Updated June 2021

The Liberty Central School District completed the WellSAT, which contains details of how the district scored on each item and section of the assessment. 

Why is wellness important?

• Healthy Kids Learn Better: Research clearly demonstrates that good nutrition is linked to better behavior and academic performance.
• Provides Consistent Messages: Providing healthy classroom celebrations demonstrates a school commitment to promoting healthy environments for students to learn. It supports the classroom lessons students are learning about health, instead of contradicting them.
• Puts Food in Its Proper Place: Refreshments should complement the fun, not be the “main event.”

Scorecard Results

Section 1 | Nutrition Education

• Nutrition education teaches skills that are behavior focused, interactive, and/or participatory. 2
• All elementary school students receive sequential and comprehensive nutrition education. 0
• All middle school students receive sequential and comprehensive nutrition education. 2
• All high school students receive sequential and comprehensive nutrition education. 2
• Nutrition education is integrated into other subjects beyond health education. 2
• Links nutrition education with the school food environment.  2
• Nutrition education addresses agriculture and the food system.  1

Comprehensiveness Score: 88

Count the number of items rated as “1”or “2” and divide this number by 8 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100. Do not count an item if the rating is “0.”

Strength Score: 75

Count the number of items rated as “2” and divide this number by 8 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100.

Section 2 | Standards for USDA Child Nutrition Programs and School Meals

• Addresses access to the USDA School Breakfast Program. 2
• District takes steps to protect the privacy of students who qualify for free or reduced priced meals. 2
• Addresses how to handle feeding children with unpaid meal balances without stigmatizing them. 2
• Specifies how families are provided information about determining eligibility for free/reduced priced meals. 2
• Specifies strategies to increase participation in school meal programs. 2
• Addresses the amount of “seat time” students have to eat school meals. 2
• Free drinking water is available during meals. 2
• Ensures annual training for food and nutrition services staff in accordance with USDA Professional Standards. 2
• Addresses purchasing local foods for the school meals program.

Comprehensiveness Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “1”or “2” and divide this number by 10 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100. Do not count an item if the rating is “0.”

Strength Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “2” and divide this number by 10 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100.

Section 3 | Nutrition Standards for Competitive and Other Foods and Beverages

• Addresses compliance with USDA nutrition standards (commonly referred to as Smart Snacks) for all food and beverages sold to students during the school day. 2
• USDA Smart Snack standards are easily accessed in the policy. 2
• Regulates food and beverages sold in a la carte. 2
• Addresses fundraising with food to be consumed during the school day. 0
• Exemptions for infrequent school-sponsored fundraisers. 0
• Regulates food and beverages served at class parties and other school celebrations in elementary schools. 2
• Addresses nutrition standards for all foods and beverages served to students after the school day, including, before/after care on school grounds, clubs, and after school programming. 2
• Addresses nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold to students after the school day, including before/after care on school grounds, clubs, and after school programming. 2
• Addresses food not being used as a reward. 2
• Addresses availability of free drinking water throughout the school day. 2

Comprehensiveness Score: 80

Count the number of items rated as “1”or “2” and divide this number by 10.

Strength Score: 80

Count the number of items rated as “2” and divide this number by 10 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100.

Section 4 | Physical Education and Physical Activity

• There is a written physical education curriculum for grades K-12. 2
• The written physical education curriculum for each grade is aligned with national and/or state physical education standards. 2
• Physical education promotes a physically active lifestyle. 2
• Addresses time per week of physical education instruction for all elementary school students. 2
• Addresses time per week of physical education instruction for all middle school students. 2
• Addresses time per week of physical education instruction for all high school students. 2
• Addresses qualifications for physical education teachers for grades K-12. 2
• Addresses providing physical education training for physical education teachers. 2
• Addresses physical education exemption requirements for all students. 2
• Addresses physical education substitution for all students. 2
• Addresses family and community engagement in physical activity opportunities at all schools. 2
• Addresses before and after school physical activity for all students including clubs, intramural, interscholastic opportunities. 2
• Addresses recess for all elementary school students. 2
• Addresses physical activity breaks during school. 2
• Joint or shared-use agreements for physical activity participation at all schools. 2
• District addresses active transport (Safe Routes to School) for all K-12 students who live within walkable/bikeable distance. 2

Comprehensiveness Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “1”or “2” and divide this number by 16 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100. Do not count an item if the rating is “0.”

Strength Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “2” and divide this number by 16 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100.

Section 5 | Wellness Promotion and Marketing

• Addresses strategies to support employee wellness. 2
• Addresses using physical activity as a reward. 2
• Addresses physical activity not being used as a punishment. 2
• Addresses physical activity not being withheld as a punishment. 2
• Specifies marketing to promote healthy food and beverage choices. 2
• Restricts marketing on the school campus during the school day to only those foods and beverages that meet Smart Snacks standards. 2
• Specifically addresses marketing on school property and equipment (e.g., signs, scoreboards, sports equipment). 2
• Specifically addresses marketing on educational materials (e.g., curricula, textbooks, or other printed or electronic educational materials). 2
• Specifically addresses marketing where food is purchased (e.g., exteriors of vending machines, food and beverage cups and containers, food display racks, coolers, trash and recycling containers). 2
• Specifically addresses marketing in school publications and media (e.g., advertisements in school publications, school radio stations, in-school television, computer screen savers, school-sponsored Internet sites, and announcements on the public announcement (PA) system). 2
• Specifically addresses marketing through fundraisers and corporate incentive programs (e.g., fundraising programs that encourage students and their families to sell, purchase, or consume products and corporate incentive programs that provide funds to schools in exchange for proof of purchases of company products, such as Box Tops for Education). 2

Comprehensiveness Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “1”or “2” and divide this number by 12 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100. Do not count an item if the rating is “0.”

Strength Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “2” and divide this number by 12 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100.

Section 6. Implementation, Evaluation & Communication

• Addresses the establishment of an ongoing district wellness committee. 2
• Addresses how all relevant stakeholders (parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, school administrator, and the general public) will participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the local wellness policy. 2
• Identifies the officials responsible for the implementation and compliance of the local wellness policy. 2
• Addresses making the wellness policy available to the public. 2
• Addresses the assessment of district implementation of the local wellness policy at least once every three years. 2
• Triennial assessment results will be made available to the public and will include: 2
• Addresses a plan for updating policy based on results of the triennial assessment. 2
• Addresses the establishment of an ongoing school building level wellness committee. 2

Comprehensive Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “1”or “2” and divide this number by 8 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100. Do not count an item if the rating is “0.”

Strength Score: 100

Count the number of items rated as “2” and divide this number by 8 (the number of items in this section). Multiply by 100.

Overall District Policy Score

Total Comprehensiveness: 95

Add the comprehensiveness scores for each of the 6 sections above and divide this number by 6.

Total Strength: 95

Add the strength scores for each of the 6 sections above and divide this number by 6.