October 4, 2008 by Amy.

Back to school, already. As an adult, it is hard to remember day one jitters, that giddy feeling kids get as they step foot on school grounds in their new skirts and jeans. How nice to have a fresh start each year.

This September is different.  Monday, September 29, the Dow dropped over 700 points, the largest one day dollar drop in history. With the economy wavering, how does one clamor back and focus? Dover Public School food must get better—luckily reform is already in progress.

Mark Covell, food service director is up to his earring in financial woes. The main dishwasher is threatening to retire (a mere $40,000 replacement cost); the district food delivery truck went in for repairs; the Point of Sales (POS) system is going on 10 years; and the obvious, food prices are higher than they’ve ever been. Besides monetary setbacks, kids are picky eaters and dining services must sell food to make money, to keep it all in motion.

The first Dining Facility Council meeting of the year took place September 25. After a quick open discussion of the June 11 meeting minutes, the group tackled the slated six most important recommendations of the 17 that will be given to the School Board on October 6. Here’s the meat of what was discussed in the order of the agenda:

1. Provide parents with a list of healthy snack options posted on the district Website. Mark is assigned this task and will get it done.

2. Menus on Edline (the district-wide computer program for parents, students and staff to stay abreast of the latest) are not readable, the font is too small. Menus are run in Foster’s Daily Democrat, but without nutritional information. Mark will contact district IT staff to figure out the kink. In the meantime he will post menus in Word or Adobe. Mark is also looking to purchase a menu builder that will calculate nutritional values to meet upcoming state and federal guidelines. He is researching federal recommendations for the purchase.

3. A taste testing schedule for all schools will be devised.  This is in the works for elementary, middle and high school with food items suitable for the age group. Tasting is already in progress. Local plums, peaches and nectarines, while in season, made it into the schools. Guess what?—they were gobbled up. Hooray for Mark, he purchased local fruit.

4. School newsletters to be used as a communiqué.  Hand in the air; I volunteered to write material for Mark in an effort to keep parents in the loop about school food and proper nutrition. Farm to school is also an area that parents need to hear more about.

5. Visual displays will be posted in common areas in all schools to promote healthy eating and exercise habits. Mark has the posters but not frames. Readers: if you have large (poster size) frames in good condition, a donation would be much appreciated.

6. Public Information forums are one of the many ways to reach parents and encourage better eating and exercise habits at home. What happens at home is a strong indicator of how children will perceive and accept food and exercise at school. Parents also need to acknowledge the importance of purchasing locally grown foods. Dover schools are part of the UNH Farm to School program. It was thought that Apple Harvest Day might be a good place for UNH Office of Sustainability to educate parents. This year, was too late in planning a booth, but printed information will be available.  

Another important item on the agenda but not part of the dining facilities annual report was the Produce for Kids (PFK) mini- grant, a PBS Kids partner for school-based healthy eating. School representatives at the meeting were encouraged to ask health teachers to participate. Further information about the classroom contest and deadline can be found at http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15015006/produceforkids.

One last bit, Styrofoam trays are used in some cafeterias because the dishwashers are not utilized, again due to monetary reasons—cost of water, detergent, and staff. Mark shared that back in the day when he started his career at Dover, the students helped wash trays at the end of lunch. This is not the case anymore thanks to liability issues. Mark was encouraged to look into who is stating the liability; local or state regulations. In schools around the nation, kids are in the kitchen cooking—using knives, and pots and pans on hot burners. Let’s think outside of the lunch box. Laurie thoughtfully stated that $45,000 is spent in garbage removal. At a glance, the cost of using reusable trays or compostable paper could offset garbage. Mark needs to run the numbers and share with the council.

The next meeting is set for November 20 at 9:00am at Dover Middle School in the café.  Progress is made at every meeting. It’s inspiring to see change happening at a local level, despite bleak times. I encourage parents and the public to get involved.

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A question for blog readers… what do you think is fair, fun, and healthful (even sustainable) for Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) to sell as school fundraisers? Some ideas to get the cogs turning: pencils, stickers, crayons, homemade jewelry, school supplies, knitted socks, raw veggie sticks or slices, fresh fruit, work certificates for yard work like raking leaves, etc.

Let us know if you have innovative ideas to share with school PTOs!

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Reading assignment—from The New York Times:

Local Carrots with a Side of Red Tape

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/dining/17carr.html

6 Food Mistakes Parents Make

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/health/healthspecial2/15eat.html

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A grant to consider if it fits district goals:

Healthy Sprouts Awards

The National Gardening Association administers the Healthy Sprouts Awards, sponsored by Gardener’s Supply Company. These awards support school and youth garden programs that teach about nutrition and the issue of hunger in the United States. To be eligible for the 2008 Healthy Sprouts Awards, your school or organization must plan to garden in 2009 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. The selection of winners is based on the demonstrated relationship between the garden program and nutrition and hunger issues in the United States. Winning programs receive seeds, curriculum, and gift certificates for purchase of gardening materials. Due date: October 15, 2008. For more info, see: http://www.kidsgardening.com/healthysprouts.asp

Posted in author: Amy | Print | 8 Comments »

June 26, 2008 by Amy.

