Sausalito Marin City Students Demand A Healthy Choice


Atiya Shakur and Stephanie Williams enjoy a healthy lunch full of broccoli and carrots.

Sausalito, CA May 8, 2008 – In a bold effort to improve the taste and quality of the school meals, members of the Parents Students Teachers Association (PSTA) appeared in front of the school board and the students demanded a change.  It was discovered the students were dissatisfied with the taste and throwing away most of their school meals.  Foods served in schools should promote the health of all children and discarded meals means children are not getting the nutritional value needed to learn, a healthy diet is central to education.

In 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger signed landmark legislation giving California public schools the strongest nutrition standards in the nation in an effort to combat childhood obesity. The Sausalito Marin City School District has one of the highest percentages in the state providing students free and reduced meals. 

The five-member school board and Superintendent Dr. Debra Bradley took this opportunity to look for a food vendor to provide hot meals and identify tasty food choices best able to promote children’s current and long-term health. The district arranged for the PSTA to participate in the process choosing a new food service provider.  Administrators and students sampled foods from prospective vendors and based on quality, cost, and students’ positive feedback the contract was awarded to Preferred Meal Systems, Inc. 

Serving over 1.1 million meals a day nationwide in 23 states, Preferred Meal Systems, Inc. provides meals to 50 school districts in California.  For Sausalito Marin City School District they provided breakfast, lunch, after school snack, and all equipment necessary including ovens and freezers to produce daily meals.  Success can be measured in consumption amounts and increased participation.  Another measure is improved test scores, the district was once again recognized as one of the most improved schools in the state receiving An Achieving School Award in 2007 and 2008 and leading to a Distinguished School Award announced on April 9, 2008.

Lunchtime is a social scene.  A long line of chattering children flood the food line rushing toward the salad bar filling their plates with lettuce, broccoli and carrots. One of the benefits of student participation in the vendor selection process is increased knowledge of nutrition standards and food choices.  Superintendent Bradley recalls seeing students pass her with salad boats filled with broccoli and is pleased the children are making these choices on their own.  “Our students are becoming dietitians,” says Bradley. 

Better nutrition equals increased learning ability and eating balanced meals reinforces the districts commitment to existing wellness, nutrition, and physical education programs.  The salad bar is a big hit, smaller students can barely reach so they ask help from wellness teacher Mr. Dave Barni, a regular presence at lunchtime and happy to help students as they request “more broccoli please.”

 

Copyright © 2008 Sausalito Marin City School District