Wellness Policy
Plan Los Angeles Leadership Academy prepares urban secondary students to succeed in college or on chosen career paths, to live fulfilling, self-directed lives, and to be effective in creating a just and humane world. This policy supports the mission of the Los Angeles Leadership Academy by providing an environment that cultivates maximum student potential.
Evidence is mounting that academic performance largely depends on whether students are safe, drug-free, healthy, and resilient. Ten years ago, this connection was not well documented, but extensive research now demonstrates the link between health (as well as school health programs) and academic achievement.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy recognizes the link between student health and learning. The Wellness Committee desires to provide a comprehensive program promoting health and wellbeing for all students.
School Wellness Committee
The Los Angeles Leadership Academy Principal, in partnership with the Wellness Committee, shall build and maintain a comprehensive and coordinated school health program that supports and reinforces health literacy through a safe and healthy school environment; health education; physical education; nutrition services; health services; psychological, counseling and social services; health promotion for staff; and student, parent/guardian and community involvement. A committee of administrators, teachers, and others interested in school health issues will meet bi-monthly to evaluate the school’s progress in following the school wellness plan.
Nutrition Education Goals
Los Angeles Leadership Academy will adapt goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness. Consistent with the expectations established in the Health Framework for California Public Schools, Los Angeles Leadership Academy students shall receive age appropriate skill building health and safety education including but not limited to violence prevention education, universal disease prevention and precautions, hand washing, oral health, mental health, sun safety, air quality guidelines, the use of steroids, HIV prevention education and drug, alcohol and tobacco prevention education.
Nutrition education and physical education programs shall be based on research, consistent with the expectations established in the state’s curriculum frameworks, and designed to build the skills and knowledge that all students need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
To the maximum extent practicable, Los Angeles Leadership Academy will participate in available federal school meal programs so that qualifying students may receive free or reduced price lunches. Los Angeles Leadership Academy will provide nutrition education and daily physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs.
Health education teachers will strive to develop health literate students by incorporating into the health education curricula the four unifying ideas of health literacy as outlined in the Health Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade 12:
1. Acceptance of personal responsibility for lifelong health: Health-literate individuals acknowledge that they have some control over their health, incorporate health-related knowledge into everyday behavior and make a lifelong commitment to healthy living;
2. Respect for and promotion of the health of others: Health-literate individuals understand and acknowledge the effects of personal behavior on the health and well being of others; LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Established 2002 – WASC Accredited
3. An understanding of the process of growth and development: Health literate individuals understand and acknowledge the aspects of physical, mental and emotional and social growth and development common to all people as well as those aspects that are unique to individuals. They respect the dignity of all individuals and recognize that people continue to develop throughout their lives;
4. Informed use of health related information, products and services: Health literate individuals think critically about and select and use available health related information, products and services carefully and wisely.
Physical Education
All students shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a daily basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education, recess, school athletic programs, extracurricular programs, after-school programs, and other structured and unstructured activities.
Physical education for grades 6-9 will consist of the following:
1. Full inclusion of all students
2. At least 50 percent of instructional time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
3. Maximum participation and ample practice opportunities for class activities
4. Well-designed lessons that facilitate student learning
5. Out-of-school assignments that support learning and the practice of learned skills
6. Appropriate discipline and class management
7. Assessment of Student Learning
Los Angeles Leadership Academy requires that each student's physical fitness test results be sent to parents and guardians. In addition to the required physical fitness test, assessment of student learning and accurate reporting of progress should be an ongoing process in physical education.
After-school Physical Activity
Los Angeles Leadership Academy’s after school program will provide a range of activities that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including boys, girls, students with disabilities, and students with special health care needs. Additionally, they will offer extracurricular physical activity programs, such as physical activity clubs, intramural programs, and special events that focus on physical activity.
Nutrition Guidelines for Foods Available at School
Los Angeles Leadership Academy shall adopt nutrition for all foods available on each campus during the school day, with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity. Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition recommendations of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students and will accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy believes that foods and beverages available to students at district schools should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. Nutrition standards adopted by the school for all foods and beverages provided to students, including foods and beverages provided through the school’s food service program, student stores, vending machines, fundraisers, or other venues, shall meet or exceed state and federal nutrition standards.
