Thanks for the information. I absolutely believe the policy and regulations should be followed...no matter what they are for! If the school board passes policy, and regulations...they are to be followed!
Question is...who is responsible for enforcing???

Bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Please do not use our children to accomplish your agenda.
If you agree to not let your children be used by an individual bent on self-promotion, do not sign this petition. Let the school district administration run things the way they see fit. They are the professionals and they are doing a fantastic job. Children do not need rigid standards, they need flexibility.

Why have a policy in place if it's not meant to be adhered to? Standards are meant to be followed across the board. It's really that simple.

With all due respect, the same two people keep posting blogs on this subject, and then the same 4 or 5 people of the group keep posing comments. It's a very small group of people pushing their agenda. Do what I did with my son, packed a lunch and snacks so he would not be hungry for after school athletics. With the new Federal guidelines which are being opposed throughout the country, and our "AVOID LIST" which is our attempt to out regulate the regulators, there is less choice and more cost.

So much time has been spent trying to help make the UD schools serve better ad more nutritious foods for our kids. Some of us moms have jobs that we are taking time off for and volunteering many unpaid hours for... Now, only to find that the policy we were understood to be helping to shape was just a piece of paper and not enforceable. This is so disappointing! Why waste our time and the taxpayers time if the policy was never meant to be followed in the first place? And since its been proven as such, what other policies are treated this way?

Amazing Yahoo story. Kids revolting over Michelle’s Mandate. Story analyzes the waste of food thrown away that the kids are forced to put on their tray.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/abc-uproar-over-school-lunches-071813378.html

Funny how Michelle visits UD High and says, “why hasn’t my food program been instituted?”, and two weeks later the failed program has volunteers to take up the charge. Do the research before the enforcement.

oh Bill....kids will always revolt especially when they are not used to eating fruits and vegetables. This like all else will die down, and will be accepted as these changes usually are. Shame on Michelle Obama for trying to change the dismal future of the kids of today if they keep on eating the way that they are....I guess she is like us, trying to do something for the better good....it is such a bad thing isn't it.

Oh Jill your tone is scaring me. "This like all else will die down"???. Hum, I’m sure I read that phrase before, but I won't mention where.
Fact of the matter is that it is not dying down. The articles from the failed lunch programs are being scrubbed from the internet. There are a few remaining on the net and they are about how school districts are making adjustments after millions of $$$ have been thrown away in the trash can.
"Healthy School Lunches Bomb In Los Angeles" LA Unified (like UD Unified) has been a leader in moving to the mandated National School Lunch Program under First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign against obesity.
But the Los Angeles Times Sunday reported menu items turned out to be hugely unpopular with students.
Thousands of students have dropped out of Los Angeles Unified’s lunch program, which can serve 650,000 a day, and more walk out on days when they especially do not like the offerings.
The LA Times reports food waste is rampant with entire entries and full cartons of milk going directly into the waste bin.
Barrett told the LA Times that introduction of the healthy meals was “a disaster.” School lunch enlistments fell by 13 percent.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/12/healthy-school-lunches-bomb-in-los-angeles/
Another article said that officials just gave up and kids separated what they didn't want to eat and the food was at least donated to a food bank.
con't

Clearly the NIS members are well meaning, and in communities with large numbers of children who qualify for free or reduced price lunch, this issue is critical. That is not the case in Upper Dublin, where the vast majority of families are financially capable of sending their kids to school with a healthy lunch.

Clearly the district needs to adhere to federal regulations. Further, any steps that can be taken to make lunches as healthy as possible, while still having the nutrition department break even from a financial perspective, would make sense. But money should not be diverted from the primary goal of the schools, which is to educate our children, for the purpose of going above and beyond federal requirements.

My concern is that we can not afford as a nation, and citizens of UD to institute a program that will literally be throwing food away in the trash.

