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The Significance of Preschool Food Programs

One school district’s pilot program proves pre-K is worth the effort

Recent research has highlighted the fact that early childhood education increases students’ success rates, so it’s not surprising that more school districts are adding preschool as an assumed grade level in their academic model as well as their construction plans.

In Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), one of the more recent remodels, Columbine Elementary, designed two preschool classrooms with a preschool playground and pick up and drop off area that are separate from the K-5 entrances. This setup creates a safe environment for the preschool and is an efficient plan for educating the youngest students. Seventeen of 32 elementary schools in Boulder have preschools, and while there are many preschool snack programs, and several Head Start locations serving lunch in the district, lunch in preschool has been the exception, not the rule.

There are a wide variety of solutions for feeding preschoolers throughout the country. Some preschoolers eat lunch if they are in full-day programs housed at an elementary school, but the half-day programs are often not included. Another scenario for the five and under set might be having lunch if they are in a Head Start program that is housed in an elementary school. The bottom line is that school districts are experimenting.

School districts see the need to offer meals to preschoolers—with food access, food education, and revenue being the major drivers. To address access, a district may offer lunch under the NSLP and offer preschoolers snack under CACFP. To address food education, the USDA launched their Farm to Preschool webpage in July, taking notice that educating the youngest students with farm fresh produce can create a win-win later on for making a healthy transition to regular meal programs. The foundation for this direction can be found at Portland State University in Oregon where Lunch Box advisor, Professor Betty Izumi, established Harvest for Healthy Kids in partnership with Mt. Hood Community College Head Start to connect children in early care and education settings with local agriculture through their meals and classroom experiences.

There are a wide variety of solutions for feeding preschoolers throughout the country. Some preschoolers eat lunch if they are in full-day programs housed at an elementary school, but the half-day programs are often not included. Another scenario for the five and under set might be having lunch if they are in a Head Start program that is housed in an elementary school. The bottom line is that school districts are experimenting.

School districts see the need to offer meals to preschoolers—with food access, food education, and revenue being the major drivers. To address access, a district may offer lunch under the NSLP and offer preschoolers snack under CACFP. To address food education, the USDA launched their Farm to Preschool webpage in July, taking notice that educating the youngest students with farm fresh produce can create a win-win later on for making a healthy transition to regular meal programs. The foundation for this direction can be found at Portland State University in Oregon where Lunch Box advisor, Professor Betty Izumi, established Harvest for Healthy Kids in partnership with Mt. Hood Community College Head Start to connect children in early care and education settings with local agriculture through their meals and classroom experiences.

During the 2014-15 school year, BVSD Food Services had the opportunity to pilot their own version of preschool lunchroom education after receiving a $120,000 grant from Gordon Gamm, founder of the Boulder International Humanist Institute. Gamm was interested in “filling in the gaps” of food access in the City of Boulder. Working with Chef Ann Cooper, Director of Food Services, the Gamm Initiative for Toddlers and Infants was established and a plan to offer universal lunch (offered to all at no cost, regardless of eligibility status) and provide weekend food bags to all preschool students at three Boulder preschools was initiated. The preschools, which are located in elementary schools in the City of Boulder, are all half-day programs, so each school site was evaluated for efficiency of meal service. As a result, meals were offered in the cafeteria, in the classroom family-style, or in the classroom individually served. Once a week, bags filled with predominantly organic and local staple items and produce, including brown rice, potatoes, onions, pasta, canned tomato, and fresh fruit were packed and either sent home with the students on the buses or given to parents when picking up their children.

During the 2014-15 school year, BVSD Food Services had the opportunity to pilot their own version of preschool lunchroom education after receiving a $120,000 grant from Gordon Gamm, founder of the Boulder International Humanist Institute. Gamm was interested in “filling in the gaps” of food access in the City of Boulder. Working with Chef Ann Cooper, Director of Food Services, the Gamm Initiative for Toddlers and Infants was established and a plan to offer universal lunch (offered to all at no cost, regardless of eligibility status) and provide weekend food bags to all preschool students at three Boulder preschools was initiated. The preschools, which are located in elementary schools in the City of Boulder, are all half-day programs, so each school site was evaluated for efficiency of meal service. As a result, meals were offered in the cafeteria, in the classroom family-style, or in the classroom individually served. Once a week, bags filled with predominantly organic and local staple items and produce, including brown rice, potatoes, onions, pasta, canned tomato, and fresh fruit were packed and either sent home with the students on the buses or given to parents when picking up their children.

A detailed case study by the Chef Ann Foundation of the Gamm Initiative indicated the program was a welcomed addition, and while the eligibility status of the three pilot schools was between 42% and 63%, all students were served, yet there was no negative fiscal impact on any of the school sites. Parents were very appreciative and excited about their children receiving lunch and trying new foods at school. For many, their children were eating foods that they never would have expected them to try, like cucumbers and lettuce.

The weekend bag program, like most bag programs (aka backpack programs), does not have any state or federal revenue and is reliant on granted funds. Boulder’s bag program was distinctly different from most in that they offered whole, bulk foods with the intention that they would be part of the families’ home-cooked meals. Most backpack programs are designed from the perspective of providing weekend food that a child can access without the aid of an adult; for the most part they contain processed foods. Parents receiving the weekend bags were overwhelmingly positive about it with their only criticism being variety of ingredients. Boulder will be utilizing feedback from the Case Study to help secure funding to expand the weekend bag program. Developing a partnership with Community Food Share will provide free staple items, and BVSD will be able to increase the amount of fresh food items offered.

BVSD will continue both the lunch and the bag programs at the three sites and add two more high-need elementary schools in Lafayette and Broomfield in 2015-16.

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A detailed case study by the Chef Ann Foundation of the Gamm Initiative indicated the program was a welcomed addition, and while the eligibility status of the three pilot schools was between 42% and 63%, all students were served, yet there was no negative fiscal impact on any of the school sites. Parents were very appreciative and excited about their children receiving lunch and trying new foods at school. For many, their children were eating foods that they never would have expected them to try, like cucumbers and lettuce.

The weekend bag program, like most bag programs (aka backpack programs), does not have any state or federal revenue and is reliant on granted funds. Boulder’s bag program was distinctly different from most in that they offered whole, bulk foods with the intention that they would be part of the families’ home-cooked meals. Most backpack programs are designed from the perspective of providing weekend food that a child can access without the aid of an adult; for the most part they contain processed foods. Parents receiving the weekend bags were overwhelmingly positive about it with their only criticism being variety of ingredients. Boulder will be utilizing feedback from the Case Study to help secure funding to expand the weekend bag program. Developing a partnership with Community Food Share will provide free staple items, and BVSD will be able to increase the amount of fresh food items offered.

BVSD will continue both the lunch and the bag programs at the three sites and add two more high-need elementary schools in Lafayette and Broomfield in 2015-16.

Interested in reading more helpful articles from us? Sign-up for our newsletter in the footer below.

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