Education Officials Highlight School Nutrition

State Board of Education member Mabel Desmond, with Bijou Umuhoza, an eleventh grader

Gendron, State Board of Education members join students for school lunch

October 14, 2009

REPORTERS AND EDITORS: Downloadable photos from this event can be found here: http://www.maine.gov/education/news/images/

PORTLAND – About a dozen students hosted state Education Commissioner Sue Gendron, State Board of Education Chair Ann Weisleder, and other board members for lunch at Portland High School Wednesday. The state education officials, already at the school for a meeting, wanted to highlight the importance of school nutrition programs, as well as some of the improvements being made to them around the state.

Gendron praised schools for offering more fresh fruits and vegetables, and more locally-grown food, as well as for offering more healthy choices for students. She said school lunch and breakfast programs – and better quality meals for students – are making a difference.

“You can’t learn on an empty stomach,” Gendron said. “Research shows that clearly. More of our schools are offering breakfast programs, nearly every school offers a lunch program, and many of our schools are making great improvements to their programs.”

Research shows that kids who are well fed do better on tests, have fewer disciplinary problems and make fewer visits to the school nurse. Every K-8 public school in Maine and all but one of Maine’s high schools provides school lunch every day. About 90 percent of Maine’s public schools now offer breakfast, too.

Gendron, Weisleder, and the students were also joined by James Morse, the superintendent of Portland Schools. The Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council helped coordinate the event.

Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Services

The Child Nutrition Services agency in the Maine Department of Education oversees several USDA programs. The staff’s high priority duties include completing Federal reviews, conducting several statewide informational meetings yearly, and providing local technical assistance. Programs the Agency oversees are:

National School Lunch Program The National School Lunch Program provides reimbursable lunches to students in public and some private schools. There are about 208 districts participating. Student meals are reimbursed on a three level scale; free at $2.68, reduced at $2.28 and paid at $.25. The State of Maine contributes about $.05 per student lunch. Maine schools offer an estimated 106,000 reimbursable lunches daily.

National School Breakfast Program The National School Breakfast Program provides reimbursable lunches to students in public and some private schools. About 90% of the schools in the NSLP also participate in the breakfast program. Student breakfasts are reimbursed on a three level scale; free at $1.46, reduced at $1.16 and paid at $.26. The State of Maine covers the cost the reduced student would normally pay. Maine schools offer an estimated 33,000 reimbursable breakfasts daily.

After School Snack Program The After School Snack Program is a new program that provides after school snacks to structured educational programs. Schools with more than 50% free and reduced eligible provide the snacks free to any participating student. 128 schools participated in School Year 2009.

USDA Food Program The USDA Food Program over the years has changed the most. USDA Food Program provides food to schools to help reduce plate cost. The program offers frozen vegetables, meat, canned fruits, and fresh vegetables/fruit. The program attempts to provide good nutritional products for our students.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program This is a two year old program that provides a grant to elementary schools that are 50% or greater free and reduced. Grant is based on school enrollment. The funds are used to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to children outside of the school meals. This program has received excellent comments.

Summer Food Service Program This Summer Food Service Program provides meal reimbursement to eligible summer programs. Hunger does not take a vacation is our slogan. Sponsors include school, community recreation programs and camps. Maine has over 65 sponsors with an estimated 160 sites for children to have a summer meal at no cost. Almost 380,000 meals and snacks were served in 2009.

Maine serves:

100,000 student lunch meals daily
32,000 student breakfasts daily
Maine DOE received a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant of $839,332 for 77 elementary schools
39% of the students enrolled 2009 school year were eligible for free and reduced meal benefits
192,969 students enrolled to participate in the National School Lunch Program school year 2009

David Connerty-Marin, Communications, 207-624-6880 | Walter Beesley, School Nutrition, 207-624-6875

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Education Officials Highlight School Nutrition