What did they want to do?
The School Board wanted to provide an environment where students could learn to make healthful food choices for lifelong health. The Alisal Nutrition Policy targeted five different areas to accomplish their goal: 1. Food Service Meal Program 2. Food Service Competitive Foods 3. Nutrition Education 4. Fundraising,school events,class parties and student- brought food 5. Promoting Physical Activity

Who took action?
The AUSD Superintendent, Ruben Pulido, had been supporting the Food Services in its efforts to bring nutritious food to the students. He motivated the AUSD to participate in the Superintendent’s Challenge to strengthen its policies to increase what AUSD can do for its students. The Director of Food Services, Suzanne du Verrier, assembled a team of eight people to review the current district policies and developed a new policy to protect the current and future health needs of AUSD students. The team consisted of the 5 A Day Program Facilitator and nutrition educators, people from the Community Alliance with Family Farms and the Director of the Farm to School Program at California State University Monterey Bay. The team reviewed the current board policies, evaluated those developed elsewhere in the state and wrote a new policy. This was submitted to Superintendent Ruben Pulido, who reviewed it and sent it to the district School Board. The policy was then adopted on December 8th 2003.

Where did this happen?
Alisal Union School District - school

Demographics

• 8000 students
• 88% of the students receive free or reduced price meals.
• Hispanic
• Agricultural area, migrant families

Academic Year Implemented
2003-2005 Academic Year

Why did they want to do it?
They won the Challenge! The Board hoped to provide an environment where students could learn to make healthful food choices for lifelong health. The Alisal Nutrition Policy aimed to accomplish the following:

1) Food Service Meal Programs: Provide regular lunch services, snacks and breakfast programs as the needs of the students and financial capacity of the district permits.

2) Food Service Competitive Foods: Foods available should be of the appropriate quantity, meet SB19 standards and contribute to the nutritional well-being of the students. Fresh fruits and vegetables from school gardens should also be utilized in the school menu.

3) Nutrition Education: A state standards-based nutrition/garden curriculum implementation was encouraged in all schools. The goal was to teach students about the nutritional competencies developed by the State of California.

4) Fundraising, school events, class parties and student-brought food: Items of questionable nutritional value (or not meeting SB 19 standards) should be eliminated in classrooms and other school events. These recommendations were sent to the entire school community to ensure that parents provide foods that comply with the nutritional value stated in district policies. All foods and drinks consumed in classroom and elsewhere should be in accord with district nutritional policies.

5) Promoting Physical Activity: Teachers, parents and principals should promote an additional 40 minutes of physical activities everyday at school and at home.

Background

How did they accomplish their goal?
The following aspects were already implemented prior to the policy:

• the serving of fresh and nutritious foods

• free breakfast and lunch throughout the district

• a growing nutrition education program, established by the 5 A Day Program in every school in the district for 4th and 5th grade and kindergarten students and included outreach programs to parents.

The new 2003 policy is an improved and strengthened version of the previous policies. The steps taken affected the following areas:

• Foods with questionable nutritional value were eliminated during regular school days, during after school programs and all school functions. This change disallowed cake or cookies at school parties and the passing around of candy in classrooms. The 5 A Day program and District Food Services staff were responsible for developing informational packets, with suggestions for alternative foods, that were distributed to parents, teachers and students.

• The 5 A Day Bilingual Parent Educator demonstrated to parents healthy alternatives for snacks and school events and meets regularly with parent groups to help them understand the health issues.

• Teachers acted as role models for students by eating healthy foods and encouraging their students to do so.

• Foods sold at fundraising events followed nutritional guidelines for USDA reimbursable school meals. Parents and other groups focused on healthier items. The sale and distribution of candy and soda were also specifically prohibited.

• Vending machines for student use were removed from campus.

What were their results?
Most of the results were achieved prior to the policy because of the previously implemented plans.

1) School Meals: Free breakfasts and lunches were provided to every student in the district. Daily salad bars were set up at all the District's 11 schools.

2) Beverages: The food service provided milk and/or fruit juice to students and no beverages of questionable nutritional value are served.

3) Community and Student Hunger: The program networked with numerous organizations to promote good health. The 5 A Day program contracted with the Food Bank for Monterey County to pilot a 10 week course titled “Hunger 101” in a 4th and 5th grade class to teach students how to deal with hunger related issues.

4) Fundraisers: Foods and drinks offered at school fundraisers followed nutritional guidelines for USDA reimbursable school meals.

5) Garden-based learning: A standards-based nutrition garden curriculum was established in all schools. There were after school health clubs with garden component.

What are their future plans?
•Fund raisers will be of a healthy nature

•Teachers will be role models for the healthy life style for the students

•Health fairs are organized for the families

•Recipes and coupons are distributed to families

•Collaborations are established with community agencies to promote healthy eating and family physical activities.

For More Information Contact
Suzanne du Verrier
Alisal Union School District
1205 East Market Street,
Salinas, CA  93905
United States
(831)753-5776
[email protected]
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