Morehead Montessori goes all locavore with its lunchtime menu

Durham's deservedly earned a reputation for being one of the "foodiest" places in America.

Now that rep is extending and expanding to what you might have assumed to be the least likely of places:

A public school cafeteria.

DPS' Child Nutrition Services department will today serve a lunch menu at Morehead Montessori that's been designed by MEZ chef Aaron Stumb, all using local, in-season produce.

There's no mystery meat in the bunch. Instead, rotisserie chicken, vegetable lasagna and oven roasted North Carolina sweet potatoes will be joined by fresh collard greens, local apples and cornbread.

The RTP restaurant's kitchen commander (who previously worked at Chapel Hill's Crook's Corner and at Chicago's Adobo Grill) will help in preparing the food and will interact with schoolkids over lunch. A compost collection station for apples will help kids understand the food cycle, and how today's waste makes tomorrow's food better.

It's nice to see Durham's schools jumping out ahead with a program like this one.

While the Farmers Market has been popular here for years, questions of local, sustainable small-scale food production got a real national visibility this year when First Lady Michelle Obama planted a backyard garden at the White House.

Not that this is DPS' first entree into this area, mind you. George Watts Montessori among other schools has planted an edible garden to help its students understand where food comes from and to play a role in growing the food they'll consume themselves.

And Morehead will be doing events like today's quarterly, the district says -- "based on student appeal as well as cost considerations," DPS notes in a press release. It already has a contract to procure some produce locally.

Comments

[perevod-chic]

Wouldn't it be great of ALL of Durham's children had access to this, rather than those who attend a magnet whose demographics are only 20% reduced-free lunch? Wouldn't it be great if ALL of the meals contained these fresh local ingredients? Instead, the neediest kids in Durham, the ones on a bullet-train to obesity and juvenile diabetes are getting "pancake on a stick" and "reduced-fat super donut" for breakfast and watery ravioli with fruit cocktail for lunch. We need, as a city, to look at the health outcomes of these meals, and to look at policies and infrastructure to support healthier living. There are many folks from MANY schools who are engaged in this issue, not just the magnets. Thanks for covering this important issue.

[DBB]

Yes, it would be great, but. Not at all to be callous about the issue, because they really are the most in need of a healthy diet, but what's the cost of switching, and would Durham be willing to shoulder that burden in an already tight economy? Last I checked, it was significantly more expensive to eat at FourSquare than at McDonald's, which means that much extra cost per child, split per taxpayer in a time when so many taxpayers are already suffering from strapped finances.

When everyone in Durham buys local and drives down the cost, maybe then. Now? No way. If you want to serve the neediest folks better, encourage the powers that be to push natural/local foods for WIC and food stamps.

[DPS parent]

Correct me if I wrong, but I believe that *every* group of parents who are making an effort in the area of gardening, school lunches or nutrition is ONLY doing it at their school -- whether it's a magnet or non-magnet, Title I or non-Title I.

No one has yet figured out how to change the entire system at once. We're all piloting ideas.

So instead of making negatively nuanced remarks about whether a school is worthy of attention -- based on its poverty level or magnet status -- I'd suggest we support each other's efforts, in an attempt to build a new kind of farm-to-table system, one step at a time.

It's going to be tough enough as it is, without our working against each other.

[Margaret Gifford]

This is a great idea. Agree that all schools should do it. One way to get local food for all schools is to support the effort to put in a mandatory farm to school clause in the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill in Congress. The Community Food Security Coalition and the national Farm to School coalition (http://www.farmtoschool.org/) and several other groups are working on this issue.

There are hurdles to doing local and fresh food in school cafeterias that everyone should know about so we can help schools overcome the challenges. Besides obvious issues, like the very low cost of subsidized government food, one really important challenge is that most public school cafeterias no longer have the right kind of equipment in their kitchens to prepare fresh food. If you want to get fresh local food in your child's school, one really good way to start is just with the salad or sandwich bar. Check out farmtoschool.org for more ideas and don't be shy about contacting people with that group if you want to get a program started. Any school can do it, if we are polite and respectful of the folks running the cafeteria, etc.

Durham needs a Food Policy Council that can help take this on for all Durham Schools.

[Jen Niedel]

Thanks to all for your interest in this event. I was the "broker" that brought the chef and DPS Nutrition Services together, and after 4 months of creativity and hard work, today's lunch exceeded even my own expectations. It is an excellent example of how the school, the district, the community, and the parents can all work together for our students. The effort that went in to this event had nothing to do with magnet status - it began with a parent with an idea and a school district that was supportive. You probably don't know this, but DPS has a fresh produce contract with a company that uses NC farms. For those of you interested in proactively helping with this issue, I co-chair a group of community leaders, parents, and others who are interested in exploiting Durham's "foodie-ness" in a way that benefits our children through school lunch. Our interest is in working collaboratively, not judgingly, with DPS in a way that can benefit all children. The challenges of school lunch have much more depth than "why can't we just do this for everyone" or "why can't I do this at my school". If you are interested in joining this group and becoming active with this issue, please feel free to contact me, Jen Niedel, at dpslocavore@gmail.com.

