1. Cumberland county schools: child nutrition program
Good morning. My name is Tamra Morris and I am a Masters in Public Health student with Walden University. As an advocate for public health it is important to participate in organized service to enrich and strengthen communities. Today I would like to speak on the nutritional programs in the Cumberland County school system. It is important that children today participate in regular physical activity. In combination with that, dietary intake is also vital. Children spend most of their days at school, so school breakfast and lunch are an important investment.
Tamra Morris, MPH student ~Walden University
~PUBH ~Dr. Rebecca Heick ~Spring, 2010

2. School Nutrition
“If you asked the average person to do what you have to do every day, and that is to prepare a meal for hundreds of hungry kids with just $2.68 a child – with only $1.00 to $1.25 of that money going to the food itself – they would look at you like you were crazy.  That's sad, but that's less than what many folks spend on a cup of coffee in the morning.  So we're going to have to do everything we can to help you."
<read excerpt>This excerpt is from First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech at the School Nutrition Association's Legislative Action Conference in March This program offers funding to school nutrition services nationwide. This is vital as currently there is a need to pay attention to children’s nutritional intake with psychiatric eating disorder and obesity on the rise for example.
School Nutrition Association (2010). Legislative Action. Retrieved from

3. The Need Psychiatric Obesity Funding Healthy options Legislation
Why is school nutrition important? It’s a matter of economics; as was just discussed by the quote from First Lady Obama. Cumberland County Schools serve over 51,000 meals per day – approximately 15,000 breakfasts and 36,000 lunches. That process is very expensive and requires extensive funding. The need also exists as current school nutrition services help prevent psychiatric nutritional downfalls such as anorexia. Schools combine nutritional efforts with physical education programs to reduce the occurrence of obesity. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percent of adolescents’ ages years who are overweight is 18% ( ) and the percent of children age 6-11 years who are overweight is 15% ( ). Although al a carte items are offered, and nutritional standards met by Child Nutrition Services, there is still a need to offer healthier options that are affordable. Reauthorization of Child Nutrition Programs are done by legislators every 5 years. The restructuring of the legislation ensures that standards are met and children are receiving the most comprehensive dietary plans available.

4. CCS Child Nutrition Program
Programs:
The National School Breakfast Program
The National School Lunch Program
A La Carte Items
Promotions
Special Diets
The Cumberland County Child Nutrition Program offers 5 subsidiary programs. The National School Breakfast Program, The National School Lunch Program, A La Carte items, promotions, and special diets. The NSB program is offered daily in all schools and offers a variety of breakfast entrees, cereal, fruit, juice and milk. The NSL program is also offered daily consisting of a protein entree, two fruits and/or vegetables, bread and milk that students have the option to choose from. The availability of variety on the menu increases likelihood that the children actually eat the meals. A la carte items are offered in middle and high schools and consist of nutritional items in addition to the regular meal at additional cost; these include, but are not limited to, hot and cold sandwiches, ethnic foods and snacks. Promotions are offered sparingly to increase mealtime fun and special diets acknowledged with nutritionist or physician approval. The menu can be found via the website listed on the screen.
CCS Child Nutrition (2010). Program Information. Retrieved from

5. ECONOMICS Lunch prices: Breakfast Lunch
 Grades K - 5 (paying) $  $1.65
Grades (paying) $  $1.75
All Grades (reduced price) $  $  .40
Extra Milk $  $  .50
According to the Cumberland County program information, Child Nutrition is a self-supporting program with a $20M dollar budget. They are a federal reimbursement program; which means that they are reimbursed for every free and reduced meal served to students. Revenue is generated by serving the “paying” student and from offering a la carte items. Any profit made is reinvested to provide higher quality food at lower costs, to provide on-going training for staff, and to improve equipment and facilities.
Cumberland County Schools. (2010). Food and Nutrition. Retrieved from

