Brookline Nutrition Advisory Board

Nutrition Advisory Board Minutes 12/15/06, 8:15am

Present: Elena Olson (Chair, NAB, Runkle parent), Ann Johnson (Food Service Director), Peter Rowe (Deputy Supt. For Admin and Finance), Helen Delichatsios (Baker), Susan Levin (Pierce), Theresa Gallo-Toth (Runkle Librarian), Virginia Andradas (Lawrence), Eric Rimm (Lincoln), Janet Schwartz (nutrition consultant), Gloria Rudish (Health Dept), Cherie Gaehde (Pierce), Alice Wong (Pierce), Dawn Edell (Devotion), Samara Kaufman (Driscoll), Maisie Pollard (Health), Alida Castillo Freeman (Driscoll), Stephanie Schauer (Lincoln)

1. Approved 10/27/06 minutes

2. New NAB members (lots!) due to change of meeting time (8:15am instead of 2:30pm). All 8 elementary schools represented at NAB meeting for first time!

1. Brief history of NAB – been meeting for almost 2 years. A venue for advice to food service director (Ann Johnson)
2. WFL (What’s for Lunch) program – Stop buying pre-processed foods, more on-site cooking

3. Update on Wellness Policy adopted by School Committee

1. Wellness Policy is not just about food. Includes curriculum on healthy behaviors, phys ed classes, etc; structure of lunch/recess
2. Superintendant to appointment Wellness Committee - ?chair, parent volunteers (let Peter Rowe know if you’re interested), ?process for selection
3. Getting leadership on board, science coordinators, math teaches
4. Role of student council?
5. Implementation ideas, longer day?

4. Questions, ideas, anecdotes from parents:
1. Time for lunch - a perennial issue
2. Kindergarten snack school wide (Pierce); meets breakfast standard (cereal, milk, fruit, 1/2bagel/yogurt)
3. Timing of snack, depending when lunch is served
4. Lincoln school – 1^st grade parents donate snacks (teacher passes out; all kids get the same snack)
5. Food throughout the day problem – e.g. gingerbread houses w/candy
6. Food for rewards – AVOID! (provision in Wellness policy)
7. Driscoll – parent volunteers at lunch. Assigned seating
8. Pierce – 6^th grade petition re: milk/pizza, got 100+ signatures; didn’t pass
9. Driscoll – concern re: too much chicken
10. Microwave – not feasible logistically and liability-wise
11. Birthday celebrations – move away from food. Instead, pencils/pads, yo-yos

5. Ann Johnson (Food Service Director) updates

1. Has to think systematically, not just anecdotally
2. Goals: Improve nutrition composition (less sugar, fat); Improve Palatability; Improve Finances (better control on labor and food costs)
3. Cyclical 2 week menu.
4. Mixed response to NO flavored milk, no bagels at lunch, and every other Fri pizza
5. Whenever she institutes a change, some students/parents endorse it, and others are against it.
6. Met with parents at Heath and Runkle. Biggest feedback at Runkle was inconsistency of food preparation, received a petition from 4^th grade class to improve the taste of lunches. Also suggested providing more vegetarian options and soups every day, especially during the winter.

6. Next NAB meeting: Friday January 26, 8:15am (by popular demand)

1. Future meetings: March 9, April 27, June 8 (all Fridays)