| BOE Minutes | BOE Home Page | |
| Previous: 2006-04-24 || Special Meeting - Open Session || Next: 2006-05-02 | ||
| Madison Metropolitan School District Madison, Wisconsin Art Rainwater, Superintendent | ||
|---|---|---|
| BOARD OF EDUCATION Minutes for Special Meeting - Open Session May 1, 2006 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street Madison, Wisconsin |
|
Special Meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Carol Carstensen at 5:33 p.m. in McDaniels Auditorium.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Carol Carstensen, Lawrie Kobza, Lucy Mathiak, Ruth Robarts, Arlene Silveira, Shwaw Vang (arrived 5:37 p.m.), Johnny Winston, Jr.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
PRESENT: Connor Gants
STAFF PRESENT: Sue Abplanalp, Freddi Adelson, Mary Gulbrandsen, Frank Kelly, Pam Nash, Roger Price, Art Rainwater, Clarence Sherrod, Ken Syke, Barbara Lehman-Recording Secretary
1. Approval of Minutes
It was moved by Lawrie Kobza and seconded by Ruth Robarts to approve the minutes of the Special meeting dated February 13, 2006 as distributed. Student Representative advisory vote was aye. Motion unanimously carried by those present.
2. Announcements
There were no announcements.
3. LongRangePlanning Process Book
(Packets included the book for the process for long range facility use and facility maintenance planning (4/06). A copy is attached to the original of these minutes.)
The Superintendent reviewed the contents of the book and how it will be used in the future. All the data and information is from this year. In the fall of next year, administration will reconstruct this book with current data and will report to the board what they find. If there are issues, then the board will address detailed planning. It is a conceptual long range plan anticipated by the administration over the next five years. They projected having a complete update on what they have found in mid-November.
Discussion: Five year plan was presented earlier. Board will address problems as they occur.
Shwaw Vang arrived at this time.
Discussion continued: Looking at middle school enrollment. Trigger points are looked at every year. This will go to the Long Range Planning Committee and may focus on elementary schools right now. Can look at middle and high schools more than five years out. There was a suggestion to look at what the community wants from the schools five years from now programmatically. Book was intended to be for building facility planning but programmatic issues could be worked on. Private school enrollment has been going down.
FOLLOW UP: Administration will look at programmatic issues and private school enrollment at the elementary level.
4. Presentation of the Food Policy
(Packets included recommendations for a comprehensive food policy; focus group questions/responses; themes from focus groups; model school foods reform legislation; competitive food standards recommendations; healthy beverage promotion sales; school nutrition policy background; Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch food policy recommendations; UW Children's Hospital Pediatric Fitness Clinic position; soda machine information; American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement; other relevant articles and case studies; common misconceptions about the food policy; support from the Madison Department of Public Health; and the summary of responses to web questionnaire. Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
Freddi Adelson introduced the Student representatives: Stephanie Payne, Ellie Shoshany Anderson, Heidi Voelker, and Megan Engbring. Ms. Adelson then gave the presentation (a copy of the PowerPoint is attached to the original of these minutes). Highlights included the guiding principles, the goals of the proposed food policy, areas that will be affected, the process for developing recommendations, pre-work and early exploration and topics covered, general themes from focus groups, presentations to Student Senate and Management Team, additional input, increasing community awareness, and a revision to the recommendations. More articles were distributed (copies are attached to the original of these minutes). The recommendations had five sections: nutrition, sales, food safety, environment, and consumption of food.
Discussion: Current status of vending issues in the high schools; only two machines in the district that sell food or snacks. What has been done since the board directed to have healthy food choices in the schools. What the vendors are unwilling to deal with; no sales and shorter shelf lives. Elementary students do not have access to vending machines. Middle schools are restricted to juice, water, and some have milk. Average amount of fund raising per high school is $20-$25,000 and goes to the principal. Increasing discretionary money to the schools if sales are down. Concerns about the nutritional value of sports drinks. Have not experimented with all healthy items. Food policy is a compromise. Diet soda not included because it has no nutritional value. There has been a big increase in the number of companies that are trying to modify what they sell, but have to very careful about choices (e.g., granola bars can be very bad). Food contamination issues with salad bars.
Food Services food has to meet standards. Federal government does not fund any more for going above and beyond the standards. Whether to be more demanding of Food Services in terms of healthy food. Food services already lowering the fat content of the whole program. Ala carte offerings will be reduced by 50 percent next year.
Scope of the ad hoc committee and the short timeline—students and staff have done a lot of work and need to know what to do for next year; scope is to look at the policy and recommendations to the board. Reason for using an ad hoc committee vs. coming directly to the board. Reasons for choosing particular board members to serve on the ad hoc committee.
Time and location of serving breakfast. Not much fresh fruit and vegetables due to non-acceptability and cost. Wellness policy may encompass two policies—nutrition and food safety. Wellness policy will focus on physical education, health education, and safety. MMSD has made big changes in food safety over the last three years. Would like to have public comment on people using the district's kitchens.
5. Public Appearances
Registration slips were not turned in to secretary.
