Board reviews triennial wellness policy and approves UNL mental-health partnership

Jane Hansmeier presented the district's triennial wellness assessment and described how the wellness committee (teachers, nursing services, nutrition services, administrators and external partners) monitors nutrition, smart‑snack compliance, physical activity in classrooms and staff‑wellness initiatives. Hansmeier said the district does “not just check boxes” and emphasized community partnerships and staff-engagement activities that reinforce the wellness policy.

During discussion Board members asked implementation questions, including how smart‑snack rules affect concession and vending options and whether electric bikes should be considered under the wellness guidance; Hansmeier and staff clarified that wellness policy guidance is anchored to USDA requirements and overseen by NDE. The Board moved and approved the formal triennial review of Policy 5117 and its regulation.

Separately, Student Services reported a newly signed partnership with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to host a PhD counseling student selected under UNL's rural health grant. Staff described the placement as a one‑year pilot providing roughly 30‑minute school‑based counseling sessions once per week at no cost to the district; UNL conducts candidate screening and the district will meet the assigned provider before the placement is finalized.

Next steps noted by administrators included continuing staff orientation on policy elements, quarterly wellness‑committee meetings, and posting the wellness materials on the district website for public access. The board took formal action to approve the policy review; no budget change was adopted during this item.