required during the Administrative Review process. All foods sold on campus to students during school hours will meet the Smart Snacks guidelines as described in 7 CFR Parts 210 and 220. Fundraisers will be approved by the HCBE Office of School Operations in accordance with State Board Rule 160-5-6-.01. Records of competitive foods sold by school organizations will be maintained at each school location and will be monitored by the Director of School Nutrition. Records of competitive foods sold by the School Nutrition Program will be maintained at the SNP Central Office.
Sustainability and Assessment- Dodge County School Administration Teams will support compliance and implementation of this policy. All departments will be encouraged to work together to achieve success in obtaining the aforementioned goals.
The Dodge County Wellness Committee will be responsible for updating the policy as needed and informing stakeholders of important information and changes to the policy. The Wellness Committee will be composed of Student Representatives, Parents, School Nutrition Staff, School Administrators, Physical Education Teachers, Nursing Staff, and Board Members. This policy, and progress towards meeting these goals, will be tracked using the Wellness Policy Progress Report Tool in which designated individuals acknowledge the extent to which particular goals have been met. This Wellness Policy, any updates, and the annual assessments will be available to the public on the Dodge County Board of Education website at www.dodge.k12.ga.us under the school nutrition tab.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508- 0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
