Survey
Our group decided to conduct a survey in both middle schools we have been working with to observe the children at lunch time. Our goal was to take note of the food on the student's plate, as well as what food they were actually eating, and what they were throwing away. Our basis for what is considered nutritional was decided to be based on the Obama Administration's nutritional value of school meals.
We hit a roadblock. After asking the permission of both Glassboro Intermediate school and Clayton High School/Middle School, we were told that our survey could not be conducted without permission from the school board. This sounded a little extreme to us.
We hit a roadblock. After asking the permission of both Glassboro Intermediate school and Clayton High School/Middle School, we were told that our survey could not be conducted without permission from the school board. This sounded a little extreme to us.
Personal Note and Thought
My group member, Kait Kelly, attended Mercer County Community College as an Education major, before transfering into Rowan University. She was assigned to do observations during her class time. The difference is that Mercer does not set its students up with a cooperating school; you are told to find a classroom to observe on your own. The first school Kait went into let her right inside a classroom. She explained to them her assignment, and they set her up with a teacher; no questions asked.
For this reason, Glassboro Intermediate and Clayton's restrictions seem radical. Being allowed to observe a classroom is much more invasive than observing a lunchroom. What are these school's hiding? Why are they so resistant to letting outsiders inside their cafeterias?
Our difficulty to find a cooperating school to allow us inside their lunchroom redirected our questions from: Bought vs Brought, which is more nutritionally beneficial?, to: What are schools hiding in their cafeterias?
Since we did not get to conduct the survey we wanted, we decided to gather our findings based on the Glassboro School District Lunches menu online, comparing the meals to the Obama Administration's nutritional values which deals with the "availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; and reduce the levels of sodium and saturated fat in meals".
For this reason, Glassboro Intermediate and Clayton's restrictions seem radical. Being allowed to observe a classroom is much more invasive than observing a lunchroom. What are these school's hiding? Why are they so resistant to letting outsiders inside their cafeterias?
Our difficulty to find a cooperating school to allow us inside their lunchroom redirected our questions from: Bought vs Brought, which is more nutritionally beneficial?, to: What are schools hiding in their cafeterias?
Since we did not get to conduct the survey we wanted, we decided to gather our findings based on the Glassboro School District Lunches menu online, comparing the meals to the Obama Administration's nutritional values which deals with the "availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; and reduce the levels of sodium and saturated fat in meals".
Obama Administration's nutritional values vs. Glassboro School lunches
Since we did not get to conduct the survey we wanted, we decided to gather our findings based on the Glassboro School District Lunches menu online, comparing the meals to the Obama Administration's nutritional values which deals with the "availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; and reduce the levels of sodium and saturated fat in meals".
Results
Looking at the lunch menu of the Glassboro School District in relation to the Obama Administration's nutritional values, we found that bought lunches provide vegetables and fruit in almost every meal and low-fat milk in every meal. The only downfall of the bought lunches is the whole grain. Though the school does provide whole grain bread on occasion, traditional bread is in the majority being served to students. Overall, we believe that Glassboro School District's school lunches are nutritionally beneficial based on the criteria provided by the Obama Administration.
National School Lunch Program
I began researching Glassboro School district regulations for school lunches. Instead, I ran across Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, which is commonly referred to as National School Lunch Program of 2004. This program was designed to help qualified students and children all over the country in receiving free or reduced priced lunches.
The policy reads "- each participating district must have adopted a wellness policy. Such a policy must include goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, the policy must contain nutrition guidelines for all foods available on each school campus during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity. A district must also designate a person who will be responsible for measuring implementation of the policy. "
The policy reads "- each participating district must have adopted a wellness policy. Such a policy must include goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, the policy must contain nutrition guidelines for all foods available on each school campus during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity. A district must also designate a person who will be responsible for measuring implementation of the policy. "
The Healthy Way
It is important to have everyone be involved in providing the health benefits for students. The teachers, school board, students, faculty, and parents all participate in developing the wellness policy. This policy provides the students with information regarding healthy eating habits, obesity, exercise through the school environment.It is good to know that our country is beginning to open the door to to motives on decreasing the chance of obesity in children.
Benefits for the Student
The children benefit through the NSLP by having a nutritious meal each and every school day. This policy allows the children to consume no more than 30 percent of calories from fat and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. The USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, report that, "children who participate in School Lunch Program have superior nutritional intakes compared to those who do not participate."
Provision 2
CLICK HERE to find out the Provision 2 Guidelines in full detail.