Our guidelines will consist of the following
1. No entry-food policy – no-food from the outside is permitted. The LALA Food Service Department has the sole authority to provide food and beverages from the beginning of the school day through the snack provided before the after school programs in order to maximize our ability to ensure the freshest, most nutritious and most appealing meals possible.
2. LALA Food Service uses only whole, fresh, unprocessed foods and ingredients whenever possible.
3. Food and beverages provided through federally reimbursable school meal programs shall meet or exceed federal regulations and guidance issued pursuant to 42USC 1758(F)(1), 1766(a), and 177 (a) and (b), asthey apply to schools(42USC 1751).
4. LALA Food Service offers fresh fruit and/or a salad bar with each lunch entrée.
5. LALA Food Service limits sodium and sources of trans fatty acids in foods served.
6. Beverage requirements:
a. 100% juice or 50% fruit juice with no added sweetener
b. Vegetable based drinks that are no less than 50% vegetable juice and no added sweetener
c. Drinking Water with no added sweetener
d. 1%milk, nonfat milk or other similar non dairy milks (no chocolate milk); 2% milk and rice milk maybe severed with a medical statement.
7. Food requirements:
a. Not more than 30% of an entrée’s total calories (averaged per week) shall be from fat and 35% of individual snack food calories shall be from fat (excluding eggs, nuts, nut butter and cheese. (7CFR 210.10)
b. Not more than 10% of entrée’s total calories (averaged per week) or individual snack food calories shall be from saturated fat and trans fats combined (excluding eggs and cheese). (7CFR 210.10)
c. Not more than 35% of its calories shall come from sugar (EC Sections 4 431& 4 431.2, 7CFR 210.10)
d. Calories shall not exceed 250 calories per serving for snack items. (EC Section 4 431.2)
e. Entrée items (i.e., foods generally regarded as being the primary food in a meal) shall not exceed 400 calories per food item and 4 grams of fat per 100 calories. (EC Section 4 431.2)
8. Students must be allowed to have 20 minutes seated to eat their lunch after they are served.
9. Students must be allowed 10 minutes to be seated and eat their breakfast;
10. School must promote the importance of eating a healthy breakfast and schedule accordingly. 11. Students and staff should have access to hand washing or sanitizing before eating a school meal.
12. To the maximum amount fiscally possible, LALA will purchase locally produced foods, including produce from small farmers. LALA supports Farm to School initiatives that support strategies for including these foods in the meals and snacks served at school. (SP 02 18, MB02 121)
13. School meals may not be less restrictive than the requirements issued by the USDA.
14. All fundraising or “student store” food items must be approved by the Principal or Assistant Principal.
15. Products used in the breakfast, lunch or snack programs may not be sold in the student store or used for fundraising.
16. Any sale of food products may not interfere with the distribution of afterschool snacks.
17. Food Items must be purchased by a school account and all the proceeds must go to the school. Private persons are not permitted to sell any items to students. LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Established 2002 – WASC Accredited
18. Private street venders must be 300 yards away from the school.
19. Fundraising activities must be coordinated under the supervision of an approved faculty or administrative adult who reports to the Principal and the Assistant Principal to make sure the items differ from those served in the breakfast lunch or snack program and that they are in compliance with school nutrition policy.
20. All Student Council sale activities must be coordinated with the appropriate advisor and the Assistant Principal. Procurement and sale food items must follow the same procedure as those for fundraising.
21. Prohibited Foods: Any food that is considered non nutritive or foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) by the Federal Government such as chips, candy, candy coated popcorn or candied fruit (anything made with sugar or corn syrup) or any foods high in salt, sugar, saturated or trans fats.
22. Staff shall use only approved, nutritious foods and beverages for rewards, celebrations, and occasional treats.
23. All celebrations shall occur after the last lunch period.
Smart Snacks
Any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, such that only those foods that comply with or exceed those nutrition standards that are permitted to be marketed or promoted to students.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy prohibits the marketing and advertising of non-nutritious foods and beverages through signage, vending machine fronts, logos, scoreboards, school supplies, advertisements in school publications, coupon or incentive programs, or other means.
