Every parent knows the challenge of getting kids to eat healthy. It's hard enough to convince our children to eat right at home. When they are at school, it gets even tougher.
That is why I, along with LAUSD Board President M�nica Garc�a, fought so hard to pass a resolution in December that will ensure that families in LA schools have the access, time and knowledge to eat right every day - with Board District 4 leading the way. The proposal is a result of a collaboration between the Food Services Division, California Food Policy Advocates and the Healthy School Food Coalition.
We all know that eating right is about more than satisfying hunger. Studies have proven that good nutrition leads to higher academic achievement and lower rates of disease. That means that healthy meals must be a key measure of rating the success of our schools.
Our parents of Mark Twain Middle Schoolers already know that their facility is at the forefront of nutritional reform. Students at the Venice campus have a beautiful, productive garden that not only provides students a chance to taste the fruits of their labor, but also is an integral part of the curriculum. Kids are learning about math by measuring the growth of wheat. They get practical insights into science by tackling projects including building an irrigation system based on an ancient Mesopotamian model. And of course, they learn about health and wellness when they walk into the cafeteria and are offered fresh tomatoes, basil and other options to the vending machines full of sodas that were once the norm.
But our resolution, passed unanimously by the Board, doesn't end with just fresh and healthy food. It's a holistic approach to better education through better lifestyles - and most importantly, it holds our schools accountable for implementing the changes that you, as active parents, have long called for.
The resolution:
- Ensures that every child has at least 20 minutes to eat lunch (currently some kids have less than 5 because of lines and bell schedules)
- Creates systems for communication and feedback with parents and kids so that we are certain of creating kid-friendly meals and educating families about nutrition
- Incorporates nutrition education into curriculum
- Makes our standards higher than what is required by the USDA, and surpasses the 2003 standards set in our Obesity Prevention resolution
- Limits the sale of unhealthy food on campus
- Commits to using locally-grown produce when possible
- Requires the District to report back in 6 months on progress
Thank you so much to the many parents, volunteers and staff that helped make this resolution a reality. I will make sure to keep Board District 4 parents informed of how these changes are being implemented in our neighborhood schools. Together, we are making a difference.