“sporks” Fail to Block Nutrition Progress at Sonoma County Schools

The Jury found that significant progress is being made by local schools in providing more nutritious food choices to students. Priority is given to serving whole grain foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. Only low fat or fat-free milk is offered. Sodium content is being systematically reduced. School meals are planned to provide less cholesterol and trans fats. Foods are baked, not fried, and are prepared in ways that offer better choices to students. F- 2 In addition to providing nutritional lunches for their students many of the schools we visited have garden programs which help teach the value of fresh vegetables and fruits in daily nutrition. Schools have daily fresh fruit choices. Many of the schools have salad bars from which their students can choose various fresh fruits and vegetables to create individual salads. In some cases the fruits and vegetables come from the school gardens. F.-3 Several schools had programs through which they educated parents regarding good nutrition and other aspects of healthy behavior. Additionally, vending machines containing soda and candy have been eliminated as lunch time options.

Schools provided a positive environment for the lunch period. Students were given adequate time to eat (usually 20 minutes) in a safe setting with provisions made for slower eaters where necessary. F.-5 Due to budget considerations, the only eating utensil most schools provide is a light weight plastic “spork”. The children and the Jurors disliked the combination spoon-forks and found them very difficult to use. We felt that something better is needed. F.-6 The jury found wide interest in further, continuous improvement of nutritional and physical activity opportunities for children in Sonoma County Public Schools. Individual districts appear to have on going administrative assessment systems in place that will capture and react to the views of the public, parents, and administrators. COMMENDATIONS The Sonoma County Grand Jury would like to commend each of the school administrators, superintendents, teachers, kitchen staff, volunteers, and especially the students at the schools we visited for their participation in this study. CONCLUSION It was our conclusion that Sonoma County Schools are committed to establishing healthy behaviors among their students. We found evidence that they are pursuing this goal in a variety of innovative ways; through student input, choices of food, student participation in food preparation, recycling, and in some instances growing part of their food in school gardens. RECOMMENDATIONS We recommend that the public notice and applaud the remarkable progress being made in Sonoma County Schools related to providing healthy meals and encouraging more physical activity. These changes are the result of effective concern and cooperation among students, parents, teachers, cafeteria staff and administrators in the Sonoma County public education system. We recommend that districts continue and expand communication with staff, students, parents and the community regarding Wellness Policies and the impact of these policies on students’ eating habits and physical activity levels. Active family participation is a very important factor in the continuing success of these innovations. Parents play a pivotal role by incorporating these changes so that they become lifetime habits. We recommend that this good news be recognized, publicly applauded and supported over the next couple of decades. It will take this level of sustained attention to change a generation and start building a more healthy society. Required Responses: Since this is an informational report there are no required responses. Suggested Responses: Continuing community participation in neighborhood schools to maintain the momentum on this important subject.