September 26, 2008 – School Nutrition magazine, the flagship publication of the School Nutrition Association (SNA), has released its editorial calendar for 2009. Featured topics in development include a return of last year’s popular “going green” focus; agriculture, personnel management, marketing to kids and finding/saving money. The coming year also will feature a look at global issues, as well as trip “behind the scenes at SNA.” Returns of the magazine’s popular personal development, critical issues and NSLW/NSBW preview issues also are planned.
The complete calendar, with Food Focus topics highlighted, as well as editorial planning and space reservation dates, can be found at 2009 Editorial Calendar. For complete details about advertising in or contributing to School Nutrition magazine, visit the publication’s home page at http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=110 and click on the relevant sections listed in the navigation bar.
2009 Editorial Calendar
September 29, 2008 -- Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) introduced legislation late last week that would help the school nutrition programs address the rising cost of food. If passed, the National Hunger Relief Act of 2008 (S. 3614) would provide for semi-annual reimbursement rate increases. Currently, the reimbursement rate for school meals is adjusted each July based on the food away from home section of the Consumer Price Index. Instead of increasing the reimbursement rate annually, the reimbursement rate would be increased twice a year, during January and July. By doing so, the reimbursement rate would more accurately reflect the cost of preparing a school meal, as food prices fluctuate throughout the school year. In addition to the school nutrition programs, the bill would also provide participants in the Food Stamp program with greater benefits.
According to a recent SNA study, “Heats On: School Meals under Financial Pressure,” the average cost to prepare a school lunch has increased 10 percent since the 2007-2008 school year. It costs approximately $2.90 to prepare a school meal, up from $2.63 a year ago. Currently, the federal reimbursement rate for free school meals is $2.57, a 4.3 percent increase from the previous school year. This funding gap is estimated to cost school nutrition programs approximately $4.5 million per school day, based on 30 million school lunches provided daily.
School districts nationwide are raising prices to ensure that students continue to receive healthy, nutritionally balanced meals. In the 2007-2008 school year, the average price of a school lunch was $1.96. Today, that price has risen to $2.08 with approximately 73 percent of school districts increasing prices for students. In many communities, the price of a school lunch is over $3.00.
If passed, S. 3614 will help school nutrition programs nationwide continue to provide students with nutritious, low cost school meals. For many children, this may be the only meal they eat all day.
Baca Introduces Legislation Raising Federal Poverty Line
Representative Joe Baca (D-Calif.) also introduced legislation last week providing national hunger relief. Late last week, Baca introduced legislation that would require the government to temporarily use the federal poverty line for Alaska for all states and the District of Columbia. Alaska’s poverty line is 25 percent higher than the national poverty line. The legislation, H.R. 7085 would require its use for 6 months. By increasing the poverty line, this would allow more eligible Americans to participate in federal programs such as the school nutrition programs and food stamps. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, where it awaits further action.
SNA strongly encourages all members to contact their Senators and Members of Congress, urging them to support both pieces of legislation. Please visit the Legislative Action Center for an Action Alert you can send to your Congressional members.
Casey Bill Action Alert
Casey Introduces Bill to Help with Hunger Relief
Heat’s On: School Meals Under Financial Pressure
S. 3614 - National Hunger Relief Act of 2008
H.R. 7085 – America’s Right to Eat Rescue Act of 2008
September 26, 2008 -- Election Day is November 4, 2008 – only 5 weeks away! This year, Americans will go to the polls to elect a President, a third of the U.S. Senate, and every Member of Congress, not to mention those running for local and state offices. With the reauthorization of the child nutrition programs a priority for the next Congress, this year’s election is more important than ever. SNA’s website has an easy way to register to vote, no matter what state you live in. While registration deadlines differ from state to state, in most states the deadline is the beginning of October. Please visit the Voter Registration Guide website to register. Also, pass the link along to family and friends that have yet to register to vote.
September 26, 2008 -- School nutrition programs play a critical role in the school community: providing students nutritious breakfasts and lunches in the cafeteria so they are ready to learn in the classroom. As part of the School Nutrition Association's recently approved three year public relations plan, SNA is reaching out to others in the school community to share the value and importance of school nutrition professionals to the learning process.
The September issue of the American School Board Journal features an interview with SNA president Katie Wilson, PhD, SNS, detailing the successes and challenges of school nutrition programs. The same issue of the magazine, which serves as the official publication of the 95,000 member National School Boards Association (NSBA,) also includes an advertisement highlighting 2008 District of the Year in School Nutrition winner Spring Independent School District located outside of Houston, Texas. The advertisement is the first of several that will run in NSBA's and other publications.