Please remember in the last four years:

Unemployed Americans up by almost half a million people, an increase rate by 3.4% or approx 60%.
Long term unemployment is up by 87%.
Middle class income is down by $4,960.00.
Gas prices up 107%
Home values down by 11%
Worker health insurance costs up 23%
Sending your kids to college ….up 25%
Americans living in poverty increased by 6.4 million
Food stamp recipients increased by 46%
Consumer price index (inflation) is up 9.1%
Federal debt is up 51%
The United States was ranked #1 in Global Competitiveness now we have declined to #7

Please be cautious.

Sorry the last line should read.

Please be cautious with these food policies, financially we could be put into a real pickle.

Peace,

@UD Resident: There has been no study in Upper Dublin as to what would happen IF we did not comply with Federal regulations. What will we lose?? Is it significant in the terms of $$ to the District, are there other ramifications?? Everyone assumes we have to comply with the Feds, but maybe the $$ we get from them is actually costing us more $$ to comply. I'm not saying we should not comply, I'm just saying why not study the ramifications, then make a decision.

@joe...are you saying that we should not comply with something that is for the better health of the children? I would think that schools need to comply with Federal regualtions anyway, because although UD does not have many free and reduced lunches, we still have approximately 400 kids that need their meals from the school. If you do not comply with Federal regualtions, than these kids will not get served, since the government pays for the meals, only if you comply with their guidelines. Is that what you are saying we should do Joe?

Hi Joe,
You ask a good question about the subsidies. The total amount of subsidies that Upper Dublin gets from the state and Federal governments is...$251,000.00 per school year!
Yes, a quarter of a million dollars!
I am sure Upper Dublin is not willing or able to give up that amount of revenue.
Many would be happy to have the food service run as a business, pure profit/loss, but the 10% of kids who qualify for free or reduced lunches would suffer the most.
I am afraid we are stuck with abiding by the federal regulations, lax as they are.
It's is the reason the federal mandate was given to each district to compile their own Wellness Policy! I heard this directly from the USDA representative who helps me answer policy questions. We have the ability through our Wellness Policy to define the kinds of foods we want served to the students.
The biggest issue is everyone has a different idea of what "healthy" food is or is not...so, the default goes back to the federal standards. And they are lacking, sub-standard, and make no "common" sense.

From what I recall, at a school board meeting last month, they indicated that the Upper Dublin Nutrition Department had a net loss of over $150,000 last year. Clearly that can't continue.

Many should get the facts about what a school lunch really consists of...how many know what "offer verses serve" system is? This type of lunch system has the children choose 4 "offered" foods from the cafeteria line to qualify as a reimbursable lunch. Meaning, the student gets the $2.50 price(depending on which school) and the school gets their Federal and State reimbursements... 32 cents each lunch from the fed, and 10 cents from the state ( total .42 cents each lunch served) The free and reduced lunches get almost the entire cost reimbursed. A lunch can be...
French toast sticks, artificial syrup, chocolate milk, and now...a 4 ounce cup of fruit juice. Kids must now take a serving of fruit OR a serving of vegetable. Fruit juice next to the cashier is the easiest way for kids to get the required fruit...easy and very low cost! The French toast sticks cost less than 14 cents per serving! Most of the highly processed foods have similar food cost. So, not much has changed in what kids are taking for a school lunch...simple carbs.
BTW, the " offer vs. serve" was created to lower the amount of waste!!! Not working!
Kids should get a well-balanced, healthy meal as a school lunch...period.

Wouldn't it be nice if parents were as passionate about education?

I think the NIS group likes to play with words in hope that people will think the wellness policy is law. The wellness policy is where the school students are being held hostage. Let’s waste people’s time and revamp a policy that was only updated a few years ago. They have slip through the back door by changing not only how our children eat lunch but how the classroom is managed by a teacher. Do not confuse the wellness policy with the school lunch program. The wellness policy effects how your child celebrates their birthday in school and even the treat they bring in.
The NIS is a very small group of “concerned citizens” who bully people. If you do not agree with everything they say they intimidate you and imply that you want to not do the right thing for the children of Upper Dublin. I am for good nutrition. I am for kids eating healthier. I am not for a group without the education to back them up, interfering with how my children should eat. I am sick and tired of this very small group wasting tax payer’s money, and not allowing educated school employees to do their job without interference.

