Health & Wellness Policies
Administering Medications to Students
Alcohol, Tobacco & Drug Use by Students Prohibited
Athletic Concussion Regulations
Medical Emergency Response Plans
Nutrition & Wellness Policy Goals
Physical Examiniation of Students
School Based Public Access Automatic External Defibrillator Program
Students with Life Threatening Allergies
Protocols & Guidelines for Students with Life Threatening Allergies
Student Health Services & Requirements
Additional Resources
See the link below for the "A List" of acceptable foods. Please note other foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, are acceptable. Other foods may also be acceptable.
The John C. Stalker Institute has a tool (link below) that can be used to analyze other food items that may be acceptable.
The John C. Stalker Institute has a tool (link below) that can be used to analyze other food items that may be acceptable.
Ideas for Classroom Celebrations, Rewards, and Fundraising
APS School Wellness Advisory Council
The Arlington Public Schools support health, nutrition and physical activity for everyone.The "Act Relative to School Nutrition" signed into law on July 10, 2010, and the amendment to this Act passed in June, 2012, requires the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to establish standards for competitive foods and beverages sold or provided in public schools during the day. The goal of the standards is to ensure that public schools offer students food and beverage choices that will enhance learning, contribute to their healthy growth and development, and cultivate life-long healthy eating behaviors. The regulations are part of the Commonwealth's broad- based, collaborative initiative to reduce childhood obesity and prevent its complications in childhood and later in adulthood. This policy has been developed to meet the requirements and is based on the following goals:
- Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and motivation necessary to achieve and maintain optimum health and lifelong fitness.
- The Arlington Public School District is committed to providing school environments that promote children's health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.
- The Arlington Public School District will offer ongoing physical activities to assess, plan, implement, promote and evaluate student and staff wellness.
Staff and administration will work to incorporate physical activity during the school day as well as promote before and after school physical activity opportunities. The Arlington Public Schools will strive to improve the health and wellness of our school community. Healthy children are the foundation of a healthy society and through healthy diet and maintenance of healthy body weight, we can reduce chronic diseases. Healthy, active, well-nourished children are better able to learn. Eating, health, and activity habits developed in youth will affect health throughout life. Following the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a healthy diet includes foods from all food groups with limited portions of foods high in sugar, saturated and trans fat, and salt.
To read the full APS Nutrition and Wellness policy, please click here.
School Wellness Advisory Council meetings are scheduled regularly. For more information or to request meeting agendas or minutes, please contact Doreen Crowe, Director of Health & Nursing Services or Denise Boucher, Director of Food Services.