A PDF Version of the report can be found at this link: Triennial Assessment Report 2022

 

Beaverton School District’s Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment Report

Beaverton School District conducted a triennial assessment of the Local School Wellness Policy (LSWP) in the Spring of 2022. A triennial assessment is required every three years after the required implementation date of July 1, 2017 of the LSWP. The first triennial assessments were originally due on June 30, 2020, however, USDA released an initial waiver extending the deadline to June 30, 2021. An additional extension was granted via COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #98 further delaying the deadline to June 30, 2022. Any sponsors who chose to delay the deadline to the June 30, 2022 extension date, must also complete a second triennial assessment by June 30, 2025.

The assessment is required to include the following:

·         Evaluation of the Local School Wellness Policy (LSWP) and how it compares to model policies

·         The extent to which school(s) in our district are in compliance with the LSWP; and

·         Evaluation of the progress towards goals listed in the policy

The following report was prepared by Charity Ralls, MS, RDN - BSD Nutrition Services Administrator and reviewed by Kelsie Dunn, MS, RDN – BSD Nutrition Services Field Supervisor.

Report was made available for review by the public on the BSD Nutrition Wellness Webpage on June 30, 2022.

 

Assessment Tool

The assessment tool used for this report was the WellSat 3.0. The WellSat 3.0 is a nationally recognized and accepted tool for analyzing the above listed criteria required in a triennial assessment.

There are four parts to the WellSat Assessment tool:

1.      WellSAT 3.0 a quantitative coding system to score wellness policies. The LSWP is scored based on its comprehensiveness and strength. There are Federally required policies to every LSWP and additional recommended items.

2.      WellSAT-I an interview tool used to assess implementation of policies at the District and school level.

3.      Identifying Connections Worksheet between policy and practice.

4.      Summary of Findings

Methods

1.      The WellSAT 3.0 was completed by the Nutrition Services Administrator, one of the two designated District staff responsible for ensuring policy compliance. The policy was scored using the WellSAT 3.0 online tool and the District scorecard is included with this report.

 

2.      District staff specializing in areas of Nutrition Services operations or curriculum were interviewed using the WellSAT-I tool. The WellSAT-I is intended to identify how the LSWP is being implemented in schools. District TOSA’s in PE and Health answered questions related to Nutrition Education and PE curriculum. A survey was developed using questions specifically for Principals from the WellSAT-I. The survey was provided to Principals in April of 2022 and 83% of all schools responded. The responses from all interviewees and the survey were used to score the WellSAT-I tool. The WellSAT-I responses are not included with the report, but the scores were used in the Identifying Connections Worksheet to relate policy and practice.

3.      A comparison of the WellSAT 3.0 scorecard and the WellSAT-I responses was completed. A copy of the Identifying Connections Worksheet is included with this report.

 

WellSAT 3.0 Score

The District’s overall LSWP policy scores were 67 for Total Comprehensiveness and a 42 for Total Strength. It is important to note that when this tool was tested on a sample of 50 school districts the average comprehensiveness score was 54 and the strength score was 33. The District has a more comprehensive and stronger policy than the average.

 

 

Summary of Findings

It is important to mention that implementation of many aspects of the LSWP over the last 2 plus years have been seriously impacted by Covid-19 pandemic. Impacts that have limited implementation of wellness policy components include, but are not limited to:

·         Remote learning and inability to meet in person

·         Staffing changes and shortages

·         Space availability in schools for physical activity

·         Supply chain shortages

 

1.      Strong Policies and Aligned Practices

The District complies with USDA nutrition standards (Smart Snacks) for students in the majority of all areas of the school setting. The Nutrition Services Department meets requirements for all a la carte items and schools meet requirements in the vending machine items available to students. Requirements are included in the wellness policy which is located on our webpage and provided yearly to all schools. Additionally, food and beverage marketing are restricted on school campuses during the school day to foods and beverages that meet Smart Snack Standards.

The District is also meet federal requirements for providing breakfast at all school locations.

 

The District provides water to all students and it is freely accessible. In cafeterias where drinking fountains are not present water jugs and cups are provided. The District has included funding in the recently passed Bond to add drinking fountains and water bottle filling stations to all school cafeterias that lack them.

The District has nutrition education and physical education curriculum that promotes student wellness, promotes a physically active lifestyle and meets national and state standards. Opportunities for activity are available through recess at all elementary schools.

2.      Implementation Plans for Full Compliance

There are several areas of the LSWP that are written to meet requirements, but implementation of the policy is limited or has not occurred. These are the areas that are recommended for the next review period to address to comply with the LSWP requirements more fully.

·         Reinstate a District Wellness Advisory Committee to review the LSWP, update the LSWP and communicate the policy to the public. Due to changes in staffing, administration, and the Covid-19 pandemic the District’s Wellness Policy Advisory Committee was discontinued. Interest requests will be advertised at the beginning of School Year 2022-2023 and the first meeting of the new Advisory Committee will take place in the fall of the next school year.

·         Communicate LSWP requirements with regards to Smart Snack requirements for school stores and fund raisers. The policy is written to address these items, but implementation indicates that the policy is not being consistently followed. A lack of understanding of the requirements and how to implement the requirements should be addressed. Level specific communications will be developed to address this topic to more easily communicate the confusing and lengthy expectations around meeting Smart Snack requirements.

·         Physical activity opportunities have been impacted by Covid-19 so focusing on ways in meet LSWP requirements and increase physical activity should be a emphasis for the next triennial assessment period. Meeting with PE curriculum staff to hear more about barriers to meeting LSWP requirements will assist the Wellness Advisory Committee on how to address implementation concerns.

 

3.      Policies to Update

There was only one federally required component that was not addressed in the District’s LSWP. The LSWP should state that Districts take steps to protect the privacy of students who qualify for free or reduced priced meals. Based on the scores from the national school sample this component was likely added after the required implementation in 2017. The District has other policies in place that address this issue and student’s eligibility information is always kept confidential. This component should be added to the policy along with adding language related to how families are informed of free/reduced meal applications and how students who may not have adequate funds to pay for meals are

 

handled. Oregon HB 34354 ensures all students receive a full meal regardless of ability to pay and including this information in the LSWP would strengthen the policy related to this topic.

Additional components that could be added to strengthen the policy include language related to the use or denial of physical activity as a means of punishment for students. The District practice already appropriately addresses this topic, but adding language to the LSWP would strengthen the policy and practices in the District.

Finally, marketing of food products is noted in the District’s policy, but expanding the language to include all areas and times where marketing may occur would strengthen the policy.

 

 

4.      Opportunities for Growth

Reinstating a Wellness Advisory Committee will be the first necessary step to developing further plans to increase or expand wellness initiatives in the District. Once the Wellness Advisory Committee is in place part of their charge will be to research and encourage additional wellness initiatives that could be successfully implemented in the District.

Click this link to be taken to the WellSAT 3.0 Scorecard for 2022: WellSAT Scorecard 2022

Click this link to be taken to the WellSat Identifying Connection 2022 document: WellSat Identifying Connections2022