Wellness

Wellness Policy

MPS Wellness Policy 6690 

Our district’s wellness policy guides our efforts to establish a school environment that promotes students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn.

MPS Wellness Policy 6690 includes standards for daily physical activity and nutritious foods. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires all school districts to adopt a wellness policy, assess implementation, and share updates with the community.

Interested in being a part of the MPS Wellness Committee? Sign up:

2026-2027 MPS Wellness Committee Sign-Up

5 core features of MPS Wellness Policy

1. "True Food" & School Meal Programs (Regulation 6690A)

• Free breakfast for all students, dedicated time for lunch (minimum 20 minutes for elementary; 30 minutes for middle/high school), and unrestricted access to drinking water. Meals follow MPS’s "True Food" standards—minimally processed, nutrient-dense ingredients free from artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
• Why is this important? School meals are grounded in science, taste good, and provide a welcoming cafeteria environment where no student is turned away or delayed meals due to behavior or unpaid fees.

2. Physical Activity & Guaranteed Recess (Policy 6690 / Regulation 6690B)

• Elementary students are guaranteed a minimum of 30 minutes of daily recess. Physical activity is integrated across grade levels and cannot be withheld or used as a disciplinary measure.
• Why is this important? Recess and physical movement directly impact classroom focus and mental health. MPS is committed to protecting play and movement as fundamental to learning.

3. Smart Snacks & Celebrations (Regulation 6690C)

• All foods offered, sold, or shared during the school day—including vending machines, school stores, class celebrations, and fundraisers—must meet USDA Smart Snacks standards. Food is not used as a reward or incentive, and personal food celebrations (like individual birthday treats) are restricted in school settings to support inclusive, health-focused classrooms.
• Why is this important? Gives caregivers and staff clear guidelines on classroom snacks and celebrations while showing how MPS creates a consistent health environment outside the cafeteria. We want to provide an inclusive environment to our students regardless of special dietary/health needs.

4. School Health Services & Whole-Child Support (Regulation 6690D)

• Every school supports physical and mental health through licensed school nursing services, Individual Health Plans (IHPs) for students with chronic health conditions or severe allergies, and connections to community healthcare resources.
• Why is this important? Wellness extends beyond food and exercise to encompass total student health, mental well-being, and individual safety needs.

5. Safe Routes to School & Active Commuting (Regulation 6690E)

• MPS actively promotes walking and biking to school through Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs, bike safety education (such as 4th/5th-grade bike curricula), and secure bicycle infrastructure at schools.
• Why is this important? Connects daily school life with healthy habits, community safety, and environmental sustainability. Public schools must provide age-appropriate pedestrian and bicycle safety training (grades K-8).

Wellness Policy Assessment

The MPS Wellness Policy Assessment (WPA) is a tool for sites to understand school level compliance with district Wellness Policy 6690.  The assessment is aligned with the CDC’s Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model and should be completed biennially by each school. Schools benefit by using assessment results to track progress and identify areas for improvement. These results also inform support provided at both the site and district levels.

2024-2025 Wellness Policy Assessment Survey Results

Triennial Assessment Results

An assessment of the local school wellness policy must be conducted a minimum of once every three years, per USDA regulations. The results of the assessment must be made available to the public.

The assessment determines:

• Compliance with the wellness policy
• Progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy
• How the wellness policy compares to model wellness policies

2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 Triennial Assessment

Well SAT 3.0 analysis coming soon

Wellness Champions are an important part of making positive changes in your school community by helping the school meet the requirements of the district’s wellness policy and are key to helping the school stay on track. They are also champions in their school community to motivate and inspire health-promoting changes and well-being for staff and students. Wellness Champions receive year-round resources, support, and technical assistance. We meet for 2-3 times per year (1-hour meetings).

Interested in becoming a Wellness Champion for your school? Email: MPS.wellness@mpls.k12.mn.us

Wellness Policy

Minneapolis Public Schools’ (MPS) Wellness Policy 6690 provides strong guidance to prioritize student well-being through safe and supportive environments that promote and protect students' health and ability to learn. Under this policy:

1. All foods offered to students during the school day (including school celebrations, snacks in the classroom, and food used for curriculum) must meet Smart Snack standards.
2. All foods sold to students during the school day (including concessions, school stores, vending machines, and fundraising efforts) must meet Smart Snack standards.
3. Food cannot be used as a reward, incentive, or part of a personal celebration (including birthdays) unless the food served is part of a student's IEP or IAP.

Non-Food Rewards

We know it is important to celebrate achievements, progress toward goals, and holidays! There are many non-food rewards that align with promoting a healthy environment and demonstrate healthy choices. Here are some ways to celebrate that meet our Wellness Policy expectations:

• Provide “free choice” activity time – reading, coloring, centers, quiet games
• Provide extra recess time or a nature walk on campus
• Read a special book related to the celebration
• Host a classroom a dance party, pajama day, spa day, or crazy hair day
• Create a scavenger hunt around the classroom
• Create escape room puzzles/team challenges
• Plan a special craft or art project with donations from caregivers
• Organize a community service project or acts of kindness

Swap birthday cupcakes & treats with these ideas:

• Donate your student’s favorite book or game to the classroom
• Provide stickers, erasers, pencils, bookmarks, note pads, or fidget toys
• Recognize students on their special day with a crown, hat, button, or badge
• Teachers can let the birthday student be their assistant for the day, choose an indoor or outdoor activity or game, or pick a book to share and a person to read it.

Smart Snack Standards

Check the Nutrition Facts Panel on the food package to see if it meets these standards, or use the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Smart Snack Calculator.

• Calories: ≤ 200 for snacks
• Total Fat: ≤ 35% of calories
• Saturated Fat: < 10% of calories
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: ≤ 200 mg for snacks
• Total Sugars: ≤ 35% by weight
• Added Sugars: ≤ 5 g per serving

Healthy Food Ideas

• Fruit smoothies
• Yogurt parfaits
• Trail mix (pretzels, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, whole grain cereal)
• Popcorn
• Graham crackers with apple butter, pumpkin dip, or jam
• Apple slices with yogurt dip
• Tortilla chips and salsa

All items offered or served for celebrations must be commercially prepared (no homemade items) and should be verified as Smart Snack compliant using the calculator tool. Please verify classroom allergens with the School Nurse before providing food for your students’ classroom.

Additional Resources

• Action for Healthy Kids: Healthy and Active Non-Food Rewards
• Living Allergic: Food-free Reward and Celebration Ideas for School
• Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Celebrations
• Download MPS' Healthy School Celebrations (PDF) to print

Culinary & Wellness Services team members are available to present at your school event, be it a staff meeting, wellness committee, PTO/PTA gathering, or other occasions. Support our goal to spread the word about True Food and inform others about our True Food philosophy, ingredient standards, MPS Wellness Policy 6690 and the True Food Farm, and our engaging field trips. Learn about our Central Kitchen Tours available throughout the year and the important work carried out by our wellness team. We're excited to share our commitment to the well-being of all children through our mission; nurturing all children through access to quality food and active living. 

Questions? Contact info.cws@mpls.k12.mn.us