Iam! I teach many children about eating a healthy and balanced meal, i teach them how to cook, how to shop, how to read labels, the differences between simple and complex carbohydrates, and how to grow their own food! I volunteer many hours to the Boys and Girls Club and provide healthy, balanced meals for 30 children each week...maybe you should consider being passionate about educating children!
I practice what I teach, and love every minute.
Seems to me, Alen and Bill have a lot of time on their hands. Why not volunteer to teach kids something beneficial?
Win/Win?

Mary, it is apparent you do not know what the FEDERALLY MANDATED WELLNESS POLICY is. Upper Dublin and every school that participates in the National School Lunch Program MUST have a WELLNESS POLICY!!
Dr. Pladus invited teachers, parents, students, administrators, and board members to a Wellness seminar last June. We meet for an entire day to put together this policy. Is this slipping through the back door?
If you are for good nutrition, why not be in favor of a policy that says any new foods added to the menu can not have aspartame, artificial colors, BHA,BHT,MSG,Trans Fats,and sodium nitrate?? I have worked in food service for many years and know US Foods sells plenty of real food without these ingredients.
And, again, most parents in Upper Dublin can pack their child a healthy lunch and skip the lunch line...but what do you say to the kids who have no choice but to eat this highly processed food 180 days a year???
Would someone please answer that? Guessing none of you has ever fallen on hard times and had to rely on our public school to feed your child.

I actually received free school lunches for a number of years as a child.

Again, it is completely appropriate to make the healthiest choices available within the financial realities of the school budget. Anything beyond that, in this era of shrinking resources, needs to involve a broad based discussion about what our priorities are as a district.

@Mary...I too am a professional. I worked in healthcare for 7 years, specificly with the diseases of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. Had more training in things like Myocardial infarction (heart attacks). I had nutrition training in my current position that i have been doing for 5 years. But, Mary, most importantly I am a mom who cares about the devastating statistics of what could happen if we do not change the way we feed our kids, and feel it is important to make a change. Does that answer your question?

From what has been stated here, specific information regarding why the nutrition department ran at such a defecit is not yet available. What I have been told anecdotally from people who work at my children's elementary school is that the kids are buying less school food because they don't like it. For example, one issue that was mentioned specifically, is that they don't like the whole wheat pasta.

There have been some statements about not giving kids a choice. And that is great advice for PARENTS. But it is very hard to implement at the school level, since what seems to be happening is that kids are just bringing food from home. Maybe they are bringing healthy fare that is more to their taste, maybe they are bringing lunchables, who knows? If we had a large number of economically disadvantaged kids, chances are, they'd eat whatever was served, but that is not the case.

Maybe this perspective is incorrect, and the information Jill obtains will prove that the changes had no or minimal financial impact. If so, great, then there are only positives in the changes. Personally, my kids are used to whole wheat pasta, and bring lunch from home most of the time anyway, so the only possible non-positive impact to our family is if educational programs are negatively impacted by defecits run by the nutrition department. And that would matter to us. We don't want to lose things like Robbins Park.

Not really. You are putting yourself out there as a nutrition and healthcare and foodservice and education expert and still we do not know what your professional and education background is. You can have a marketing degree and work in a healthcare facility.
If you are claiming that it is because you are a concerned mom then you need to reexamine the role of mom. Take care of your family and do not send your child to school with Oreos. Show your children that you support the professionals we hire to do their job. If you do not like the way things are being handled you can teach your children valuable lessons in civil civic discourse by yes, using your 4 minutes, writing a letter to your school board and voting for the people who will deal with the school issues the way you would. Anything else is wasting time and costing us money just to satisfy your agenda and bring attention to yourself

Assuming there are not negative cost implications, I can't see how anyone can be against healthier cafeteria food, and think it is great that we live in a community where people care enough to get involoved in things like this, and dedicate their time, whether as a mom, a professional or both.