School staff shall encourage parents/guardians or other volunteers to support the district’s nutrition education program by considering nutritional quality when donating food and beverages for school events.
Healthy Services
Los Angeles Leadership Academy has established strong links with community resources and identified referral providers for:
Family and Community Involvement
LALA will provide families opportunities to learn health and safety information through parent classes and workshops, newsletters, brochures, etc. LALA will inform students and their families about community based health and safety programs. LALA will seek student and parent suggestions and feedback about school meal and other programs.
To encourage consistent health messages between the home and school environment, the Principal may disseminate health information to parents/guardians through district or school newsletters, handouts, parent/guardian meetings, the district or school website, and other communications. Outreach to parents/guardians shall emphasize the relationship between student health and academic performance.
Wellness Policy Assessment
The CDE requires school wellness policies to be assessed for adherence to goals set forth
in the policy and compliance with any updates to federal and state guidelines. Thus, the
program will be comprehensively reviewed and updated every 3 years and the public will
be notified of the data gathered from the review/evaluation.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy will seek out the involvement of the following
people in the development, implementation, review, and modification of the
wellness policy:
annual feedback. First, a survey will be published to the website and responses will be
reviewed by the Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committee will recommend updates
to the Wellness Policy as federal and state guidelines are modified. Approval of
suggested changes must be approved by the Executive Director before being voted on by
the Board of Directors.
For any questions concerning the Wellness Policy, please contact:
Antonio Sanchez
Director of Special Programs
2670 Griffin Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90031
213-381-8484, x1134
Plan Los Angeles Leadership Academy prepares urban secondary students to succeed in college or on chosen career paths, to live fulfilling, self-directed lives, and to be effective in creating a just and humane world. This policy supports the mission of the Los Angeles Leadership Academy by providing an environment that cultivates maximum student potential.
Evidence is mounting that academic performance largely depends on whether students are safe, drug-free, healthy, and resilient. Ten years ago, this connection was not well documented, but extensive research now demonstrates the link between health (as well as school health programs) and academic achievement.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy recognizes the link between student health and learning. The Wellness Committee desires to provide a comprehensive program promoting health and wellbeing for all students.
School Wellness Committee
The Los Angeles Leadership Academy Principal, in partnership with the Wellness Committee, shall build and maintain a comprehensive and coordinated school health program that supports and reinforces health literacy through a safe and healthy school environment; health education; physical education; nutrition services; health services; psychological, counseling and social services; health promotion for staff; and student, parent/guardian and community involvement. A committee of administrators, teachers, and others interested in school health issues will meet bi-monthly to evaluate the school’s progress in following the school wellness plan.
Nutrition Education Goals
Los Angeles Leadership Academy will adapt goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness. Consistent with the expectations established in the Health Framework for California Public Schools, Los Angeles Leadership Academy students shall receive age appropriate skill building health and safety education including but not limited to violence prevention education, universal disease prevention and precautions, hand washing, oral health, mental health, sun safety, air quality guidelines, the use of steroids, HIV prevention education and drug, alcohol and tobacco prevention education.
Nutrition education and physical education programs shall be based on research, consistent with the expectations established in the state’s curriculum frameworks, and designed to build the skills and knowledge that all students need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
To the maximum extent practicable, Los Angeles Leadership Academy will participate in available federal school meal programs so that qualifying students may receive free or reduced price lunches. Los Angeles Leadership Academy will provide nutrition education and daily physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs.
Health education teachers will strive to develop health literate students by incorporating into the health education curricula the four unifying ideas of health literacy as outlined in the Health Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade 12:
1. Acceptance of personal responsibility for lifelong health: Health-literate individuals acknowledge that they have some control over their health, incorporate health-related knowledge into everyday behavior and make a lifelong commitment to healthy living;
2. Respect for and promotion of the health of others: Health-literate individuals understand and acknowledge the effects of personal behavior on the health and well being of others; LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Established 2002 – WASC Accredited
3. An understanding of the process of growth and development: Health literate individuals understand and acknowledge the aspects of physical, mental and emotional and social growth and development common to all people as well as those aspects that are unique to individuals. They respect the dignity of all individuals and recognize that people continue to develop throughout their lives;
4. Informed use of health related information, products and services: Health literate individuals think critically about and select and use available health related information, products and services carefully and wisely.