One glance around the table proves that summer is upon us, short sleeves and cool beverages abound. Dorothea Hooper, School Board member, had a Coke that she was complaining about. “This stuff is awful,” she said, “but there wasn’t any water for me to buy.” She purchased it from a machine in the staff lounge. Luckily student vending machines offer only water and 100% juice.

This might be the big Wellness Policy planning session, but the group appears smaller than that of the previous meeting. June is a hectic month for all. The purpose of the meeting is to summarize what has been achieved by the council over the past year then submit a report to the School Board.

The most accurate and appealing way to communicate what was addressed is to write straight from the agenda set forth. Thanks to preplanning by Laurie Verville, Business Manager and head of the council, the meeting format was well organized.

Current Policy Highlights:
1. Nutrition education is integrated in as many areas of the curriculum as possible including health, physical education and science instruction. There are also wellness signs in the cafeterias and the district has a culinary program. Nurses work with students who have medical needs like diabetes.

2. The School Meals Program will work to offer several balanced meal choices to students on a daily basis. Food Service Director Mark Covell stated that the cafés are gradually moving away from canned fruit and more fresh fruit like apples, oranges and mini bananas will be offered when affordable. Currently, dark leafy greens are added to the iceberg salad mix two to three times per week. Fresh broccoli florets were added in 2007/2008, and zucchini and carrot sticks will be on the menu in 2008/2009. Breaded items are being reduced, and the food in the elementary schools will be improved all around—bravo!

3. Faculty, staff and the school community will work together to promote and reinforce healthy lifestyle habits during school hours, and for after school activities sponsored by the district. As of 2007/2008 there was not a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) board member on the council, but it would be a stellar movement to link with these groups. Snack options will be discussed with head of the YMCA after school program.  Edline, the district online communication source for staff, parents and students lists healthy snacks and fundraising items. Nutrition Nuggets, a quick read nutrition information box, is generally printed in the parent newsletter. And this last year, middle school diabetic students met with a nutritionist from Hannaford Supermarkets.

4. Food will not be used as a reward or punishment unless specified in a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or behavior plan. The council feels that improvement is needed under this section. An example, at Woodman Park elementary, it was noticed that teachers were giving out bright colored freeze pops on hot days as a hydrating treat. According to Claudia Lynch, school nurse, some students are hypersensitive to food color additives used in processed foods. Another example, at the middle school, students in two separate classrooms were given lollipops. The council agreed that teachers need to be educated and held responsible for not following the Wellness Policy. A possible solution: provide a written document explaining the policy at the beginning of each school year.

5. Food and beverages offered in school stores and vending machines, accessible to students, will be consistent with the state vending guidelines. Mark said vending machines under his management meet state guidelines. The student store, however, is an ongoing issue—big cans of iced tea were sold even after the instructor in charge was schooled on the Wellness Policy. This is to be addressed along with the culinary arts program. High school students with huge cookies were seen wandering the halls, and it’s likely they bought the cookies through the culinary arts program. Good news—chips will not be sold in the elementary schools beginning 2008/2009. Dorothea reiterated once elementary students eat healthier, they will continue with good eating habits into middle and high school. This will help with the movement towards a stronger, healthier food program. A consistent message about healthful eating is the obtainable long term goal.

6. Organizations and classes should look for alternate ways to fundraise other than the sale of food. All is well in this area, creative fundraisers like jewelry, coffee and flower bulb sales keep school programs funded.

7. Monitoring the Wellness Policy will be reported to the School Board on an annual basis. Dorothea reports to the School Board at least once a month on issues and changes.

A few bits to chew:
- The group agreed that it is on track: issues were acknowledged, some changes were made and council members have heightened awareness.
- Dover has complied with state policies, which are lenient at best. The district strives not only to meet, but to go well above the state nutritional guidelines.
- New and old recipe student taste testing will happen again in the 2008/2009 school year.
- University of New Hampshire (UNH) nutritional science interns are a viable source of aid. A meeting is set for late summer to discuss direction.
- The UNH Office of Sustainability is also a go-to source.  In fact, they just recommended the following source of farm to school information and recipes: Fresh From the Farm: The Massachusetts Farm to School Cookbook. Check it out. http://www.mass.gov/agr/markets/Farm_to_school/farm_to_school_cookbook.pdf
- The committee will look into grants to fund specific needs as they are assessed.
- Better education and communication amongst staff, parents and students is necessary for successful policy implementation. A couple of ideas that came up: print and provide healthy snack shopping lists for parents, Open House or PTA/PTO education sessions.
- All Dining Facility Council meeting dates for 2008/2009 were scheduled—excellent news for all involved. This bodes well for continuing the momentum.

The next Dover Dining Facility Council write-up will come before you know it, after school is in session, late September. For now, relax… take the kids to your local farm and dig into the Seacoast’s scrumptious bounty.

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May 23, 2008 by Amy.