First Speaker, UW Madison, found it really hard to understate obesity and its contribution to the top ten causes of death and the decline in life expectancy. The origins of this epidemic are hard to pin down but they have seen a decrease in energy expenditures and big intake. He supported the limitations on soft drinks and sugars. It was clarified that the onset has been seen in the high schools.
Second Speaker, teacher at Lincoln Elementary, was concerned about fund raising. Her experience at Lincoln has been raising money by selling light bulbs. She thought there were other possibilities to sell that people actually need. She also thought it good for their very high percentage of low-income students to have access to locally grown fresh food; they crave it.
Third Speaker, teaches UW sociology and on the steering committee with Wisconsin's Homegrown Lunch, spoke about the things they have instituted and indicated that it is possible to do things differently. They are working with many schools. He felt the document was remarkable and very aggressive and should be given the opportunity and pleasant environment in which to work. He thought the time to be bold was now, that it has enormous implications, and that it was time to do it in the elementary schools. He wanted people to take the policy seriously and was concerned with the meals served by Food Services. He did not agree with being so restrictive about cooking and preparing food in the classrooms.
Fourth Speaker, health educator from Madison Public Health, submitted a position paper that was highlighted: alarming access to high fat and high sugar foods throughout the school day, high rate of students not eating breakfast at home or school. Findings: important to reduce sugar content not just the fat content, more policies limit portion sizes, increase fruit and vegetables and whole grain offerings through school advertising and special programs and sampling and testing. He thought the district should allow for alternative delivery systems and noted that other districts have adopted food policies that have resulted in increased food sales and increased alternative fund raising. (Speaker was asked for copies of the policies from other school districts.)
Fifth Speaker, volunteer at Hamilton, has met with the school nurse and students and counselors regarding changing her store at the school. She has her own rules and talked about the healthier alternatives she has introduced (e.g., vitamin water, nature bars). Students come to her store after they have eaten their breakfast and get some things for their siblings at home. She would abide by any changes that are made. Profits go to the office.
Sixth Speaker, nursing assistant at Sandburg, spoke of the need to set policies with regard to students with severe allergies. The current meals suggest that standards are healthy are minimal. She knew about the financial constraints. She thought it best to reject the contract with Coca Cola and to encourage the board to follow the same standard and commit Food Services to healthy wholesome food. Students depend on us to make decisions and students will work within the framework that is brought. The cost perspective for a food policy must be based on life-time costs. Healthy food does have a high cost; it is a standard, not an option. She urged the board to find the money to make it happen. There are a lot of students in the buildings a certain number of hours per day who would do well to receive a good meal and good snacks.
Seventh Speaker, vegetable grower in the areas for a number of years, Wisconsin Home Grown and parent, touted the farm-to-school program. He understood the many challenges they have worked together with Food Services to try to overcome. They comply with USDA standards and would like to offer variety. He would like to see the pilot programs increased and to purchase from local producers when possible. He asked the board to set the goal and what it will take to get there. Children need to be exposed many times, including field trips to farms and classroom tastings. The part of the policy related to cooking being allowed in classrooms is too restrictive; they want to encourage this. He also wanted the board to consider the use of other facilities including the kitchens.
Eighth Speaker, pediatrician and professor, complimented the students on putting together an impressive document. Talked about the epidemic of obesity happening within a 15 year period. Thought it crucial not to rely only the schools as the place where this occurs. Healthy eating is part of the equation but physical education is also needed, and he hoped it would return to the classrooms.
Ninth Speaker, Memorial High School student, thought the proposed policy would eliminate many of the programs at the schools. Pizzas, candy bars, help them pursue their passions. They need to continue to utilize what works. Students will find other ways to get these treats. She believed the proposal must be opposed.
Tenth Speaker, West High School, opposed parts of the policy at the high school level. She did not believe it would change obesity habits. Their store sells a variety of things and she talked about the things they have done with the money they have made. Many fund raisers will not be able to have a comprehensive ingredient list. Students will be stripped of something that can help them a lot. Most students value their health but candy and chips make money. She asked the board to reconsider.
Eleventh Speaker, junior at Memorial High School, has been in extracurricular activities since she was 10 years old. She did not believe the real choice to live healthy is made in the school cafeteria. They were not prepared to take the chance of losing their programs. The real solution to the obesity crisis is to put pressure on parents and Food Services.
Twelfth Speaker gave an anecdote about a student who cannot go to the store because it is closed, decides not to go to the nearest coop, and goes to lunch in the cafeteria where they are offered pizza, tater tots, cookies, or bruised fruit. This was not the way to stop obesity. The schools do not have the money to get really good food at school. They are being told that they are young adults and they are not being given the right to choose.
Thirteenth Speaker, junior at Memorial High School and member of the drama debate and forensics program, stated that every year they do fund raisers for everything. They make substantial amounts of money on pizza, baked goods, and candy. There are other activities and products but hard to make as much without involving food sales. They always follow the food safety programs. She asked that they be allowed to continue to grow and learn through these programs.
6. Other Business
There was no other business.
7. Adjournment
It was moved by Shwaw Vang and seconded by Johnny Winston, Jr. to adjourn the meeting at 7:15 p.m. Student Representative advisory vote was aye. Motion unanimously carried.
bl
Previous: 2006-04-24 || Special Meeting - Open Session || Next: 2006-05-02