The cover story of the August/September issue of Our Children magazine, the official publication of the National PTA, was one bylined by SNA president Dr. Wilson. "PTA's Supporting School Nutrition" informs parents and teachers of the ways their organizations can support the important work of school nutrition programs.
Earlier this month, Dr. Katie Wilson spoke during a national webinar aimed at district level administrators and superintendents and sponsored by District Administration magazine. Her presentation included national data on school nutrition funding and meal cost as well as the need for national nutrition standards.
While additional outreach activities are planned at the national level, SNA members are also reaching out at the local level through Educate Your Community Week. From November 17 – 22, 2008, SNA members will be making presentations to groups in their communities on the positive contributions of school nutrition programs and the nutritious meals being offered.
Our Children National PTA
Crisis in the Cafeteria District Administration Webinar
September 25, 2008 -- The school nutrition programs are an integral part of school districts nationwide. Everyday, they provide healthy, nutritionally balanced meals that give students the energy to succeed in class. While the school nutrition programs fill an important role in a student’s day, the average person does not know how the nutrition programs operate. In order to debunk the myths and clear the misconceptions, the School Nutrition Association is sponsoring the first annual Educate Your Community Week November 17-21, 2008.
Educate Your Community Week is a time for school nutrition professionals to spread the word about great school meals. The school nutrition programs are often cast in a less than flattering light. This week gives SNA members a chance educate parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and other key stakeholders about the programs and the many benefits they offer. Some of the topics to discuss include:
There are many different ways you can reach out to your community during Educate Your Community Week. You can schedule meetings with various local organizations, including the PTA or PTO, your district school board, local churches, civic organizations and neighborhood community groups. Just ask if you can have 15 minutes to speak about your programs. Be sure to prepare you presentation and bring with you any handouts, posters or samples that help you prove the point – school lunch is great!
Here’s what school nutrition professionals in two districts have already done this year.
Patty Sathre, a site supervisor with the Anoka-Hennepin School District in Minnesota. spoke before the PTO at the Eisenhower Elementary School on September 15, 2008. Sathre also made a presentation to faculty and staff at the school. During her presentation, Sathre showed a video created by Minnesota SNA demonstrating how the school nutrition programs operate and how they benefit hundreds of children everyday. Both presentations were a success! Sathre believes that the parents, faculty, and staff, now “have a better idea of what we and our professional organization do.”
Decatur County, Georgia school nutrition director Debbie Crosten-Purcell highlighted the history of the National School Lunch Program in a presentation she made on September 17, 2008. Crosten-Purcell noted the Georgia connection to the program, mentioning that the school lunch program is named in honor of former Georgia Senator Richard Russell, the senator who first proposed the program in 1944 as a response to the high number of military recruits rejected for service due to malnourishment. During her presentation, Crosten-Purcell described how the program operates in her district today and how it has changed over the years, with the implementation of the school breakfast program and local school wellness policies. Crosten-Purcell was featured in an article in her local newspaper.
For ideas and suggestions on planning an Educate Your Community event in your school district, visit the Educate Your Community page. There you will find adaptable presentations, talking points, handouts and other resources you can use when meeting with various members of your community. Also, be sure to tell SNA about any events that you plan by sending us an email.
September 23, 2008 -- Meeting with a Member of Congress, or their staff, is a highly effective way of showcasing the work you do as a school nutrition professional. Holding a site visit of your cafeteria allows them to see first hand how the school nutrition programs operate, as well as demonstrating your expertise and knowledge as a professional. To help you prepare for a site visit, SNA has developed Cafeteria Site Visit 101, a new toolkit that includes helpful tips and a checklist. Some of the topics covered in the toolkit include:
With the 2009 Reauthorization of the child nutrition programs on the horizon, now is the time to engage your Member of Congress. A cafeteria visit is one of the best ways to demonstrate the importance of the school nutrition programs. It also allows lawmakers to understand the different issues facing your programs and find ways to address them.
Visit Cafeteria Site Visit 101 for more information on how to plan your cafeteria visit!