6. Legislation Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 expired on September 30, 2009 was extended until September 30, 2010 (SNA, 2010)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborates with legislators and agricultural Senate committees to discuss benefits of farm-to-school programs, healthy eating and physical activity; to regulate school nutritional services. The Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act was extended to September of The act can be referred to as “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010”.
School Nutrition Association (2010). Legislative Action. Retrieved from

7. Stakeholders Child Nutrition Services (Cumberland County Schools –CCS)
CCS middle school students
Parents of CCS students
CCS cafeteria workers
Stakeholder intended to target for the increasing of more nutritional meals offered are Child Nutrition Services, students, parents of CCS students, and CCS cafeteria workers. Child Nutrition Services regulates the cafeterias and menus for all schools in the county and is therefore the framework to the nutritional system. Students should be included to retrieve their input, as they have to eat the meals! The parents of these children are essential in the nutritional program as they provide the economic support (for paying students) and enforce nutritional habits of their children. Equally important are the cafeteria workers. The workers, in collaboration with executive directors of CNS, prepare menus that are developed by a committee of Cumberland County School cafeteria managers with guidance from the county’s registered dietitian. It is important to involve all of these members of this framework to create a collaborative stance for good nutrition.

8. TEACH: kids
Bridges to Wellness: Connecting School Meals and Classroom Learning, a set of interactive, nutrition education lessons for students in grades 5-10
The ADA Foundation focuses on:
Food and Nutrition Research
Scholarships
Awards
Healthy Weight for Kids
One suggestion to improve nutritional responsibility and understanding is Bridges to Wellness. These 30 minute communication efforts are designed to provided education for one key stakeholder. The American Dietetic Association also offers scholarships and awards for positive nutritional efforts.
American Diabetic Foundation. (2010). Food and Nutrition Research. Retrieved from

9. TEACH: kids http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/index.html
Mypyramid.gov offers interactive games for kids to understand their food choices. CCS should use the worksheet to help kids track how their food choices match up to the recommendations of MyPyramid. This is another good way to involve children in better nutritional practices.

10. TEACH: parents Child Nutrition Health Education Kit Factsheets
Handouts
Advertorials 
National Dairy Council offers valuable information and resources designed to help health care professionals, school nutrition professionals, and teachers ensure that children 9 years of age and older get the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommended three servings of low-fat and fat-free dairy foods every day (NDC, 2010)

11. TEACH: CCS Classroom and Cafeteria Resources4
So you may be wondering what cafeteria workers can do other than prepare the better meals. Well there are a variety of things they can do to enrich the nutritional services offered. Many suggestions and learning resources can be found at The CDC offers “Nutrition for Everyone” resources that highlight dietary guidelines and suggest food and nutrition topics that cafeteria managers can use in meetings to create menus with the resident nutritionist.

12. Recommendations
My recommendation is that CCS Child Nutrition Services in partnership with SNA, restructure their menu services to offer more nutritional options that children will enjoy and parents can afford.

13. Recommendations
Although this may increase menu prices, as long as they are adhering to the USDA commodity standards that they are provided, they will still be able to produce healthy meal options.

14. Contact Them Kelly Povroznik Jones, Executive Director
CCS
Child
Nutrition
Kelly Povroznik Jones, Executive Director
Vashtina Bratcher, Executive Secretary
 Phone:
  Fax:
If you want to help, or for more information, contact the Cumberland County School’s Child Nutrition program via the information listed on the screen. Thank you.

15. References
Cumberland County Schools. (2010). Child Nutrition Services. Retrieved from
Cumberland County Schools. (2010). Monthly Menu. Retrieved from
Cumberland County Schools. (2010). Food and Nutrition. Retrieved from
School Nutrition Association (2010). Legislative Action. Retrieved from
School Nutrition Association (2010). Bridges to Wellness. Retrieved from
National Dairy Council. (2010). The Dairy Connection. Retrieved from nHealthEducationKit.aspx
American Diabetic Foundation. (2010). Food and Nutrition Research. Retrieved from