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RIVER VALLEY DETENTION CENTER

LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY Reviewed April 2024

River Valley Detention Center is an 86-bed facility which houses pre-adjudicatory youth. The Detention Center has year-round school on site, with Joliet Township District 204 teachers assigned to the Detention Center. The Detention Center follows the school calendar for District 204 for school breaks (excluding summer break) and Teacher Institute Days. As such, the Detention Center has adopted parts of District 204s School Wellness Policy and incorporated additional parameters site specific to the Detention Center. Please note that while Residents are in the custody of the River Valley Detention Center, the Superintendent is designated by statute as parent in loco parentis.

Resident (Student) Wellness, including good nutrition and physical activity, shall be promoted in the Detention Center educational programs, school activities, and meal programs. This policy shall be interpreted consistently with Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.

Oversight of the Local Wellness Policy is the responsibility of the Facility Superintendent and Assistant Superintendents. This Policy is reviewed and updated annually by a collective meeting including these individuals, stakeholders, teachers, and food service personnel. Tenets of the policy are stringently reviewed for any changes and/or revisions. Special attention is given to any newly implemented processes or educational elements.

River Valley Detention is under the Judicial Branch. The Chief Judge and the Director of Court Services are primary stakeholders and are included in the distribution and completion of River Valley’s Local Wellness Policy and any revisions. Notifications of review timelines are provided to these individuals as well as others involved in the process.

River Valley Detentions Local Wellness Policy is also available at:

www.rivervalleydetention.com

GOALS FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION

River Valley Detention will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

Will support and promote good nutrition for the residents.
Will foster the positive relationship between good nutrition, physical activity, and the capacity for the residents to grow and learn.
Nutrition education will be part of District 204s comprehensive health education curriculum.
River Valley Detention does not provide food-based commissary items, does not have vending machines in the secured portion of the facility where Residents are housed, and does not generate and/or sponsor any fundraisers.
In addition to physical activities, River Valley Detention also promotes and encourages mindful exercises including weekly creative writing programs, book clubs, team-building activities, and other games.
Residents participate in Restorative Justice Peace Circles focusing on values based around integrity: Hope; Trust; Confidentiality; Honesty; Order; Equality; Empathy; Participation; Respect; Relationships; as well as Humor and Listening.
River Valley Detention has school classes on the premises. While River Valley is different than a regular school, Residents still have unimpeded access to water.

GOALS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

River Valley Detention will implement a physical education program that:

Will support and promote an active lifestyle for residents, even during non-classroom hours.
Is for all residents at all grade levels for the entire year.
Physical education will be taught to all residents and shall include a developmentally planned and sequential curriculum that fosters the development of movement skills, enhances health-related fitness, increases residents’ knowledge, offers direct opportunities to learn how to work cooperatively in a group setting, and encourages healthy habits and attitudes for a healthy lifestyle.
Residents will be required to engage daily during the school day in a physical education course.
The curriculum will be consistent with and incorporate relevant Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health as established by the Illinois State Board of Education.
Will provide various physical activities during non-school hours and normal school breaks. There is indoor and outdoor recreation available to youth.
Physical activity during the school day will not be withheld as punishment for any reason.

NUTRITION GUIDELINES

The Detention Center promotes nutritious foods and beverages to residents consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Food Guidance System published jointly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. River Valley Detention also abides by the rules of the Illinois State Board of Education and the Child Nutrition Programs. River Valley Detention serves the highest age/grade group meal plan as part of the USDA meal pattern requirements. For more information about the meal pattern requirements, please go to: https://www.isbe.net or call the Detention Center at 815-730-7070 to speak with someone about what the meal pattern requirements entail.

GUIDELINES FOR REIMBURSABLE SCHOOL MEALS

Reimbursable school meals served shall meet, at a minimum, the nutritional requirements and regulations for the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and State Free Lunch and Breakfast.

SUMMER MEALS

The Illinois State Board of Education has a Summer Meals program for children in our area. All children 18 and under can receive a free healthy and nutritious meal when school is out. During these months a pamphlet is available in the lobby of the Detention Center. For more information on Summer Meals, please visit summerfeedingillinois.org or call (800) 359-2163 or text Food or Comida to 304-304.

SHARING OF FOOD

The Detention Center will not allow students to share their foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some of the resident’s diets.

MONITORING

The Superintendent, or her designee, shall meet with the Assistant Superintendent, and Local Wellness Advisory members, as applicable, to review this Wellness Policy not only to monitor progress, but to also adjust the policy or guidelines if necessary. The Wellness Policy and goals are evaluated as a whole every three (3) years. Yearly goals will also be part of the Superintendent’s assessment.

Illinois State Board of Education conducted a School Nutrition Program Procurement Review for River Valley Detention Center in 2022. This Review encompassed the Procurement areas that were previously a part of the Administrative Review. This Procurement Review evaluated the Procurements/Purchasing from fiscal year 21.

COMMUNITY INPUT

The Superintendent, or her designee, shall periodically monitor the policy success by reviewing and collaborating with the Assistant Superintendent, Detention Officers and others involved in the implementation of the Wellness Program. As cited earlier, the Superintendent is parent in loco parenti, she is the legal guardian of the Residents while they are detained. As such, residents parents are not their guardians during detention and cannot participate in a Wellness Board for that reason. For parental input, the Wellness Board is comprised partially of facility individuals who have children and who can better understand the strengths and weaknesses that accompany trying to teach children how to eat better, to make good, healthy choices, and to become more physically active.

