Chocolate milk and flavored juices will be removed from some school menus after months of protests by parents and community leaders in the Redwood City school district to demand that school officials provide more nutritious food for children and young students.
The action, which will start as a pilot program in the schools Taft, Orion and Henry Ford, The new law was approved by Superintendent John Baker, who announced it in a bulletin in March of this year.
"While this seems like a small step, it's actually a big deal because it means they are listening to our requests and are building momentum to improve school meals - we're making an important change and every step brings us closer to our goals!" said Healthy Meals Committee Director Jessica Shade.
The efforts do not stop on behalf of the area's student community, and after their demands, Superintendent Baker finally agreed to present the proposal for a school meal equity survey to the full School Board on February 16.
If approved, the Redwood City School District will send this survey to all parents in the school community to learn their concerns and opinions about the food offered to children in the area.
Jessica Shade thanked both Superintendent Baker and the School Board for taking community concerns into account and launching the pilot program to eliminate chocolate milk and flavored juices, which is expected to spearhead substantial change in school food.
Parents and the community interested in expanding the pilot program to other schools are encouraged to send an email to the superintendent's email address at Jbaker@rcsdk8.netas well as to mailings Alisagreene@yahoo.com, Mdiazslocum@rcsdk8.net, Cmarquez@rcsdk8.net, Mwells@rcsdk8.net, o Jlawson@rcsdk8.netrequesting the extension.
She added that it is important for the Redwood City School District Board to know, through personal stories, why this issue is important to the family, and the impact it could have on the student's environment and life.
In addition, Jessica Shade announced that the committee is looking for volunteers for "School Site Leaders" who will serve as representatives of the group seeking improvements in school meals.
This volunteering, she said, "is a short time commitment job with a big impact."
"Right now, the district doesn't realize that this is an important issue for Redwood City parents and students. If we don't have all schools represented, the school board will point that as an example of why they should spend their time and resources elsewhere," she said.
And, she said, it is important that the recommendations made to the School District represent the needs of all Redwood City schools to ensure equity as school meal improvements occur.
"If we are missing a site leader from a school, that school's interest may not be represented in the final decisions being made at the district level, which would hurt it," she point out.
Shade noted that the task of school site leaders will be to communicate with the Healthy School Meals Coalition about the needs and interests of their campus, help disseminate any communications that are needed for the school they belong to - school meal surveys or updates on school meal improvements - help strategize on ways forward that support the needs of students-.
So far, she said, there are two volunteers for the schools. Henry Ford and Adelantebut all other campuses have only one or no volunteers.
Those interested in becoming a volunteer can email Jessica Shade at jesshade@gmail.com.
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