September 22, 2008 -- Traditionally nutrition policy has centered on decreasing intake of foods that are associated with weight gain or overweight-related illnesses. The low fat diet is an example of recommendations to eat less foods high in fat and saturated fat and more low fat foods like fruits and vegetables and lean proteins. Increasingly a different concept in nutrition guidance is gaining popularity. This alternate approach, the Nutrient Rich Foods approach, is based on a long-standing principle in nutrition guidance – nutrient density. Foods that provide high amounts of vitamins and minerals and relatively fewer calories are nutrient-dense or nutrient rich. Foods that are low in nutrient density are foods that supply calories but relatively small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Foods and beverages with a high nutrient content for the calories they provide are nutritionally-rich. Choosing nutrient-rich foods as part of a balanced, active lifestyle is the basis of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid, which encourage Americans to “get the most nutrition out of their calories” and “make smart choices from every food group.”
Rather than simply focusing on calories alone, “good or bad foods” or “nutrients to avoid”, the concept shifts attention to the total nutrient package of foods and beverages including components like essential vitamins, minerals and fiber.
The Nutrient Rich Foods approach emphasizes enjoying nutrient-rich foods from within each food group identified in MyPyramid, and selecting lower nutrient foods less often. This approach helps people get more nutrition from their calories and build healthier overall diets. Research conducted by the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition in 2004 and 2005 shows consumers view using the Nutrient Rich Foods approach as a way to get “back to basics” and eat from all food groups the way their parents taught them.
Nutrition experts agree that most Americans are overweight yet undernourished; people consume too many foods that are high in calories but low in nutrient value. As the nation turns its attention to reducing calories, getting the most nutrients from those calories becomes very important. With overweight and obesity rates continuing to rise, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Obesity Working Group report (March 2004) emphasized that “calories count,” and most people need to monitor and reduce their calorie intake. Choosing nutrient-rich foods first is a way for people to make better choices within their daily eating plan. The Nutrient Rich Foods approach provides a positive way to help people evaluate food and beverage choices for better nutrition and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
Among the nutrient rich foods recommended:
September 22, 2008 -- Last week the School Nutrition Association responded to a request from USDA posted in the Federal Register in August on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirement for schools. The proposed USDA Food and Nutrition Service rule seeks to formally establish the requirements already in effect for a school food safety program based on HACCP principles. SNA solicited feedback from members and developed comments that focus on the following recommendations:
See related links to read the full letter.
SNA Comments on HACCP Rule
Proposed Rules (PDF)
September 19, 2008 -- Early this summer the School Nutrition Association (SNA) conducted an electronic survey with members, both foodservice professionals and industry, about interest in participating in either an international or domestic educational trip. The response to the SNA survey was strong with 898 responses and 89% of respondents expressing an interest in participating in such an experience with fellow SNA members. Most members were interested in both international and domestic travel, while 34% were only interested in domestic travel.
In response to member interest, SNA is currently seeking proposals from consultants or companies/organizations to design and lead a domestic trip consisting of 3-4 days of travel to a desirable domestic (U.S) destination.
The desired date for travel is the Spring 2009.
Proposals should include:
In order to secure the venue, speakers, other events and to be able to promote, SNA has a very tight turnaround time for proposals. Please send proposals to the attention of Barbara Belmont, Executive Director of SNA, 700 South Washington Street, 3rd Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314 on or before Friday, October 3, 2008. Proposals received after October 3, 2008 will not be considered. If you have questions about this RFP, please email servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held the final two Child Nutrition Reauthorization listening sessions in Chicago, Ill. and Denver, Colo. last week. Turn out at both listening sessions was high, as many interested individuals came to discuss issues critical for reauthorization 2009.
The Chicago listening session was held on Wednesday, September 10, 2008. SNA past-President Paula DeLucca presented remarks on behalf of SNA. Other SNA members testifying included JoAnne Robinett from Ohio, Paul Baumgartner from Michigan, and Coletta Hines-Newell from Illinois. Some of the major topics discussed were increasing the reimbursement rates, farm to school programs, simplifying the verification process, national nutrition standards, universal free breakfast and funding for nutrition education.
On September 11th the final USDA Child Nutrition Reauthorization Listening Session was held at the Colorado History Museum on September 11, 2008. Colorado SNA past-President Susan Rondinelli spoke on behalf of the School Nutrition Association. SNA members including Leo Lesh, executive director of student nutrition services for Denver Public Schools, also spoke. Among the topics covered by those at the session were: nutritional value of milk, plant based foods, school gardens, Rice/Soy milk, less processed foods, more home cooking, more fresh fruits and vegetables, more frozen fruits and vegetables, nutrition standards and the need for additional funding.