Physical Education
All students shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a daily basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education, recess, school athletic programs, extracurricular programs, after-school programs, and other structured and unstructured activities.
Physical education for grades 6-9 will consist of the following:
1. Full inclusion of all students
2. At least 50 percent of instructional time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
3. Maximum participation and ample practice opportunities for class activities
4. Well-designed lessons that facilitate student learning
5. Out-of-school assignments that support learning and the practice of learned skills
6. Appropriate discipline and class management
7. Assessment of Student Learning
Los Angeles Leadership Academy requires that each student's physical fitness test results be sent to parents and guardians. In addition to the required physical fitness test, assessment of student learning and accurate reporting of progress should be an ongoing process in physical education.
After-school Physical Activity
Los Angeles Leadership Academy’s after school program will provide a range of activities that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including boys, girls, students with disabilities, and students with special health care needs. Additionally, they will offer extracurricular physical activity programs, such as physical activity clubs, intramural programs, and special events that focus on physical activity.
Nutrition Guidelines for Foods Available at School
Los Angeles Leadership Academy shall adopt nutrition for all foods available on each campus during the school day, with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity. Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition recommendations of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students and will accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy believes that foods and beverages available to students at district schools should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. Nutrition standards adopted by the school for all foods and beverages provided to students, including foods and beverages provided through the school’s food service program, student stores, vending machines, fundraisers, or other venues, shall meet or exceed state and federal nutrition standards.
Our guidelines will consist of the following
1. No entry-food policy – no-food from the outside is permitted. The LALA Food Service Department has the sole authority to provide food and beverages from the beginning of the school day through the snack provided before the after school programs in order to maximize our ability to ensure the freshest, most nutritious and most appealing meals possible.
2. LALA Food Service uses only whole, fresh, unprocessed foods and ingredients whenever possible.
3. Food and beverages provided through federally reimbursable school meal programs shall meet or exceed federal regulations and guidance issued pursuant to 42USC 1758(F)(1), 1766(a), and 177 (a) and (b), asthey apply to schools(42USC 1751).
4. LALA Food Service offers fresh fruit and/or a salad bar with each lunch entrée.
5. LALA Food Service limits sodium and sources of trans fatty acids in foods served.
6. Beverage requirements:
a. 100% juice or 50% fruit juice with no added sweetener
b. Vegetable based drinks that are no less than 50% vegetable juice and no added sweetener
c. Drinking Water with no added sweetener
d. 1%milk, nonfat milk or other similar non dairy milks (no chocolate milk); 2% milk and rice milk maybe severed with a medical statement.
7. Food requirements:
a. Not more than 30% of an entrée’s total calories (averaged per week) shall be from fat and 35% of individual snack food calories shall be from fat (excluding eggs, nuts, nut butter and cheese. (7CFR 210.10)
b. Not more than 10% of entrée’s total calories (averaged per week) or individual snack food calories shall be from saturated fat and trans fats combined (excluding eggs and cheese). (7CFR 210.10)
c. Not more than 35% of its calories shall come from sugar (EC Sections 4 431& 4 431.2, 7CFR 210.10)
d. Calories shall not exceed 250 calories per serving for snack items. (EC Section 4 431.2)
e. Entrée items (i.e., foods generally regarded as being the primary food in a meal) shall not exceed 400 calories per food item and 4 grams of fat per 100 calories. (EC Section 4 431.2)
8. Students must be allowed to have 20 minutes seated to eat their lunch after they are served.
9. Students must be allowed 10 minutes to be seated and eat their breakfast;
10. School must promote the importance of eating a healthy breakfast and schedule accordingly. 11. Students and staff should have access to hand washing or sanitizing before eating a school meal.
