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Farm Events: |
Farm News: Baraboo School Cutting Available MilkcommentsPosted: 09.06.2011
Parents and dairy farmers have been expressing their concerns about a decision by the Baraboo School district to limit the amount of milk made available to students this year.
An article in the Baraboo News Republic quotes Molly Fitzgerald, director of elementary programming and principal at Gordon L. Willson Elementary School, as saying the decision was motivated in part by financial constraints - but also, by consumption patterns. Below is a complete email received by the WI Farm Report on Tuesday morning in response to a request for an interview. We'll still be working to try and arrange an interview with Molly as schedules allow. Fitzgerald says she encourages feedback - her email is mfitzgerald@Barabooschools.net. This is the entire, unedited email from Fitzgerald:
HI Pam,
I'm heading into a classroom, but maybe these key points would assist with any questions you may have! If not, please give me a jingle. Please find the information below and do let me know if you have any follow up questions. The process to change our previous plan included many discussions at our Wellness committee meetings (which is comprised of members of the District and community members including representation from the medial field) as well as some checking and review of our existing practices. Below are some of the pieces that were used in making the decisions.
1. The quantity of milk consumption has been an issue. Milk is included at breakfast and lunch. When you add the milk break, some students are on their 3rd half pint by 11:30 AM.
2. The quantity of waste has also been an issue. Because of the quantity of milk offered, it is often times wasted, especially at lunch. Or, the student does not eat their meal as well because they are full from milk.
3. With our Wellness concerns and District committee, we feel water is a much better choice than milk or juice at break. It is a healthy habit to drink water frequently. We encourage breaks throughout the day to rehydrate by drinking water or bringing a water bottle to have in class in some instances.
4. Instructional time will be saved by not organizing and taking the break. Saving the teachers' time to enter the milk break on Infinite Campus , our computerized program, or the food service clerks' time in correcting errors or adding tardy children to the count was also a factor.
5. The cost is a variable in the decision too. Last year the Baraboo School District Food Service had to spend about $10,400 on the "free milk" we gave away during milk break that the State Funded program did not have enough to cover.
6. The Wisconsin School Day Milk Program may be eliminated in the State Budget. In the spring, it had not been decided and I'm not sure if it has been cut or will be supported. This is where the funding source previously came from.
7. We were not sure how we would control or fund the process of making juice an option at milk break as it is not a funded program and many would simply not pay. We would not want to deny some children this option, if most of the other kids were taking it, even though their parents refuse to pay for it. We also recognize juice is often full of sugar and not a healthy choice.
8. We will have chocolate (which is fat free) and 1% white at lunch. We are required to serve two kinds of milk and one can't be higher than 1%. Breakfast will be white at 1%.
9. Milk is .30 cents and is available for children bringing cold lunch or those wishing to purchase a second carton at lunch with their hot lunch. Please don't hesitate to contact me with additional concerns. I do welcome feedback from parents and community members. This decision was a collective decision keeping the children and their academic success a focus. I assure you we did not intend to upset families or children in eliminating morning milk break. |