It’s not too late to submit comments to USDA. Written comments will be accepted until Wednesday, October 15, 2008. For information regarding where to submit your remarks, please visit USDA Reauthorization Listening Sessions. Also, please be sure to send a copy of your remarks to SNA at servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org to the attention of Cathy Schuchart. SNA will also be submitting written comments. SNA would also like to thank all members who attended one of the seven listening sessions held by USDA.
Congressional Quarterly Weekly, a publication widely read by members of Congress and their staff ran an article this week on Reauthorization. The article looked at both reimbursement rates and school nutrition standards, two issues that are likely to play a huge role in reauthorization during the next year.
USDA Reauthorization Listening Sessions
September 18, 2008 - What has been happening at the national and state level recently and what can you expect for the months ahead? Read your regional newsletter for a personal account of the past few months and events to look forward to this fall straight from your SNA Regional Directors.
Highlights in these letters include recounts of national and state meetings, important updates, as well as upcoming deadline reminders.
Click on the links below to read your region's newsletter.
(Newsletters are in Adobe Acrobat format)
September 17, 2008 -- SNA’s Call for Proposals for the 2009 Annual National Conference in Las Vegas will close on September 30, 2008. Submit your proposal to present a 1-hour concurrent breakout session through the ANC 2009 Call for Proposals website at: http://docs.schoolnutrition.org/meetingsandevents/anc2009/cfp.asp
Proposals will be selected this fall based on the programming priorities of the SNA Annual National Conference Steering Committee. Notification for all proposals will be sent via email in January 2009.
Tips for Successful Proposals
At ANC 2008, SNA posted handouts online instead of providing paper handouts to attendees. SNA will do this again for ANC 2009. SNA’s educational policies also state that all presentations are subject to review prior to ANC. Speakers that are selected for the final program will be asked to submit the final presentation for review and posting in March 2009.
ANC 2009
What’s the school lunch IQ of your community? Do your district’s parents, grandparents, and school officials know that children who eat school meals consume more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy than students that get their lunch from other sources? Do they know that school lunches are a better value than lunches brought from home? If your district needs to study up, help Educate Your Community from November 17 – 21, 2008!
This year, SNA is hosting the first annual Educate Your Community Week. This week is a time for SNA members to clear up any misconceptions their communities may have about the school meal programs. During this week you can let your community know about:
There are many different things that you can do to reach out to your school community during Educate Your Community Week. Just follow these four easy steps:
If you are comfortable, make your presentation with as many groups as possible. SNA has created numerous tools to assist you with creating and delivering your presentations. Please visit the Educate Your Community website for adaptable presentations, talking points, handouts, and other resources you can use when delivering your presentations.
September 15, 2008 -- The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) in partnership with Rich Products Corporation will be offering a FREE webinar on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, entitled “Paring Food Costs: Comparing Apples to Apples.” This webinar will delve head-first into the food cost crisis by addressing problems currently faced by school nutrition directors in school districts of all sizes. Participants will listen to three peers engage in a detailed, live dialogue on how they are addressing this issue in each of their districts. The webinar will include data from SNA’s TrendSETS study on food costs and will provide resources for communicating information on the food cost crisis to parents, school officials, and other stakeholders.
Title: Paring Food Costs: Comparing Apples to Apples
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Time: 2:30 PM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time)
Duration: 75 minutes (approximately)
The webinar will be moderated by Shirley Brown Ed.D, SNS, of Rich Products Corporation. Speakers include Major City District Director Mary Hill, SNS, of Jackson Public Schools in Jackson, MS and 2008-2009 School Nutrition Foundation President; Melanie Konarik, SNS, of Spring ISD in Houston, TX representing a large school district and SNA's 2008-2009 District of the Year winner; and Paul Yettaw, SNS of Lakeview School District in Battle creek, MI, sharing the small school district director perspective.
For more information on this webinar, including where and how to register, please click here or visit www.schoolnutrition.org/foodcosts. SNA members may earn 1 continuing education unit (CEU) for participating in the webinar. Instructions on how to obtain your CEU can be found by clicking on the URL above.
This webinar is the first in SNF’s new “Wednesday Webinars” series and will be offered at no charge. Stay tuned to www.schoolnutrition.org/webinars for information on upcoming Wednesday Webinars throughout the 2008-2009 school year.
