Agenda Item
6. FIRST READ: Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Revisions to Board Policy EEE: Wellness Program
Summary: Presented by: Mrs. Marissa Key, Executive Director, Division of Legal Services
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education accept the proposed revisions to Board Policy EEE: Wellness Program and allow it to lay on the table at the August 11, 2025, board meeting for stakeholder feedback until August 22, 2025, and be considered for adoption at a future board meeting.
Why: This policy is being proposed for revision to align with federal law and state guidance.
Details: Revisions to Board Policy EEE: Wellness Program are being requested to ensure the policy aligns with federal law and state guidance related to school nutrition programs in schools. The proposed revisions to Board Policy EEE have been reviewed by the Board Policy Review Committee. The Board Policy Review Committee recommended revisions to this policy.
Financial impact: No Financial Impact
Contact: Mrs. Marissa Key, Executive Director, Division of Legal Services, 678.676.0105
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Attorney Approval Not Required
Board Policy Manual
DeKalb County School District
Board Policy EEE: Wellness Program Status: DRAFT
Original Adopted Date: 06/12/2006 | Last Revised Date: Pending | Last Reviewed Date:
07/16/2025
REDLINED VERSION
The DeKalb County Board of Education recognizes that a proactive, preventative and
comprehensive wellness plan is essential for student success and staff support. Schools play a major
role in helping students become healthy, fit, and ready to learn. DeKalb County School District will
provide a school environment that fosters the learning and development of lifelong wellness
practices. Employee wellness is also an integral part of a healthy school environment. The Board is
committed to providing a school environment that enhances the learning and development of
lifelong wellness practices. Policy EEE applies to students, staff, families, and community members.
Schools play a major role in helping students become academically equipped, healthy, fit and ready
to learn. Well-planned and effectively implemented school nutrition and fitness programs have been
shown to enhance students’ overall health, as well as their behavior and academic achievement in
school. The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) believes that a hungry child cannot learn at his
or her maximum potential. Academic performance and quality of life are affected by the choice and
availability of healthy meals in our schools. Healthy foods support physical growth, brain
development, resistance to disease, emotional stability and the ability to learn. DeKalb School
District will provide a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong
wellness behaviors.
Employee wellness is also an integral part of a healthy school environment since school staff can be
daily role models for healthy behaviors.
The DeKalb County School District district will pursues activities under six wellness goals areas:
1. GOAL FOR NUTRITION PROMOTION AND EDUCATION: Create clear and consistent
messages in each school that explain and reinforce healthy eating habits to students, staff,
and families.School food and nutrition promotion and education
2. GOAL FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION INTEGRITY FOR OBESITY REDUCTION: Create District
nutrition programs that follow the USDA guidelines for serving well-balanced meals.School
nutrition integrity for obesity reduction
3. GOAL FOR NUTRITION STANDARDS FOR COMPETITIVE FOODS AND BEVERAGES: The
DeKalb County School District will comply with nutrition standards for foods sold in schools
as outlined in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Federal and State School Nutrition
regulations for foods sold on campus are defined as: the period from midnight before to
thirty (30) minutes after the end of the official school day (7 CFR §210.0 and
§220.0).Nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages
4. GOAL FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Create physical education programs that establish a
healthy foundation for students to achieve greater academic success. The District will
provide age-appropriate curriculum for students that meet National and State standards for
physical education. Physical activity
5. GOAL FOR OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITIES: Create a school environment in buildings
and on campuses that improves the health of the whole child through a variety of school-
based wellness activities.Other school-based activities
6. GOAL FOR HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: Create an environment that enhances a
healthy lifestyle encouraging behavior and academic achievement in school. The District and
Local School Wellness committees will focus on students, employees, community wellness,
and resources for coordinating a healthy school meal environment. Healthy foods and
beverages shall be promoted using the Smarter Lunchroom techniques, Farm to School and
community-related organizations.Healthy school environment
District Wellness Policy Evaluation CriteriaDistrict wellness program implementation and
evaluation:
The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for the implementation and verification of the
local School Wellness policy unless modified administratively. The DeKalb County School District
Executive Director of School Nutrition Services oversees that the operation and program of each
school are compliant with the local school wellness policy (EEE). This policy shall address nutrition
education, physical activity, implementation of nutrition guidelines, and other school-based
activities that promote wellness including measures for accountability and evaluation. DeKalb
County School District Annual Wellness evaluation will be completed by School Nutrition Services
during the month of May for submission to the Superintendent.
1. Districtwide and school-based wellness committees will plan, promote, implement, and
evaluate activities to promote student and staff wellness.
2. Each school shall form a School Wellness Committee by October 1 of each school year using
the key members outlined in the CDC Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child
(WSCC). The committee will organize school-wide wellness initiatives that align with the
District’s Wellness composite score criteria. The Wellness Committee shall evaluate the six
wellness goals implemented at each school: 1) Nutrition Promotion and Education, 2) School
Nutrition Program Integrity for Obesity Reduction, 3) Nutrition Standards for Competitive
Foods and Beverages, 4) Physical Activity, 5) Other School-Based Activities and 6) Healthy
School Environment.Families and the public will be notified annually of this policy, district
wellness activities, contact information for the district wellness committee, and instructions
for providing input on the district wellness program.
3. The Local and District Wellness Committees shall establish the six wellness goals to ensure
annual compliance of the District and its students. The District is committed to obtaining
parental input and will inform parents of annual and triennial District-wide composite scores
and reports through electronic delivery. The Wellness Report will be published for public
review.Each school will submit an annual wellness portfolio, which reflects wellness
activities completed by that school during the school year.
4. At least once every three years, the district will evaluate implementation of this policy,
wellness program effectiveness, and the need for policy or regulation updates.
3. Reference EEE-R(1) Student Wellness Program
Policy Reference Disclaimer:
These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority
for the board to enact this policy. Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the
subject matter of the policy.
Note: To access the policy references, CLICK HERE: State of Georgia Terms and Conditions and close the
LexisNexis tab, which will return you to the policy. Click on the links below to be taken to each specific
code. You should only have to do this one time per session.
State Description
O.C.G.A. 20-02-0066 School breakfast programs
Rule 160-5-6-.01 Statewide School Nutritional Program
Federal Description
07 CFR 210.11 Competitive Food Service and Standards
07 CFR 210.12 Student, parent, and community involvement
07 CFR 210.18 Administrative Reviews-School Nutrition
07 CFR 210.20 National School Lunch Program-Reporting and record
keeping
07 CFR 210.31 Local school wellness policy
42 USC 1758 Program requirements-School Lunch Programs
42 USC 1758b Local School Wellness Policy
42 USC Chapter 13 School Lunch Programs
42 USC Chapter 13A Child Nutrition
Cross References
Code Description
IDBA Sex Education
IDE Co-Curricular Activities
IDE-R Co-Curricular Activities
KEB Solicitations
KEB-R(1) Solicitations - Solicitations