Worcester School Committee meets Thursday

And speaking of light agenda...
The Worcester School Committee meets Thursday. The agenda is here.
There are a number of recognitions, including Donna Lombardi from School Nutrition getting the Mass Public Health Association's Lemuel Shattuck award!
The report of the Superintendent is on opiods and their impact on the community.
There are some retirements and appointments.
There is a response to the query from Ms. Colorio on school discipline referrals by school.
There is a response to Mayor Petty's question regarding participation in Skills USA (short version: $14,000).
There is a request for approval of  $1,505.56 for Shred-it.
There is a request for approval of a donation of $1,200 from Tufts University for a fitness study involving 3rd & 4th graders at Chandler Magnet School.
There's a request to accept donations totalling $350 for the CPR project.
There's a request to approve the SHINE Initiative grant for $7900.
There's a request to approve $144.55 from Target for Heard Street. 
Mr. Monfredo wants to encourage the establishment of chapters of "Stand for the Silent."
He also wants to recognize WEDF.
Miss Biancheria wants a list of groups doing cleanups.
There's a request to approve a new nurse. 

There is also an executive session to discuss (it appears) general strategy for all collective bargaining agreements. 

Have I told you lately how amazing Donna Lombardi is?

...but don't take my word for it: here's Representative McGovern today on the floor of the House of Representatives:



Today Worcester Public School Nutrition Director Donna Lombardi received this year's Healthy Start Leadership Award from the EOS Foundation, for the great work she's been doing (and, I have it on good authority, is going to continue to push to do!) on getting breakfast into kids by having universal breakfast in the classroom. 

We also had 18 of our elementary schools recognized for having 80% or better participation rate for the past year on breakfast. All of our elementary schools in Worcester that have poverty rates of 60% or above have universal breakfast in the classroom. 

And it won't stop there!

Congratulations, Donna! Well deserved!

Lecture on School Food

The Cyrus Topol Memorial Lecture at Worcester State this year will be on the topic of school food. The speaker is Janet Poppendieck, Ph.D., sociology professor at Hunger College, City University of New York. Respondents include: Donna Lombardi, Director of School Food Services for Worcester Public Schools, Justine Kahn, Director of Child Nutrition Outreach for Project Bread and Maureen Binienda, Principal of South High Community School. 

 Tuesday, April 5th

11:30-1:00 p.m., Blue Lounge 

Student Center, Worcester State University 

Worcester's Healthiest School System in Massachusetts award

Last night Superintendent Boone on behalf of the Worcester Public Schools accepted the 2010 Healthiest School System in Massachusetts award from the Mass Health Council.
Why the award to Worcester?

Foods and beverages sold at school to students in the cafeteria meet the nutrition guidelines of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Qualified child nutrition professionals assist school administrators to provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meeting their health and nutrition needs; accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning...

 I'll bet you didn't know that Worcester is nationally known for being on the leading edge of getting healthy foods into schools and getting it EATEN! Switching entirely to whole grains, getting food from local farms into schools in season (how do you get 5000 ears of corn to school? Or 6000 pounds of potatoes?), getting HFCS out of chocolate milk..Worcester's done it already!
Also, Donna Lombardi in school nutrition talked to Todd English last night at the award dinner. Very sorry that I didn't get a photo.

Worcester Public Schools nutrition (and tastiness) cited in the Globe today

Nice reference to the Worcester Public Schools' nutrition department today in the Boston Globe:

Donna Lombardi, nutrition director for Worcester Public Schools, reports a 15 percent increase in participation since the system began offering more whole grains and fresh produce, baking its own muffins, serving baked or rotisserie chicken in lieu of nuggets and patties, and taking other steps toward better nutrition.

That's right: they made it healthier...and more kids bought it! Excellent news. If you go through the photo gallery, there's also a nice photo of the vegetables and fruits from local farms at Gates Lane.
And for those of you wondering: yes, Worcester's school lunch program does support itself.
h/t to Nicole for this one