Paring Food Costs: Comparing Apples to Apples
On September 12, 2008, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a final rule in the Federal Register that provides detailed nutritional standards for nondairy alternatives to milk in federally subsidized school lunches, breakfasts or after-school snacks. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 called for National School Lunch Program guidelines to make certain that children who consume non-dairy beverages due to disabilities or special dietary needs receive important nutrients that are found in milk. The law also allowed non-disabled students to submit a note from a parent as evidence they need an alternative to fluid milk. USDA received 107 total comments on the proposed rule. SNA submitted comments to FNS regarding this rule in January of 2007. The final rule does provide a few changes from the proposed rule.
In order to comply with the new regulation, school nutrition directors may provide students lactose free milk or a soy beverage fortified with nutrients to meet the nutritional standards outlined below:
Additional provisions in the final rule include:
A recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report published in the journal Pediatrics recommends, just as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans does, that children with lactose intolerance include dairy foods as part of a healthy diet in order to get enough calcium, vitamin D, protein and other nutrients essential for bone health and overall growth. The report cautions that lactose intolerance should not require total avoidance of dairy foods. The report cites research indicating that many children who are sensitive to lactose can drink small amounts of milk without discomfort, especially when consumed with other foods. Dairy foods that are often well tolerated include hard cheese, such as Cheddar or Swiss, yogurt containing live active cultures, and lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk.
Please see related links for a comprehensive list of soy milk manufacturers, as well as information from the American Academy of Pediatrics on lactose intolerance. For information on lactose-free milk for schools in your area contact your local dairy council.
For a complete copy of the final rule, also see Related Links.
Soy Beverage Company List (DOC)
Federal Register Final Rule on Fluid Milk Substitutes (PDF)
Lactose Intolerance in Infants, Children, and Adolescents American Academy of Pediatrics
Fewer schools are selling soft drinks and other sugary beverages to students, according to a new report released today by the American Beverage Association and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The joint report, The School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report 2007-2008 found that soft drinks now represent less than 25 percent of the beverages available to students in schools. Report findings also noted a 58 percent decrease in the total calories contained in all beverages shipped to schools.
These results echo findings included in recent research by the School Nutrition Association. According to the 2008 Back-to-School Trends Report, fewer schools are opting to stock soda in student accessible vending machines. In fact, nearly 75 percent of school districts are increasing the availability of healthier beverages. Over 98 percent of schools have bottled water available for sale, while 81 percent offer 100% juice. These numbers reflect significant increases over the past five years.
Removing soda and other sugary drinks from school vending machines not only affects students during the school day, but also after the dismissal bell rings. Recent research published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association stated that “the removal of soft drinks from schools is estimated to decrease the share of children who consume soft drinks by 4%.” This shows that students are taking home the healthy nutrition habits they learn at school.
School nutrition programs are doing much more than offering healthy beverages to students. They are offering greater amounts of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and low fat dairy. The Back-to-School Trends Report noted that over 85 percent of school districts are increasing availability of whole grain items. School districts are also cutting out trans fat, limiting saturated fats, reducing the amount of added sugars and reducing the sodium content in foods.
Several major factors have contributed to the decline in school soft drink sales. In May 2006, the American Beverage Association and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation released voluntary beverage guidelines for schools. Several other groups, including the Institute of Medicine and SNA have come out with voluntary nutrition standards. Local school wellness policies and state regulations have also made significant contributions to the removal of carbonated beverages in schools. SNA members continue to provide students with high quality, nutritious school meals everyday. Efforts such as these help school nutrition professionals teach students to make healthy, nutritious choices everyday.
School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report 2007-2008
Beverage Industry Continues Cutting Calories
September 10, 2008 -- Register your school team at www.eatsmart-getmoving.org for the 2008-2009 “Eat Smart, Get Moving!” personal wellness contest before September 16 and compete for prizes, including spa gift certificates, milk merchandisers, and a $5,000 prize to the top district. All participating teams are eligible for 3-A-Day™ themed incentives. Eat Smart, Get Moving! is a great way for team members to work towards eating a healthier diet and getting more physical activity in a supportive team environment Creative features, tools, and resources make the program fun and interactive. SNA members are welcome to invite teachers, administrators, faculty and staff to also participate on the school team and be role models for student wellness. This program is free of charge. All team members must be at least 18 years of age. The program lasts 30 weeks, ending on April 13, 2009.
