Obesity Rate Falls for New York School Children
Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
From the caption of picture in a NY Times article on child obesity: "Schools have been emphasizing salads over high-fat foods. In September, Eric Goldstein (in the picture), the Education Department's chief executive of School Support Services, showed off a salad bar in the cafeteria of P.S. 20 on the Lower East Side." (Click on the picture to read the article)
Could this be what the future of nutritious food for the Seattle School District could look like...? Only time, common sense, and those with the leadership skills to lead the way to healthier, more nutritious foods will tell...
Could this be what the future of nutritious food for the Seattle School District could look like...? Only time, common sense, and those with the leadership skills to lead the way to healthier, more nutritious foods will tell...
Getting Back to "Scratch" Cooking... [Click on the picture to read the NY Times article]
Elida Martinez, a 32-year veteran of school
kitchens in Greely, Colo., mixing beans
with cheese and seasonings for burritos
(Photo Courtesy of NY Times)
kitchens in Greely, Colo., mixing beans
with cheese and seasonings for burritos
(Photo Courtesy of NY Times)
Dear Board Members:
To refresh your memories, two years ago the administration told you that to "save money" due to "high labor costs" secondary schools would need to stop producing meals and go to a "bulk" model wherein meals would be prepared at the Central Kitchen and shipped out to schools to be "lightly re-heated" and served.
You were told that Bellevue SD was doing this (they weren't), and that no one would be displaced (they were) etc. We said that kids would stop eating, staff would be moved all over the place and that work couldn't be done in the bulk model without a multitude of attendant problems.
In June, I spoke to you about the high "labor costs" that we attribute to the salary increases given to Department supervisors (for fewer duties than they had previously, etc.) on June 1st. I also pointed out to you the loss of student participation which caused a decrease in revenue (in the first year) that even Mr. Harmon acknowledged was due to fewer kids eating (secondary) meals at school. Although he led you to believe that the loss of funding played a much bigger part in this than it did. (Copies of my remarks are available)
Now, today, the New York Times featured an article about other school districts finding that returning to "scratch" cooking not only benefits students but can be done in a way that increases revenue to the nutrition area.
I won't claim to "hate" to say "told you so" but we hope you will read and consider the points made in the attached article [click on the picture].
Thank you,
David Westberg
IOUE-Local 609
To refresh your memories, two years ago the administration told you that to "save money" due to "high labor costs" secondary schools would need to stop producing meals and go to a "bulk" model wherein meals would be prepared at the Central Kitchen and shipped out to schools to be "lightly re-heated" and served.
You were told that Bellevue SD was doing this (they weren't), and that no one would be displaced (they were) etc. We said that kids would stop eating, staff would be moved all over the place and that work couldn't be done in the bulk model without a multitude of attendant problems.
In June, I spoke to you about the high "labor costs" that we attribute to the salary increases given to Department supervisors (for fewer duties than they had previously, etc.) on June 1st. I also pointed out to you the loss of student participation which caused a decrease in revenue (in the first year) that even Mr. Harmon acknowledged was due to fewer kids eating (secondary) meals at school. Although he led you to believe that the loss of funding played a much bigger part in this than it did. (Copies of my remarks are available)
Now, today, the New York Times featured an article about other school districts finding that returning to "scratch" cooking not only benefits students but can be done in a way that increases revenue to the nutrition area.
I won't claim to "hate" to say "told you so" but we hope you will read and consider the points made in the attached article [click on the picture].
Thank you,
David Westberg
IOUE-Local 609