Healthy Lifestyles Presentation to BOE: August 2014
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The document summarizes the proposed policy on school nutrition and physical activity. It provides background on parent survey responses calling for healthier options and less junk food. Classroom celebrations were noted to frequently include unhealthy foods like cupcakes and donuts. The proposed policy aims to offer healthier celebration options and food choices while still allowing celebrations. It is presented as thoughtful, research-based, and focused on student health and well-being rather than being punitive. The policy does not ban food but provides guidelines and resources for healthier options.
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Healthy Lifestyles Presentation to BOE: August 2014
- 1. Report to Board of Education August 11, 2014
- 2. Where it began… Long-Range Strategic Planning Survey 2012 “I would like to see less junk food at parties and classroom events.” “An awareness of the serious threat to our kids' health presented by prevalent and inexpensive genetically modified foods ... I'd like to see meal planning that seeks to avoid/prohibit using genetically modified foods .” “Food consciousness!” “I would like to see a focus on health and a health curriculum added.”
- 3. Where it began… Long-Range Strategic Planning Survey 2012 “I don't like to see that children can purchase Doritos and other chips as a snack . I would rather see apples and oranges available for purchase. It would be great if the food was cooked right at school. Fresh soups, veggies, etc...” “The curriculum teaches about healthy eating but the schools are not very healthy!”
- 4. An Email from a parent… “In the past 7 days the following has happened in my son's classroom: student of the week - brownies birthday celebration - donuts birthday celebration - cupcakes birthday celebration - donuts student of the week - cupcakes Upcoming: Valentines Day party - I can only imagine what he will get then!”
- 5. What the proposed policy is: Thoughtful and Reflective • 21 hours of meetings; at least 20 people at each meeting • A collaborative effort; melding of different viewpoints • A response to real, contemporary issues • A place to start; not an ending point
- 6. What the proposed policy is: Research-Based • Articles from Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Healthy Schools Campaign, State and Federal websites, • Policy review: CABE, Orange, other districts, other states • A response to real, contemporary issues – and local issues, as well. • A place to start; not an ending point
- 7. What the proposed policy is: Research-Based • Articles from Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Healthy Schools Campaign, State and Federal websites, • Policy review: CABE, Orange, other districts, other states • A response to real, contemporary issues – and local issues, as well. • A place to start; not an ending point
- 8. What the proposed policy is: “Best for Kids!” • Retains celebrations • Provides MANY healthy choices for celebrations • Addresses current curriculum needs • Addresses current cafeteria needs
- 9. What the proposed policy is NOT: Dictatorial or Inflexible • The proposed BOE Adopted Guideline is FULL of choices • The choices are fun and inviting … for kids to choose in the classroom… for families to make the day before! • The Friday eBlasts and the Pinterest Board will provide even more ideas, including seasonal treats.
- 10. What the proposed policy is NOT: Dictatorial or Inflexible • The proposed BOE Adopted Guideline is FULL of choices • The choices are fun and inviting … for kids to choose in the classroom… for families to make the day before! • The Friday eBlasts and the Pinterest Board will provide even more ideas, including seasonal treats.
- 11. What the proposed policy is NOT: Punishing or Mean • The policy does not limit the number or nature of celebrations. • We don’t ‘punish’ kids when we provide healthy snacks. • It is not ‘mean’ to let every families make its own choices regarding candy or other sweets.
- 12. What the proposed policy is NOT: Perfect or All-Encompassing • Ordered 4 salad bars – lots of choices. • Nutritional values of meals added to webpage • Improved menus
- 13. Our wish for all kids: Health What does it look like? “The absence of disease and infirmity, but also the presence of physical, mental, and social well being.” (Research from New England Journal of Medicine with support from World Health Organization) Quality of life issues are directly impacted, and even driven by, proper nutrition and fitness.
- 14. Nutrition Objective To translate the science of food into practical solutions for everyday healthy living (phrase adopted from Yale’s research-based, “Nutritional Health Program”)
- 15. Neuro-nutrition
- 16. Learning is Rooted in Biological Function Food is fuel and drives performance Cell function connected to two major areas Brain performance Precision in body movement (athleticism, etc.) It’s time to upgrade the standard for the healthy food choices made available to our kids while at school!
