Section 918. School district nutrition advisory committees  


Latest version.
  • 1. a. Every
      school district is hereby authorized and encouraged to establish a child
      nutrition advisory committee.
        b. The district advisory committee is  encouraged  to  meet  at  least
      quarterly.
        c.  The  committee  is encouraged to include, but not be limited to, a
      representative of the school board,  the  food  preparation  staff,  the
      physical  education  departments,  the  school  nurse or health staff, a
      registered dietitian, if available, the faculty  of  the  district,  the
      parent  teacher  associations  in the district, the students enrolled in
      the district, and the parents or guardians of students enrolled  in  the
      district.
        d. If, due to special circumstances of a district, it is impossible or
      impracticable  for  all  groups  recommended  to  have  members  on  the
      committee to be represented, the district may approve a committee  that,
      to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  represents  the  interests  of the
      aforementioned groups.
        2. The district is encouraged to give, in  such  newsletter,  if  any,
      that  precedes the commencement of school in the fall, written notice to
      all parents or guardians of enrolled students  of  the  existence  of  a
      school  district  nutrition advisory committee and supply information as
      to how such interested parents or  guardians  may  participate  on  such
      committee.
        3.  The  district  is  encouraged,  to the extent practicable, to give
      notice to all parents or guardians  and  students  through  its  regular
      newsletters  or  other  regular forms of written communication as to the
      scheduled dates of all meetings of the advisory committee.
        4. The committee is encouraged to study  all  facets  of  the  current
      nutritional  policies of the district including, but not limited to, the
      goals of the district to promote health and  proper  nutrition,  vending
      machine  sales,  menu  criteria, educational curriculum teaching healthy
      nutrition, educational information  provided  to  parents  or  guardians
      regarding  healthy  nutrition  and  the  health  risks  associated  with
      obesity, opportunities offered to  parents  or  guardians  to  encourage
      healthier  eating  habits  to  students,  and  the education provided to
      teachers and other staff as to the importance of healthy  nutrition.  In
      addition  the  committee shall consider recommendations and practices of
      other districts and nutrition studies.
        5. The committee is encouraged to report periodically to the  district
      regarding practices that will educate teachers, parents or guardians and
      children  about  healthy nutrition and raise awareness of the dangers of
      obesity. The committee is encouraged also to provide any parent  teacher
      associations in the district with such findings and recommendations.
        6.  Each  June,  the  committee shall report to the board of the local
      school district regarding  the  status  of  the  implementation  of  the
      district's  programs  to  improve  students'  nutritional  awareness and
      healthy diet.