The Manchester-Essex Regional School Committee voted Oct. 7 to accept a rewritten district wellness policy for a first reading, sending the draft back to the wellness committee for additional clarification before a second reading.

Committee members raised several points for revision: language in the nutrition section stating “school meals are available free of charge to all students” was questioned as potentially inaccurate if federal funding rules change; a sentence identifying which staff member will serve as the wellness advisory committee liaison needs to reflect whether that role will be a staff designee or a school committee appointee; and the physical and wellness education section references the state framework but currently provides only brief text, which several members said understates the larger set of topics (for example, mental and emotional health, healthy relationships and personal safety) included in the framework.

Members recommended that the wellness advisory committee and district administrators (including the director of curriculum and instruction and nutrition staff) review the wording and return with more specific phrasing and, where appropriate, an operational plan for implementation. The motion to accept the draft as a first read passed; members reiterated that subsequent meetings and public comment will guide final adoption.

The first reading does not adopt the policy as final; it makes the draft public for further comment and revision.