- 17. Physical Activity Objective Children need to exercise more -- not a news flash. Consequences of an inactive lifestyle. Gym is infrequent When it comes to children’s fitness, or lack thereof, the word epidemic is often used. “Idea Fitness Journal” American College of Sports Medicine
- 18. “Spark” by John J. Ratey, M.D. Exercise = a sense of well being, energy and focus Exercise = reverses anxiety and depression. The brain, although not a muscle, is much like one Exercise causes neurons to grow Body to mind connection undeniable—powerful stuff! We can influence our own biology
- 19. Clip RE: Sound bytes underscoring the awareness our committee wants to share “Fed-Up Clip”
- 20. The Fed-Up Talking Points Epidemic far worse than originally anticipated. Voracious appetites and they don’t exercise enough. Our brain is short-circuited by large doses of sugar. First generation of children to face diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. two decades earlier.
- 21. What do we do with what we know? Moral obligation to our kids Accountability Action
- 22. How does this play out here in Orange? We are fortunate Not the worst, but can do better ALL-inclusive (not only about obesity or disease) Mindset: strike a balance
- 23. The Heart of it All Quality of life outcomes (our children deserve it) We cannot and should not “control” -- rather “guide, support, and cheer on!”
- 24. What can we do with what we know? “Public health experts consider a host of overarching and powerful influences beyond any one person’s control to be the pivotal causes of childhood obesity. Consequently, it is more useful from a prevention and policy standpoint to examine the increasingly ‘toxic environments’ in which we live, consider a comprehensive strategy, and introduce, implement, and enforce public health policy to change those environments.” Yale Pediatric Medicine
- 25. What can we do with what we know? For us to consider: As a community, we, the BOE, the administration, teachers, support staff, and parents, can unite to be a positive ‘powerful influence’ in the lifelong health of our children.
- 26. The Survey Results 1. No staff member may use food or candy either as a reward for good behavior or as a punishment for poor behavior. • Did you know of this? – 51% Yes – 49% No • Can you implement this? – 89% Yes – 11% No
- 27. The Survey Results 2. Staff members shall not deny recess or assign physical exercises as a form of discipline or punishment. • Did you know of this? – 88% Yes – 12% No • Can you implement this? – 91% Yes – 9% No
- 28. The Survey Results 3. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate physical activity breaks between long lessons; these can be used as rewards. • Can you implement this? – 90% Yes – 10% No
- 29. The Survey Results 4. Proposed policy does NOT mandate that celebrations must be food-free. Instead, it asks room-parents and school staff to make choices for celebrations from these resources: • A 'Board Approved Healthy Foods List‘ • A Pinterest Board @ Good4Kids2014 • A weekly eBlast Can you implement this? – 76% Yes – 24% No
- 30. The Survey Results 6. For curricular celebrations which include food, the proposed policy asks that parents provide a list of the ingredients in advance. Can you implement this? – 80% Yes – 20% No
- 31. The Survey Results 7. The proposed policy would NOT allow 'unplanned celebrations' such as a parent bringing in morning donuts or afternoon pizza unannounced. Such unannounced foods will be sent home. Can you implement this? – 72% Yes – 28% No
- 32. The Survey Results 8. The policy would NOT allow the following five foods which have little to no nutritional value: candy, soda, water ice (i.e. popsicles, or frozen flavored water, except 100% frozen fruit juice), fried snacks, or chewing gum. This would include 'goodie bags' being sent home Can you implement this? – 71% Yes – 29% No
- 33. The Survey Results 9. If 'modeling healthy lifestyles' meant you had to give up the five NO foods mentioned previously (candy, soda, popsicles, gum and fried snacks (such as potato chips), would you have difficulty implementing this in your classroom? Can you implement this? – 56% Yes – 44% No
- 35. The Truth about the BOE APPROVED LIST [Screenshot]
Editor's Notes
- After the last meeting, someone told me, “You can dress it up any way you want, with pretty pictures and bright colors, but it is still a dictatorship.” So, from here on, just in this presentation, we’re free of the logos and bright colors we carefully selected last month to try and make this proposed policy fun and inviting. There was never an intention to make the work the committee has done look like a sales pitch. It has only ever been sincere and from the heart, so we listened. Tonight will be more respectful of everyone’s feelings in that we’ve got the research you needed and lost the glitz. However, when we begin communicating about healthy choices with parents through the Friday eblast and on the webpage, the colors are back.
- Prior to the Long-Range Strategic Planning Committee beginning its ‘planning,’ the members of that committee put together a town-wide survey. There was no specific question in the survey which asked about the cafeteria or about food specifically, but in the areas where people were given write-in boxes, comments about food came up without prompting.