References:

Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, PL 108-265, Sec. 204

Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1771 et seq

National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1758

42 U.S.C. Sec 1779, as implemented by 7 C.F.R. Sec 210.11

105 ILCS 5/2-3.139

23 Ill. Admin. Code Part 305 Food Program

ISBE’s “School Wellness Policy” Goal, adopted Oct. 2007

Cross Ref. 4:120 (Food Services)

Joliet Township District 204 & River Valley Detention Center

RIVER VALLEY DETENTION CENTER

LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY

TRIENNIAL ASSESSMENT (2021, 2022, 2023)

Completed: April 23, 2024

I. Introduction

The primary duty of the Local Wellness and Food Advisory Board is improving how River Valley Detention collectively aligns itself with the tenets of the Local Wellness Policy by demonstration with the Residents, and assessing the usefulness of content. Evaluating the Policy on a three-year rotation allows Administration, Line Staff, Joliet Township High School District 204 Teachers, and Food Services staff to better serve Residents and highlight the Board’s commitment to Wellness.

At its Local Wellness & Advisory Board Meeting concerning Resident food as well as the Local Wellness Policy Goals, the Committee conducted a Triennial Assessment of the Local Wellness Policy as mandated by the U.S.D.A. The Assessment included compliance with the Wellness Policy requirements as part of the general areas of the Administrative Review every three years. This Assessment includes the Goals for Nutrition Education and Physical Education as part of the River Valley Detention Center’s Local Wellness Policy for the

Years of 2021, 2022, and 2023.

II. Process

The Local Wellness and Food Advisory Board’s evaluation process is an important step toward increasing Resident and staff participation in the process and improving River Valley for everyone. River Valley strives to inform the public, staff, and the student culture of its Wellness Policy. It is encouraged by Administration and encouraged as follows:

Residents and staff need to recognize their roles in the success of the Local Wellness Policy;

Residents have a clear understanding of wellness in many forms, including, but not limited to: Nutrition Classes; PE Classes; Line Staff programming geared toward healthy eating and/or exercise; and

Residents have shown an appreciation for said programming and understand myriad concepts through effective teaching and programming.

III. Considerations for the Local Wellness Policy

The Policy has been updated regularly when there have been new additions to Programming, or other facility-driven protocol.

The Policy is promulgated to the stakeholders, facility staff, and the public.

The Policy continues to realign its goals and objectives as Illinois State Board of Education/USDA regulations dictate.

The Policy includes verbiage about the County’s Wellness Initiative which further enhances and enforces the tenets of the facility’s Local Wellness Policy.

IV. Evaluation Component

Consideration was given to the following three questions based upon direction from the U.S.D.A.’s Summary of the Final Rule.

1. Does the River Valley Detention Center’s Wellness Policy comply with the U.S.D.A. requirements?

The Committee reviewed the Wellness Policy and compared it with the requirements and the Detention Center’s Wellness Policy encompasses all of the pertinent points, plus additional information.

Opinion: Compliant

2. How does the Detention Center’s Wellness Policy compare to other model wellness policies?

The River Valley Detention Center’s Policy encompasses tenets of Joliet High School District 204’s Wellness Policy. Teachers from District 204

educate the Residents at the facility. The Detention Center is unlike a regular school since it is considered a Residential Child-Care Facility.

The Detention Center houses pre-adjudicatory youth and operates differently than a public school. Some of the facets of the Wellness Policy had to be streamlined or modified to align with the USDA requirements.

Primarily, the Wellness Policy does address everything that is required, and the facility makes every attempt to meet and exceed those requirements by adding additional programming activities, or inviting other presenters, when available, to meet with Residents to keep the Residents informed regarding health and wellness, as well as physical activities.

Opinion: Compliant

3. Has there been progress made toward attaining the goals of the Wellness Policy?

The Detention Center’s Shift Supervisor’s regularly evaluates programming activities that will align with the goals of the facility as well as the School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. Goals are fluid and constantly evolving. From the outset, though, the primary goals set forth for the Wellness Policy relative to Goals for Nutrition Education and Goals for Physical Education have been exceptionally met. RVDC Management also collaborates with the educators from Dist. 204 to ensure that goals are met not just on the Detention Center side, but also on the school-day side of the ledger as well – it is a joint effort. However, the goals that have been met are not met solely during the school day, but rather on a 7-day a week basis since the Detention Center is a 24/7 operation. There are post-school programming activities, weekend activities, and both Mental Health group and art therapy that meet the goals as well.

Opinion: Compliant

V. Conclusion

The Committee has determined that after completing the Triennial Assessment

for the River Valley Detention Center’s Local Wellness Policy, the Wellness

Policy is, in fact, compliant and the goals have been achieved. The intent behind

the development of the Local Wellness Policy at River Valley Detention has been

met and is compliant.

The Board concludes that when comparing the Detention Center’s Local Wellness Policy to other such policies in Detention Centers and/or high schools, the Detention Center’s Wellness Policy continues to conform to all regulations and maintains the efficacy of the promoted goals and objectives with vigor.