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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion |
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Austin, Texas (78,000
students)
Approaches Used:
a) Establish nutrition standards for competitive foods,
b) Make more healthful foods and beverages available, and
c) Use fundraising activities and rewards that support student health
AISD developed a 5-year multi-strategy plan to help schools create healthy school nutrition environments to support improved student learning. The Austin School District and the Austin School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) worked together to address student health by focusing on nutrition in the cafeterias, as well as the stocking of and access to snack and beverage machines. With the support of SHAC, the Superintendent directed that the contracted vendor restock middle and high school vending machines with healthier beverages (e.g.; water, juice, and milk) extending the Texas Department of Agriculture Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value Policy across all grade levels. The Superintendent also directed the snack vendor to remove foods of minimal nutritional value and encouraged principals to select snack items from the San Antonio Fit City product list.
Contact: Carey Dabney, Parent Volunteer, Parent Involvement Committee Chair, AISD School Health Advisory Council, dabney@texas.net; Phone: 512-292-1313.
South Windsor, Connecticut (5,500 students)
Approaches Used:
a) Adopt marketing techniques to promote healthful
choices, and
b) Make more healthful foods and beverages available
South Windsor schools used a variety of marketing techniques to encourage students to make healthier choices. They installed milk vending machines in the school cafeteria and increased the number of fruits and vegetables offered at lunch time to increase product availability. They priced healthful snack items competitively to increase their appeal to students and offered discount coupons for healthful items. They promoted school foodservices by using giant, colorful, restaurant-style menus, and by linking their efforts to school physical education programs.
Contact: Mary Ann Lopez, Director of Food Service, malopez@swindsor.k12.ct.us; Phone: 860-291-1231.
Lexington, Kentucky (32,000 students)
Approaches Used:
a) Influence food and beverage contracts,
b) Adopt
marketing techniques to promote healthful choices, and
c) Make more
healthful foods and beverages available
Fayette County Public Schools used a competitive bidding process to negotiate new beverage and snack vending contracts that increased both revenue and healthy options for students. The innovative Request for Proposal bid design strengthened the school district’s negotiating position and rewarded contractors that increased the availability of healthful items. The successful bidder increased the availability of healthier beverages, increased the commission on these items, and reduced their selling price. For the first time, the snack contractor paid a commission on items sold. As a result of the changes, revenues increased.
Contact: Anita Courtney, MS, RD, Director of Health Promotion, Lexington Fayette County Health Department, anitah.courtney@ky.gov; Phone: 859-288-2350.
Vienna, Virginia (663 students)
Approach Used:
Use fundraising activities and rewards that support student
health
Friday afternoon “reward walks” with the principal and bright yellow pedometers replaced pizza parties as the school’s recognition program for hard-working students. Students selected for the honor get to wear the pedometers for the week following the walk. Teachers have integrated pedometer-related activities into classroom lessons such as math and health. Some classes also walk together for short periods before tests or other important activities. Louise Archer administrators and educators have also focused attention on the importance of hydration. Children are encouraged to have water bottles throughout the school day, including in the classroom.
Contact: Dwayne Young, Principal, Louise Archer Elementary School, dwayne.young@fcps.edu; Phone: 703-937-6200.
Whitefish, Montana (700 students)
Approach Used:
Make more healthful foods and beverages available
Over the past 3 years, Central Middle School made substantial changes in its school nutrition environment, including major changes in school vending. The school removed all soft drinks from vending machines and replaced them with bottled water and 100% juices. The school also removed candy from vending machines and à la carte sales, and no candy is available for sale to students during school hours. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) purchased a $4,000 vending machine for the school’s foodservice program. The machine is stocked daily with milk, yogurt, pudding, string cheese, beef jerky, baked chips, and fruit. Healthful à la carte offerings in the lunchroom now include homemade pretzels, bagels, and salads, as well as sandwiches, baked chips, and fresh fruit. The lunchtime recess schedule changed in 2002-2003 so that all students now have recess before lunch, with noted improvements in afternoon academics.
Contact: Kim Anderson, Principal, Central Middle School, andersonk@wfps.k12.mt.us; Phone: 406-862-8650.