- There was enough of an emphasis for the Long-Range Strategic Planning Committee to make it one of their 3-year goals. The BOE approved the Long-Range Strategic Plan in the Spring of 2013, and I began working on the goals within that plan which included everything from ‘study full-day kindergarten’ to ‘improve the safety of our school’ (post Sandy Hook).
- I also receive emails. Two of my most memorable emails were received about the same time the Strategic Planning Committee was meeting. The first came from a mom who said her daughter was given a bakery cupcake with an inch of blue frosting on it because another boy in the class’s hockey team had won a championship. The mom had dropped the cupcakes off unannounced in the morning. Then followed, a birthday party with cupcakes in the afternoon. The kids had the hockey celebration in the morning so as not to take away from the birthday celebration in the afternoon. She said she didn’t feed her kids this way and wanted to know why the school did. A second email from a parent simply had two pictures side by side – one was of the cover of a Scholastic Weekly Reader with a picture of a school child who had an apple in one hand and a cupcake in the other and a question mark over her head. The other picture the mom sent was of the goodie bag filled with candy her child had brought home from school along with the magazine. She wrote one word: “Really?” A mom recently told me her child’s classroom won a reading challenge. The prize was a new book for each child with a goodie bag of candy tied to the front of the book. She asked, what’s wrong with the book being the reward? Did he really have to get the candy?
- Thus, the Healthy Lifestyles Committee was born from a legitimate interest in the Orange school community that we take some action to remedy the amount of unhealthy foods given to our children in school. Many parents, not one or two, feel that we need to limit the amount of junk food we allow to be distributed because they do not allow junk food at home. These comments, coupled with emails I regularly receive from parents, led to two goals in the “Student Health and Wellness” section of the Strategic Plan [CLICK] Ensure the food sold and offered to children in school meets health and safety standards. Investigate healthy alternatives to food-based celebrations and rewards. The Strategic Plan asks if we are protecting children with food allergies… and if we are taking steps to ensure food brought in from home is safe and healthy. Based on the goals set in the Strategic Plan, an appeal was made to the school community: Who would like to serve on a committee? Teachers and parents came forward. We talked about our reasons for joining and they varied… some people were concerned about allergies, some about ‘clean kitchens’ and food preparation and storage, some about nutrition – but everyone cared about one thing: What’s best for kids? We had to compromise and collaborate. The proposed policy is not perfect. Some argue it does not prohibit home-made foods. Some argue it does not limit dyes and additives. Some argue it is not strict enough about allergies. But, despite it’s limits it is much better than what we currently have. Despite it’s limits, it takes us one step closer to what’s best for kids.
- One of the first things the committee did was exchange, read, and discuss articles about healthy school foods. We read our current policy, CABE’s recommended policy, (CABE is the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education), and policy from other districts, such as Bethany, Woodbridge, Clinton, and others. The research is much deeper and more contemporary than we could reasonably grapple with – for example, more current concerns over GMO’s, gluten, estrogens, etc. When you asked for a survey last month, we quickly rallied and got a very thorough survey out to the teachers. The one area we did reach agreement on was this [CLICK] – the school should take a stand and do what’s best for kids, even if we have to begin with baby steps in order to get where we need to ultimately arrive. In a moment, you’ll hear more about the research we considered from Michele Tenney, a member of our committee and a Certified Personal Trainer, Life Coach, and Nutritionist.
- One of the first things the committee did was exchange, read, and discuss articles about healthy school foods. We read our current policy, CABE’s recommended policy, (CABE is the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education), and policy from other districts, such as Bethany, Woodbridge, Clinton, and others. The research is much deeper and more contemporary than we could reasonably grapple with – for example, more current concerns over GMO’s, gluten, estrogens, etc. When you asked for a survey last month, we quickly rallied and got a very thorough survey out to the teachers. The one area we did reach agreement on was this [CLICK] – the school should take a stand and do what’s best for kids, even if we have to begin with baby steps in order to get where we need to ultimately arrive. In a moment, you’ll hear more about the research we considered from Michele Tenney, a member of our committee and a Certified Personal Trainer, Life Coach, and Nutritionist.
- So, ultimately, we proposed to you a policy based on what is best for kids – admittedly, while the committee often talked about the adults, the policy was written based not on what is best for teachers, or principals, or parents – but on what’s best for kids. There were people on the committee who wanted no food celebrations at all. Some are concerned about the cleanliness of the food preparation. Some are concerned that something serious might happen. However, the final plan does not prohibit food from coming in. We realize food celebrations are important… it asks that the food coming in be healthier -- just as pretty and inviting, but healthier.