[TH]

Those involved in the Morehead project should be commended. These are the sort of small changes that can positive ripple effect across all the schools in the district! Thank you to those who have worked so hard on this!!

And your efforts are not a moment too soon. The vegetable of the day at DPS was mash potatoes and turnip greens today. It doesn't matter if those turnips are NC grown, 99.9% of the kids won't eat them. At our old school (out of state) there was a salad bar with fresh fruits and vegetables that was very popular with kids. They would get their main course and then add veggies & fruit from the salad bar. Some would just get carrots and ranch or 1/2 of a kiwi but a lot of the kids would try different things and eat them! My son still misses the school salad bar. And I can tell you he has never eaten the turnip greens here. In the case of the turnips it's farm to school to compost bin. ;)

[bb]

perevod chic,
please give jen niedel a call. thanks

[Heidi Carter]

I would like to send my sentiments of appreciation to Jennifer Niedel for her efforts around the locovore day at Morehead and for leading a group of interested community members who are working to identify the barriers to serving healthier, freshly prepared food in our public schools. The nutrition barriers that the Child Nutrition program and DPS face are very real, but they should not be insurmountable in a community like ours. I hope we can assess the current nutrition situation in our schools, identify the financial, social, and political needs and assets that we have, and form an army of health enthusiasts who will work and advocate for school food reform.

Another sector of our community that can join forces with this army are the folks interested in local agriculture development and farmland preservation in Durham County. One idea that is being studied is to offer a sustainable agriculture curriculum in our schools and to make a pathway for careers into local farming. These local farmers could use the schools as their direct market, and this in turn will cultivate healthier schools, healthier children, a healthier environment, a healthier local economy, and a stronger sense of community.

I would be remiss if I didn't also thank Nadine Blake and Jennifer Hopkins, who are the Director of Child Nutrition and the district nutritionist for DPS. They deal with the challenges of serving nutritious food to our children within the constraints of a huge number of federal and state regulations and restrictions. The Child Nutrition Programs in NC receive about half of their funding from the federal government, but the rest of their revenue comes from what children will buy. There are opportunities for policy change at both the state and federal level around increased funding for child nutrition programs in public schools. Because nutrition is linked to obesity, food insecurity, rising health care costs, and poor school performance, the issues around nutrition programs in our schools are worth our time, attention, and financial resources.

[Alice]

We should all be thankful to Morehead -- and to other schools like Lakewood, with its history of student gardening -- for advancing the issue and making DPS look good in the process. Heidi and Jen N. are correct when they say that the challenges are very real, though not insurmountable.

It's interesting to note that Rachael Ray very recently made over NYC's public school lunch menus. Limited by a list of school-approved ingredients and existing equipment, it was a process that took months of back and forth. But they've somehow managed to introduce recipes that cafeteria staff can cook and serve to 600,000 K-12 students. Imagine your child being offered whole-wheat flatbread with roasted chicken, a ratatouille-style stew with beans, and corn salad on top. As Ray would say, "Yum-o."

[DPS parent]

Heidi,

Thanks for your reasoned response. You are right to praise the efforts of all the people involved in this program; however, IMHO, this news once again shows how out of touch many in the DPS system are.

Marie Antionette said, "Let them eat cake", while her subjects starved in the street. Here in Durham, we say, let them eat "oven roasted NC sweet potatoes and homemade cornbread" while over 70% of black students at Watts are not profecient while 85% of white students at Watts are. How many of those WHITE Trinity Parkers have parents who 1) have the time and money to prepare food like this at home or more likely 2) have the time and A LOT of money to go to all the "foody" resturaunts with their kids to have food prepared for them by these fancy WHITE chefs while they're dishes are washed by these BLACK and LATINO kids parents? It is wonderful that many of these students were exposed to this type of food. Of course they ate it. Did the chef really need to "interact with the students" like they were at Magnolia grill? They ate the food because it tasted good and was fresh.

Heidi, I know you know the statistics that Durham's black and Latino children are fatter than the national average. This in turn will lead to higher rates of diabetes, heart disease and death. I, also, know you know that our schools still serve pizza and french fries everyday in the cafeteria because, those DPS nutrition officials state that "that is what the students will eat". Well you know what? That sounds like another DPS excuse. I don't care where the food comes from, whether it is organic, slow food, or healthy fast food, but you have a responisiblity to watch out for ALL of Durham's children. Quit making execuses and start finding solutions. Here's one: Tell DPS to cut out pizza and french fries in the elementary schools. Period. Here's another one: make an investment in our children's education instead of making excuses. In schools where highly educated and invested WHITE parents aren't active, make sure students have access to WHOLE GRAINS, LOW SUGAR, carbs, not FRENCH FRIES and PANCAKE on a STICK.

