Soda pop and greasy pizzas will soon be expelled from school campuses on the North Olympic Peninsula.
A state law passed in spring 2004 is prompting school districts from Forks to Port Townsend to endorse new fitness and nutrition policies that drastically reduce the availability of high-fat, high-sodium foods on district campuses.
These plans, which must be in place by Aug. 1, also will include increased physical education requirements for students at the elementary and high school levels.
The concept behind the state-mandated rules is simple enough.
“Students who eat well and are healthy are better equipped to learn in the classroom,” said Anita Boyum, president of the Washington State School Director’s Association.
Following sample policy
Peninsula school district officials say they are basing their nutrition and physical fitness plans — most of which are scheduled to be approved over the next few weeks — on a sample policy provided by the association.
The draft policy requires students in first through eighth grades to complete 100 minutes of physical education per week.
It also prohibits “minimal nutritional value” foods, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from being sold in schools until 30 minutes after the end of lunch.
These foods include soda water, chewing gum, licorice and candy-coated popcorn.