- Thus, the classroom policy is very flexible with lots of choices. In all of the proposed language, and proposed guidelines, the only single piece of policy that is dictatorial and inflexible is one single rule: Parents cannot bring snacks into the classroom unannounced. If they do, the snack will be sent home. There are several reasons why unannounced snacks should be prohibited -- from basic safety issues to instructional time. This unannounced policy applies to showing up in the morning with ‘munchkins for everyone’ …. or in the afternoon with an unannounced pizza party. Even if the new policy is adopted, it would apply to showing up in the morning with ‘granola bars for everyone’ … or in the afternoon with a watermelon party. Unannounced food, whether brought in or delivered, is disruptive and unkind to the teacher. The teacher must be asked in advance and give permission. And, if the teacher says, ‘No,’ … the parent must be understanding.
- Thus, the classroom policy is very flexible with lots of choices. In all of the proposed language, and proposed guidelines, the only single piece of policy that is dictatorial and inflexible is one single rule: Parents cannot bring snacks into the classroom unannounced. If they do, the snack will be sent home. There are several reasons why unannounced snacks should be prohibited -- from basic safety issues to instructional time. This unannounced policy applies to showing up in the morning with ‘munchkins for everyone’ …. or in the afternoon with an unannounced pizza party. Even if the new policy is adopted, it would apply to showing up in the morning with ‘granola bars for everyone’ … or in the afternoon with a watermelon party. Unannounced food, whether brought in or delivered, is disruptive and unkind to the teacher. The teacher must be asked in advance and give permission. And, if the teacher says, ‘No,’ … the parent must be understanding.
- It is not punishing or mean to say, “Today is hot. Would you like this 100% frozen fruit bar” rather than a popsicle. It is not mean to offer kids snacks that are either healthy for them or at least more healthy than we have been giving them in the past. It is not mean to make kids the ‘king’ or ‘queen’ for the day on their birthdays. It is not mean to kids, if when they win the ‘reading contest’ to give them a book and omit the goodie bag of candy. Good nutrition is not a punishment.
- We still have a ways to go. When we say this is a first step, it is because we have a ways to go. Both, the cafeteria and the health curriculum can be improved. We can add more physical exercise to the day, particularly in the winter. We purchased the salad bars at the end of the year, and are working on menus and nutritious foods this summer. Salad bar will be the “alternate meal every day.” We eliminated the most unhealthy of the lunch options – corn dogs, hot dogs, Nachos, pre-made chicken nuggets, and breaded mozzarella sticks. We are replacing these items with alternates such as cheese quesadillas and thin sliced chicken breast. We’ll get the nutritional values of the meals onto the webpage. Lately, we’ve been considering adding pictures, as well. (This is an aside, but we’re enabling a new and better ‘Bill-Pay’ system, as well.) The Healthy Lifestyles Committee has agreed to spend another year addressing the health and wellness curriculum and the cafeteria. We’ve lost some members who didn’t feel we went far enough fast enough, but some new members are interested in joining. Healthy Lifestyles will continue to listen and work hard. This is all about the kids and what’s best for them. I’d like to reintroduce you to Rachel Cain. You met her in June as a member of the Healthy Lifestyles Committee, Rachel has a masters in Biology and teaches Biology as a college professor.
- From an increasingly younger age, they are at risk for the consequences of an inactive lifestyle. Many school programs include gym class as infrequently as once or twice a week, if at all. As children get older, more and more of their leisure time is spent in activities involving no physical exertion whatsoever. When it comes to children’s fitness, or lack thereof, the word epidemic is often used.
- Exercise releases a cascade of events that can not only incite a sense of well being, energy and focus but also reverse feelings of anxiety and depression. The brain, although not a muscle, is much like one Exercise causes neurons to grow and bloom with new buds Body to mind connection undeniable—powerful stuff! You can influence your own biology
- “Public health experts consider a host of overarching and powerful influences beyond any one person’s control to be the pivotal causes of childhood obesity. Consequently, it is more useful from a prevention and policy standpoint to examine the increasingly ‘toxic environments’ in which we live, consider a comprehensive strategy, and introduce, implement, and enforce public health policy to change those environments.” (adopted from a collaborative findings of Yale Pediatric Medicine) For us to consider: As a community, we, the BOE, administration, teaching and support staff, and parents, can unite to be a positive ‘powerful influence’ in the lives of our children.
