School Nutrition Committee
The School Nutrition Committee sprinted ahead in 2011 to create a pilot project in 10 schools where school personnel and community organizations are working together to transform the selection, nutrition and preparation of school cafeteria meals.
National and local data clearly show the need for Alignment’s newest committee. In a 2010 study, Tennessee ranked 42 in a list of most obese states – up from 44 in 2009 but still far from ideal.
Nationally, roughly one-third of all U.S. adults and 17% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese – statistics that are echoed at the Nashville level.
The circumstances in Nashville are complicated by the high percentage of students whose families live at or near the federal benchmark for poverty, a situation that has been repeatedly correlated with obesity. With more than 70% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, schools are in a unique position to help these students receive healthy meals and to educate families about nutritious guidelines.
After the committee’s first meeting in February, a facilitated session helped identify the eight tenets supporting their vision, including:
- Quality food preparation and presentation should occur in each cafeteria.
- A mantra that “junk food is not an option.”
- Comprehensive nutrition education is essential for the MNPS community.
- The MNPS community will model healthy choices.
- Cafeteria workers will be highly trained and supported.
- The use of local agriculture will increase.
- Schools will create a common culture of wellness.
- District policy will enable, support and sustain the vision.
A $50,000 grant from Healthways Foundation funded the first steps in training, with 26 MNPS cafeteria managers and six students from Hunters Lane High School Culinary Arts Program attending the National School Nutrition Association Conference held in Nashville this summer. The participants then collaborated in nine hours of facilitated discussion to design a pilot nutrition program that can be scaled into all MNPS school cafeterias across the district. As part of the plan, the committee hopes to re-brand school cafeterias as Cafés.
The committee’s first Invitation to Participate was released in September to identify community resources, programs or staff supporting the school café pilot program. Currently, 15 responses include such services as education to students and staff, garden-to-school initiatives, communications and marketing, developing student voice, and support in developing and implementing a pilot training program that began in November.
Next
Schools selected for the ongoing nutrition pilot program include: Glenview, Glengarry, Fall-Hamilton, Park Avenue and Shayne elementary schools; Rose Park and Wright middle schools; and Overton, McGavock and Stratford high schools. Staff from each of those schools will participate in a three-week training program during the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year.
As the pilot proceeds, the School Nutrition Committee will begin measuring results in three key areas of change:
- More foods made-from-scratch (with fewer processed products).
- Reinvent a la carte to reduce high-calorie and/or nutrition-poor choices.
- More fruits and vegetables selected by students.
The committee is also planning to produce replication guides and training videos based on the pilot school projects, and continues to explore funding sources to expand the program.
Results
In less than a year, the new School Nutrition Committee has crafted goals and measurement metrics, secured seed funding, arranged initial training, issued its first ITP, developed a standardized training program, and initiated a 10-school pilot project to convert traditional school cafeterias to student- and nutrition-friendly School Cafés.
For more information, please contact: Glen L. Biggs, Associate Director.
