Wellness & Nutrition

View GVUSD’s Wellness Policy, Board Policy 5030

Wellness Policy Updates: 2024–2026

GVUSD updated Board Policy 5030 in 2026 to provide clearer expectations for nutrition education, physical activity, health and allergy safety, school meal access, staff wellness, and community participation. The revised policy also strengthens accountability by connecting policy updates to the triennial assessment and expanding communication with families and the public.

Key updates

• Expanded the District’s commitment to healthy eating, physical activity, student health, and staff wellness.
• Established comprehensive nutrition education for all grade levels, K–12.
• Added opportunities for students to learn about agriculture and the food system through school gardens, local food programs, and related instruction.
• Added expectations for communicating with families about health conditions, allergies, and required medical information.
• Required procedures for responding to health emergencies, including allergic reactions.
• Required a written, standards-based physical education curriculum taught by appropriately credentialed teachers.
• Clarified physical education expectations:
  • Elementary: at least 200 minutes every 10 school days.
  • Middle and high school: at least 400 minutes every 10 school days.
  • Elementary sites are encouraged to provide at least 20 minutes of daily recess.
• Prohibited using physical activity as punishment or withholding it as a disciplinary measure.
• Expanded ongoing wellness-related professional development for food service staff, educators, coaches, and other appropriate employees.
• Strengthened school-meal protections by requiring confidentiality, preventing meal denial or different treatment due to unpaid balances, and providing annual family communication.
• Added strategies to improve meal participation through student input, menu promotion, and scheduling practices.
• Required the wellness policy to be reviewed and revised based on triennial assessment findings.
• Added active solicitation of feedback from families, staff, students, and community members regarding wellness programs and policy updates.

The updated policy retains existing provisions addressing federal meal programs, potable water, competitive-food standards, food-based fundraisers and rewards, classroom celebrations, wellness-policy evaluation, public notification and record retention.

View the complete 2023–2026 Triennial Assessment

2023–2026 Triennial Assessment Summary

The 2026 Triennial Assessment found that GVUSD substantially implemented its Local School Wellness Policy, with no significant districtwide compliance concerns identified. The District maintained USDA meal-pattern and competitive-food standards, provided free drinking water during meal service, and supported student wellness through nutrition education, physical activity, health services, community partnerships, and outreach.

Progress during the 2023–2026 cycle included:

• Expanded Harvest of the Month activities, farmers markets, nutrition education, and local produce partnerships.
• Increased wellness communication through newsletters, social media, events, and school outreach.
• Completed a comprehensive policy review using the WellSAT assessment tool.
• Gathered input from 248 students, families, staff, and community members.
• Identified continued priorities involving menu variety, fresh produce, scratch cooking, dining time, hydration, physical activity, student well-being and family engagement.

For 2026–2029, GVUSD will focus on improving the school dining experience, supporting physical activity and student well-being, strengthening communication and community participation, expanding wellness partnerships, maintaining an updated wellness policy and providing ongoing staff training.