- As the second part to our research-based presentation tonight deals with the data from the survey you asked us to conduct. At your June meeting, you asked us to survey the teachers and get their thoughts about the proposed policy and particular about their role in implementing it. We responded with a survey the very next day. 99 people responded to the survey. I wish I had asked whether the teacher was a classroom teacher, vs. curriculum specialists , librarian, art, etc. because it would have been great to filter the results by ‘classroom’ teacher vs. ‘specials’ teacher. I asked about knowledge of the two 2013 laws in the survey because we had presented this information at PD last August but had a feeling we needed to do more.
- State legislation in July 2013 makes it mandatory that we do not use food and exercise in illogical ways associated with behavior.
- The Healthy Lifestyles plans to provide many ideas to help teachers implement this policy – also legislated in July 2013, which requires districts to ‘encourage’ physical breaks. One or two teachers provided us with resources regarding this concept.
- The teachers are less afraid of a ‘healthy celebration’ choices than are most other adults… 76% say they could implement the policy. They do not want to become the food police, however, and fear that they will be caught in the middle when parents break the policy and bring unhealthy choices. It makes you wonder -- why would parents put them in that situation?
- Many teachers already do ask for the recipe when parents are bringing in a curricular food project, such as for Colonial Day or State Reports…
- Here’s where the implementation fell a bit – teachers do not want people showing up unannounced with food. But, they don’t want to ‘send the parent away with the food’ either. There is a more important security reason we should not allow unplanned or unannounced foods, particularly if they are delivered to the front door by a friend/relative/delivery person and intended to be sent down to a classroom. .
- Several teachers like ‘popsicles’ and say they are a good, cheap treat on a hot day. If it’s better for kids, can’t we splurge for the 100% fruit bars?
- Last time we were discussing the policy, there was a good deal of discussion around the idea that teachers should be role models of healthy eating. I would think that is a very reasonable expectation in their classrooms… in front of their students. If we were to not allow candy in the classroom, I wouldn’t want the teacher eating a Snickers bar in front of the kids. It’s hard for me to imagine teachers eating in front of the kids, unless the kids are eating also, such as at snack time. In that case, it is really so difficult to pack a healthy snack?
- I’ve provided you with a new chart containing both the non-controversial and controversial elements of the new policy. [CLICK] Column #1 is the portion of the proposed policy being considered. The next column tells where the proposed language came from. If the policy had a survey question related to it, the results of the survey are included. Next, you will find the Healthy Lifestyles Committee’s proposed actions steps to support that policy. [The Committee always recognized that staff and parents would need clear communication and lots of ideas.] The next column gives you the wording of the current orange BOE Policy. And finally at the end of the row, you’ll find the word ‘NO’ if the policy cannot be revised or removed. As you know, some of the policy was State legislated in July 2013. You also have in your packet, the newly-proposed policy in its entirety and the old policy in its entirety. So, let’s look at one of the lines more carefully. [CLICK]
- The BOE Approved List is not stodgy and restrictive… it is ‘ripe’ with opportunities for fun and interesting food. It does not teach the idea that kids can eat as much as they want without an eye to portion control. We would still expect each child to receive one serving. It presents a sensible and undeniably responsible approach for the Orange elementary schools to take regarding healthy eating messages … and practices. It does not prevent families’ choices… or teacher’s choices.
- The list itself is not exhaustive! It provides additional resources, which will continue to grow and build. We don’t expect teachers to become the ‘food police’ and check the lists and check every single resource to see if a food is ‘allowable.’ We do expect parents to see and accept the responsibility inherent in ‘feeding’ other people’s children in our schools and to respond thoughtfully, courteously, and sensibly by providing healthy choices for children at school … and reserving non-nutritional, unhealthy choices for home. We maintain that no argument in favor of unhealthy choices makes sense in a school.
- We chose the words -- “suggestion” and “optional” because we truly believe that with the right information parents will be more than happy to make healthy choices in the best interests of all of our kids.’ We do not ‘punish’ kids when we feed them well. We love them by caring about their health and their healthy futures.
- We know that making the change takes effort and knowledge, so there will be lots of resources provided. Many people who want to keep food celebrations -- as does the committee -- say they love the time they get to spend with their child making the treat for school the next day. While buying the cake mix and making the cupcakes may be comfortably easy, making the ghosts or fruit kabobs can be just as much fun.
- This is the template we hope parents will watch for every Friday in the school’s eBlast. It will have ideas for celebrations and home…
- The ‘Good4Kids’ Pinterest Board will also be an easy to find link and it will grow with new ideas for school and home as we undertake this change together. In summary, the proposed policy is simple – let’s do what is best for our kids.