12. To the maximum amount fiscally possible, LALA will purchase locally produced foods, including produce from small farmers. LALA supports Farm to School initiatives that support strategies for including these foods in the meals and snacks served at school. (SP 02 18, MB02 121)
13. School meals may not be less restrictive than the requirements issued by the USDA.
14. All fundraising or “student store” food items must be approved by the Principal or Assistant Principal.
15. Products used in the breakfast, lunch or snack programs may not be sold in the student store or used for fundraising.
16. Any sale of food products may not interfere with the distribution of afterschool snacks.
17. Food Items must be purchased by a school account and all the proceeds must go to the school. Private persons are not permitted to sell any items to students. LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Established 2002 – WASC Accredited
18. Private street venders must be 300 yards away from the school.
19. Fundraising activities must be coordinated under the supervision of an approved faculty or administrative adult who reports to the Principal and the Assistant Principal to make sure the items differ from those served in the breakfast lunch or snack program and that they are in compliance with school nutrition policy.
20. All Student Council sale activities must be coordinated with the appropriate advisor and the Assistant Principal. Procurement and sale food items must follow the same procedure as those for fundraising.
21. Prohibited Foods: Any food that is considered non nutritive or foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) by the Federal Government such as chips, candy, candy coated popcorn or candied fruit (anything made with sugar or corn syrup) or any foods high in salt, sugar, saturated or trans fats.
22. Staff shall use only approved, nutritious foods and beverages for rewards, celebrations, and occasional treats.
23. All celebrations shall occur after the last lunch period.
Smart Snacks
Any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, such that only those foods that comply with or exceed those nutrition standards that are permitted to be marketed or promoted to students.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy prohibits the marketing and advertising of non-nutritious foods and beverages through signage, vending machine fronts, logos, scoreboards, school supplies, advertisements in school publications, coupon or incentive programs, or other means.
School staff shall encourage parents/guardians or other volunteers to support the district’s nutrition education program by considering nutritional quality when donating food and beverages for school events.
Healthy Services
Los Angeles Leadership Academy has established strong links with community resources and identified referral providers for:
- Counseling for health problems affected by physical activity or nutrition
- Services for weight control
- Treatment for alcohol or substance use
- Programs for youth and adult smoking cessation
- Asthma management and/or education programs
- Student health and medical information shall be systematically collected; all pertinent information, in compliance with the Family Educational Right and Privacy Act (FERPA), shall be shared in writing with all appropriate school staff, i.e., those who “need to know”. Through community collaboration, LALA shall promote the health and safety of students and their families by addressing topics such as:
- Promoting physical activity
- Promoting healthy eating
- Preventing eating disorders
- Preventing tobacco use
- Stopping tobacco use
- Preventing unintentional injuries
- Preventing violence and suicide
- Managing asthma
- Anger management
Family and Community Involvement
LALA will provide families opportunities to learn health and safety information through parent classes and workshops, newsletters, brochures, etc. LALA will inform students and their families about community based health and safety programs. LALA will seek student and parent suggestions and feedback about school meal and other programs.
To encourage consistent health messages between the home and school environment, the Principal may disseminate health information to parents/guardians through district or school newsletters, handouts, parent/guardian meetings, the district or school website, and other communications. Outreach to parents/guardians shall emphasize the relationship between student health and academic performance.
Wellness Policy Assessment
The CDE requires school wellness policies to be assessed for adherence to goals set forth
in the policy and compliance with any updates to federal and state guidelines. Thus, the
program will be comprehensively reviewed and updated every 3 years and the public will
be notified of the data gathered from the review/evaluation.
Los Angeles Leadership Academy will seek out the involvement of the following
people in the development, implementation, review, and modification of the
wellness policy:
- Parents - School Health Professionals
- Students - School Board
- School Food Service Staff - School Administrators
- Teachers of Physical Education - General Public
annual feedback. First, a survey will be published to the website and responses will be
reviewed by the Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committee will recommend updates
to the Wellness Policy as federal and state guidelines are modified. Approval of
suggested changes must be approved by the Executive Director before being voted on by
the Board of Directors.
For any questions concerning the Wellness Policy, please contact:
Antonio Sanchez
Director of Special Programs
2670 Griffin Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90031
213-381-8484, x1134