Step back four decades to 1967, when Dover High School’s kitchen was brand spanking new, cranking out fish sticks and French fries like nobody’s business. Ten years ago, milk was delivered in crates from Scrouton’s Dairy farm in Dover and kitchen compost was held for a local pig farmer to come pick up the loot. The latter is no longer the case, but the 40 year old equipment still grinds away, and the frozen processed food still stands. The funky rose colored doors on the industrial fridge and freezer caught my eye. An interesting color pairing, the walls are tiled sunflower yellow. The entire kitchen is sparkly clean, a cheery space with plenty of room and equipment to cook, and I mean really cook.

Our group tour of Dover High School’s kitchen was scheduled to give volunteer members of the Dining Facilities Council a sense of what Food Service Director Mark Covell has to work with. The majority of the district’s food is prepared in this kitchen and then trucked to the middle and three elementary schools. The district has its own small truck to maneuver the goods.

Mark’s budget is comprised solely of school breakfast and lunch sales. To put this into perspective, high school and middle school breakfast is priced at $1.25 and lunch is $2.25. An elementary school breakfast is also $1.25, lunch is $1.75. His budget covers food, kitchen equipment purchases and repairs, which includes the dishwashers; purchase of the transportation truck, maintenance and fuel costs; and staffing all five schools.

Mark also receives a small amount from the government for free, reduced and paid meals; the highest reimbursement is for free and the lowest for paid. For twelve years he’s been ending the school year in the black, but he feels that this year might be an exception with rising food cost due to higher fuel prices. This past week he bought a case of celery for over $40; a week ago the same amount cost $14.

The cafeteria was bustling with activity upon arrival at 10am. The space is used for study hall throughout the day. It was worth the trip to gawk. We can’t do much to improve the system, if we don’t have a grasp of the day-to-day operations.

Along with the committee members, Mark agrees that goals need to be established and they must be realistic. Institutional food service management has barriers, like increased governmental regulation that you don’t have with a restaurant.

Mark added, “I think it is important to convey a positive note in regard to where we are today as compared to just five to six years ago. The district, my staff and numerous others have worked very hard to get to this point. Is it perfect? No, but it is a 100 percent improvement over where we were.”

Four parent volunteers attended and we were all curious to see the dimensions of the walk-in freezer and refrigerator, as well as the dry storage area. One of our many initial ideas is to find a local farm willing and able to sell wholesale produce like green beans at the peak of ripeness that volunteers can then blanch and freeze one day over the summer for use in the upcoming school year. To do this, we need equipment and freezer storage space.

Although we knew what to expect, I think our greatest let down was not the actual size of the storage spaces, but rather what was using it up—box upon box and stacked cans of processed, ready to serve food product. Enriched white bread, Chef Boyardee ravioli and frozen chicken patties anyone? I asked if organic, canned products and other bulk foods could be purchased over conventional, and as expected, Mark confirmed they are way too pricey and hard to get through his mainstream distributers.

What makes it onto a 15 year old’s lunch tray? Veggies, veggies, veggies… the kids bopping through the line chose vegetables like sliced raw green pepper and broccoli florets to accompany their hamburger taco meat and orange goo (better known as Cheese Wiz-type sauce). The salad was pretty sad, your typical iceberg lettuce with orange and purple flecks of carrot and red cabbage. We asked Mark why not leafy greens? The darker green salad mixes are tough to purchase at an affordable price, but he does buy whole leaf spinach and heads of romaine when he can.

The federal government’s commodity program isn’t a reliable source of food. The random food items that are shipped are not enough to ease Mark’s tight budget. Projected food may or may not arrive and the quality of food is often subpar.

In other areas of the high school café, we spotted bagels, soft pretzels, and bagged snack items like chips hanging for sale. Mark mentioned that homemade soups are an option for the kids, and there is generally one prepared from scratch hot item on the menu each day. The kitchen staff experiments with the hot item—catering to his clientele’s sophomoric taste.

A little unnerving, the kids only get 25 minutes for lunch. Back in the day when I attended high school, we had an entire period, which was 55 minutes. Apparently one of the kitchen’s battles is getting the food to the kids fast enough so that they have time to eat. 

There is a trickle-down effect taking place in the cafeterias. The high school kids get the best selection of food, middle and elementary schools, not so much. This again, is a result of the short lunch period. It is tough for the younger students to make a choice with a large variety, so their choices are limited.

One of the parents was also concerned with Styrofoam trays being used for the lower grade levels. She asked if thick paper or even recyclable or reusable plastic could be used. Again, price is the issue. The district can’t afford a sustainable solution. All of the kitchens have dish machines, but the cost to staff a dishwasher and to buy the chemical solution to run the machines is far too much.

Our group of volunteers has a lot to digest, and despite all of the grand ideas that we have to improve the food and sustainability practices of the district, we all agree that we must stay positive and find a focus if we want to see change. We are eager to seek grant money or other donations if that is what it takes to put tasty, nutritious, real food on the tables. Cost continues to be at the forefront of all discussion.

In two weeks, we meet again at Garrison elementary school to examine progress of the Health, Wellness and Nutrition school district policy. A brainstorming session is on the agenda, and an updated report will be submitted to the school board. It would be ideal if tasty morsels could be made from scratch, using local food—that’s our old school solution. Till next time, eat well.

Posted in author: Amy | Print | No Comments »