Each team should designate a team leader to register the team, manage the team’s interactive reporting, and share important updates and communications from SNA throughout the program. The team leader can register using his or her SNA username and password. Though program is specifically designed for teams at the school level, information on forming teams at the district central office or state agency is available at www.eatsmart-getmoving.org/faq.asp. For complete details, review the contest rules at www.eatsmart-getmoving.org/rules.asp.
The program focuses on an interactive team “walk” from Philadelphia, site of SNA’s 2008 Annual National Conference (ANC) to Las Vegas, location of ANC 2009. The Eat Smart, Get Moving! goals, based on daily servings from key food groups and daily minutes of physical activity, gradually increase throughout the programs four phases. The final program goals reflect the 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommendations for low-fat dairy, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and physical activity.
Eat Smart, Get Moving! is made possible by the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) through support from the National Dairy Council.
September 8, 2008 -- The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) and its Federal partners—the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—have developed a compilation of consumer food safety education resources in time for National Food Safety Education Month® 2008 this month. This year’s theme is “Be Food Safe.”
The Partnership created the Fight BAC!® campaign, with the four core food safety messages of Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill that remain the solid foundation of consumer food safety education in the United States. The updated Fight BAC!® brochure is among the materials made available in honor of Food Safety Education Month. USDA worked in cooperation with FDA, the CDC and the Partnership to develop the Be Food Safe campaign providing new and exciting resources for outreach efforts. The materials are featured in English and Spanish.
The FDA contributed resource materials in English and Spanish on some of the agency regulated products—produce, seafood, milk, and bottled water—as well as food safety for pregnant women and individuals with food allergies.
The “Be Food Safe” Activity book along with a variety of activity sheets for children including food safety crossword puzzles and more are also available on the official Food Safety Education Month website. See below for more information.
National Food Safety Education Month®
School foodservice can mean so much more than just a job. It can mean an entire career, a high calling, a rewarding profession. But how do you communicate this concept to potential job candidates? How do you put together the best team for your operation—a team that shows dedication to the kids, professional expertise and high standards of excellence? This month, School Nutrition takes a hard look at recruitment, delivering new strategies to help your operation find and attract the best of the best. Plus, two bonus feature stories review Global Child Nutrition Month and SNA’s Annual National Conference.
In many districts, finding qualified candidates for school nutrition supervisory positions is a formidable challenge. Turn to “Help Wanted” to find seven out-of-the-box recruitment methods that have succeeded in other districts. Plus, “From the Classroom to the Cafeteria” reveals how universities are helping to prepare the next generation of school nutrition directors and how you can tap into this source.
In fact, if you’re interested in “selling” school foodservice as a career option to young adults, you might consider making presentations at high schools or universities. It might be easier than you think! In “Story Time,” Constance Mueller, director of food and nutrition services for Bloomington (Ill.) Public School District #87, shares ways she has made presentations work.
This month’s issue of SN magazine also includes two bonus features. Communities across the United States showed their generosity—and their power to make a difference—during the inaugural Global Child Nutrition Month in April 2008. Read their touching stories of achievement and sacrifice in “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally.” And relive the excitement of SNA’s Annual National Conference (ANC) with “National Treasures,” a review of the conference in photos, statistics and event coverage. Remember, you also can order ANC photos at “ANC 2008 Photos.”
School Nutrition - September 2008
As students begin to head back to class, media coverage of school nutrition programs is picking up. Across the country, SNA spokespeople are discussing the healthy benefits of school meals. SNA spokespeople are also explaining how school districts are battling rising food costs while maintaining nutritious, balanced meals. Approximately 16 million people were reached through print and broadcast media since the beginning of August. Below are some highlights:
This year, SNA’s annual Back to School Media Tour featured school nutrition directors in Houston, Tex., Mesa, Ariz., St. Paul, Minn., Las Vegas, Nev., and Chicago, Ill. Houston kicked off the tour in early August with coverage of the District of the Year award winner, Spring Independent School District. District director Melanie Konarik was featured on several local radio programs and in a local newspaper.
SNA spokespeople Craig Weidel in Arizona, Jean Ronnei in Minnesota, and Sue Hoggan in Nevada appeared on local television stations touting healthy school meals. Newspaper and radio interviews also showcased the school nutrition programs and encouraged families to participate in the upcoming year. More coverage is to come from Chicago, which began school on Tuesday, September 2. Please see the end of this article for links to each of the articles.