Wow, Mary! So, sit back and let the professionals handle it lol! What a statement! Many of us dedicated parents--and many people in general--have degrees in many varying educations but do not pursue careers in those callings, for one reason or another. That does not mean we are not allowed to participate in, or have a voice, or are otherwise considered less deemed to pursue whatever path we so choose. It's called research, passion, and, most importantly, being our child's best advocate. Knocking someone based on degree is so silly...do you not know that a degree can be given to an MD who has perhaps failed the Board exam 10 times??? Does that make him more qualified? Having heart and dedication to make the world healthier for our children is never a waste of time or money. Sad you should see it that way...

And if it was simply about being professional, then it would be simply about following policy. Simple is as simple does...

Jill if you are going to welcome comment you need to welcome it even if you do not agree with it. Otherwise it is not an open public forum and does not belong on the patch. My post have been civil, you just do not like them. I have only stated my opinion and again if NIS doesn’t like it, this small group attacks the naysayer. I do feel that this relatively small group which you lead is negatively affecting the schools to which my children attend. As a mother I have the right to ask what your background is since you are trying to influence what is served at my child’s school. It is okay when you do it but not okay when someone else does it?

There is waste in the schools because the children are told they MUST take three or four items from the menu for their $2.50 even if they say they don't want them. Then the children take those same items and throw them away. My own children have complained about this and even at their young age realize how ridiculous this is. This makes no sense and represents bureacracy at its worst. Why not let the kids take the items they intend to eat and then offer the leftovers to the kids and their families who qualify for the free or reduced lunch? Some of these meals could be someone's dinner. Or, even give the food to a pantry like the one at Chelten Church. Such waste in this era of unemployment and financial instability is a disgrace. As usual what are generally well meaning policies are taken too far. That is why they lose support and are eventually abandoned.

This is so inane. We teach children respect, of themselves and of others. Yet there is such a clear lack of respect when it comes to our disagreement in how to get to a better place for our children here in this policy. In the schools, we are teaching our children what it means to be healthy: in the gym class and in the health class. Yet not in the cafeteria. We crave the best grades for our children. We want them to be the best, to have all the skills and resources to achieve these skills. Yet we are asking them to lower their standards when it comes to nutrition. We spend thousands of dollars in taxes to have the best equipment and books to make our children knowledgeable. Yet we are willingly okay with putting carcinogens and toxins into their tiny bodies because we don't want to be bothered with going against the grain and hearing them whine at the lunch table. It is just unfathomable that at the height of being known as the 4th fattest country with adult diseases plaguing our children, that the NIS is being called out as bullies for caring about our children. Shaking my head...

@Jill: Which is why I questioned following the Federal guidelines!! Please check your response to me. " @joe...are you saying that we should not comply with something that is for the better health of the children?" Do you think that the UD community might have a better idea as to the issues within our community. Blanket regulations are not helpful, they only throw up barriers to sucess.

Joe, guess you didn't read the part about UD getting one quarter of a MILLION dollars in state and federal funds per school year...PLUS the $35,000 to $45,000 in commodity foods, PLUS a $15,000 dairy grant! Over 30% of UD food service budget comes from government reimbursements...if you can get the school board to give that up, I will re -organize the food service to be a profitable business...gratis!
But, in the mean time, the federally mandated wellness policy was created for school districts to dictate the foods they do and do not want served to it's students!
And to those who say leave the food decisions up to the professionals ( as only one board member is a physician), I say, the food "experts "in our government have been in charge of the National School Lunch Program for 7 decades...and look at the health of America's children! Did you know 8 ounces of milk is considered a serving for a 6 yr. girl and a 16 yr. boy? The fed knows this is a huge problem. Kids have gotten used to "fast food" at school, it is going to be tough to turn them around, but not impossible. I have proof of this. I teach the so-called " disadvantaged" kids what a healthy, balanced meal is, and was told they won't eat " healthy" food". Really! Some of their favorites are... Grilled rosemary chicken, couscous, steamed, chilled broccoli, roasted vegetable tomato sauce ( on anything), chicken vegetable soup, zucchini bread, sweet potato muffins, pineapple, apples, eggs (any way)!