SNA made an appearance on the Today Show on NBC with a segment on school lunches taped at SNA’s Annual National Conference in Philadelphia in July 2008. SNA President Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS emphasized the nutritional options schools are offering while SNA spokesperson Sharlene Wong, SNS from Connecticut highlighted the effort to make meals attractive to kids. Over 4.6 million people viewed the live segment on Tuesday, September 2.
On Thursday, August 28th, the Wall Street Journal ran an article featuring farm to school programs in school districts nationwide. SNA members Mary Ann Lopez and Margaret Lamb were featured prominently in the piece, discussing their efforts.
The Associated Press covered food allergies in early August in a story which explained how school nutrition programs are accommodating students with peanut allergies. The article appeared has appeared in print over 1,000 times thus far.
School nutrition is the focus of the August/September issue of Our Children, the magazine of the National PTA. The issue includes several articles about PTA cooperation with the school nutrition programs. Included is an article written by SNA President Katie Wilson, Ph.D, SNS.
In mid-August, the Associated Press also ran a syndicated article focusing on the affect of rising food costs on the school nutrition programs during the new school year. An article in the Kansas City Star also discussed districts struggling with skyrocketing food prices and the slow economy. Comments included in both articles show that school nutrition programs are meeting the challenge of rising food prices, but they are struggling to get by without substantially increased reimbursements.
USA Today ran an article on increasing participation in the free and reduced price programs, stating that more families are participating in the free and reduced price meal programs.
The National Public Radio program Marketplace is planning to feature an interview with several SNA spokespeople and SNA Executive Director Barbara Belmont discussing the food prices and school nutrition programs. On Monday, September 1, 2008, the New York Times ran a front page story on the slow economy’s impact on schools featuring SNA spokesperson Mary Owens in Louisville, Kentucky.
Click on the links below to see coverage from the Back to School Media Tour:
The USDA recently released a report reviewing the diet quality of participants in the National School Lunch Program. The report found that lunches consumed by participating students were more nutrient dense than lunches brought from home. School lunch participants tended to consume higher amounts of milk, meat, and beans. Lower income students had a greater consumption rate of fruits. Participating students were also less likely to consume salty snacks and beverages other than juice or milk.
The report, Diet Quality of American School-Age Children by School Lunch Participation Status: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, uses data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2004) to provide a current and comprehensive picture of the diets of school aged children. Data are presented for children who participated and did not participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). For comparison purposes, results are provided for low-income children and higher income children for both participants and non-participants. This study examined intakes of 18 essential vitamins and minerals, macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) as a percentage of energy, and the percentage of energy consumed as solid fats, alcoholic beverages, and added sugars (SoFAAS).
This study used measures of the Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age to assess the appropriateness of usual daily energy intakes. Roughly 18 percent of all school-aged children were overweight, and another 15 percent were at risk of becoming overweight. Overall, there were no significant differences in weight status linked to income or NSLP participation status. This report used two measures to assess overall diet quality: 1) The Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI) developed by the USDA Center for Nutrition and Policy Promotion to assess compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2) a composite measure of nutrient density to assess the nutrient contribution of foods relative to their energy contribution. “Nutrient-dense” foods were defined as “low-fat forms of food in each food group that are free of added sugar.” For both income groups, lunches consumed by NSLP participants were more nutrient dense than lunches consumed by nonparticipating children. School lunch participants had higher intakes of milk, meat, and beans. Among low-income children, school lunch participants had higher scores for fruit consumption.
This report used two measures to assess food choices: 1) types of foods consumed and 2) nutrition quality.
According to study authors Nancy Cole and Mary Kay Fox, among the most important concerns for policymakers, school food service providers, and nutrition educators based on the study results:
Many school nutrition programs have already taken these steps in the past several years.
Dietary Quality of Children by School Lunch Participation Status (PDF)
The NBC Today Show kicked off their week of back to school coverage on Tuesday, September 2nd with a segment on school lunches taped at SNA’s Annual National Conference in Philadelphia in July 2008.
The piece highlighted the healthy and appealing choices school nutrition programs are making available to students this school year. SNA President Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS emphasized the nutritional options schools are offering while SNA spokesperson Sharlene Wong, SNS from Connecticut highlighted the effort to make meals attractive to kids. Over 4.6 million people viewed the segment live this morning.
Today Show: New Trends in School Lunches