I don't want excuses from DPS teachers, administrators, or Board members. I want solutions. Understand this. You can't get more money in your budget. You don't control the purse strings. Make do with what you have. Find solutions. For goodness sake, quit allowing Durham's students to go to an early grave with super donuts, pizza, and french fries.

Glad to see another one of Durham's politicians online :)
Respectfully,

An interested DPS parent

[Erik Landfried]

DPS parent,

Instead of saying "Find solutions", why not sign up to be part of the solution? Ms. Neidel has invited interested folks to participate in helping to find solutions to this problem. You clearly are passionate about this issue, so take her up on her offer!

Making idle demands on a blog does not create the solutions you seem to crave. Being a participant in the process does.

Erik

[Don't Blame get in the Game]

Instead of blaming WHITE parents for caring about what their children eat why don't you become part of the solution? Take responsibility YOURSELF.

[Frank Hyman]

Congratulations to the folks who pulled off this much-needed change in school lunches.

As someone who was an organic farmer in the 80's, selling tomatoes to the Food Co-op, Anotherthyme and Wellspring (remember them?)--long before there were all-local farmers markets and long before crop mobs of kids showed up to weed and very long before anyone was working on improving cafeteria food--this is very satisfying stuff to read. Thanks for making it happen. Those of us reading BCR who have invested the time and patience to make changes like this, know how much hard work it takes.

On the flip side I want to note that if you delete all the comments on this thread by people using aliases, you still get a lot of thoughtful commentary and useful information. When you look at the comments WITH aliases, you largely find pettiness, uninformed opinion and a bizarre belief that somehow one person can wave a policy wand and change things--presto!

To the folks using aliases because they can't either man-up or (as my lesbian friends say) pull on their big girl panties, I just hafta ask: Are you really afraid you'll be deuced at work if the boss finds out you've been commenting on a blog about school lunches? REALLY?

Sheesh.

Frank Hyman

[A dps parent]

Frank,

Get your reading glasses out. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CHANGE IN THE SCHOOL LUNCHES!! That is the problem. There was one meal served at Watts. Hurray I say to that. Many kids have never experienced a home cooked meal... let alone one cooked organically. Way to go Watts. My points were:

a) Morehead Montessori is failing most of its students. While 88% of white students are proficient, only 28% of blacks are, and only 37% of hispanics.

b) I do not think it is a reasonable expectation of most DPS parents to have enough TIME or skill to actually call up Ms. Neidel and get this type of program at their school. Do you think that is what it will take to get DPS to change?

c) Since the merger, DPS has a history of ignoring the problems of its most needy students. All the school board members are aware of the unhealthy lunches being served. All are aware of the leadership it would take on this issue, yet remain mostly silent, or they claim to be hemmed in by the budget.

Well here's the breaking news... we're not getting more money. We've already laid off teachers. Money is tight everywhere. However, we must find solutions... not excuses, and the first solution is simply to STOP serving the unhealty options in the cafeteria. Why can't they do this? One word... money... well you know what... if these kids weren't poor and minority kids, it already would have happened.

And lastly, Frank, I'm you neighbor so loosen up a bit. This anonymity thing is the way the internets work, bro.

Regards,

DPS parent

[Kirsten Kainz]

@DPS Parent:

a) Your numbers don't reflect 2008-09 performance nor do they reflect 2007-08 performance at Morehead as it is reported on www.ncreportcards.org. What source are you using?

b, c) Ms. Neidel is working productively with school board members, community members, and administrators to achieve what she has achieved (which is larger than the recent lunch at Morehead). I think efforts like hers are exactly what it takes to change large institutions.

etc.) School board members are not silent on the issue of healthy meals -- I use as my source personal experience and published minutes of board meetings. What is the source for your statement?

Kirsten Kainz

[A dps parent]

Kirsten,

a) My numbers were from ncreportcards.org, but somehow I quoted the numbers for Watts Elementary. (I must have been thinking too close to home.) However, the numbers for Morehead, while close to being some of the best in the district, are still startling... ESPECIALLY WHEN ONLY 29% OF THE SCHOOL IS ON FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH. Here are the numbers for Morehead: 83% proficient for white, 53% for black, and 50% for hispanic. So Kirsten, are those OK with you?

b,c) Ms. Neidel should be commended. I have never had anything but praise for her efforts. My complaint is directly with you and the board. Take responsibility for what is on the menu: PIZZA and FRENCH FRIES... EVERYDAY... Is this OK with you?

Tomorrow, I see that the school board is hosting a group of parents for dinner? Will you be serrving them PIZZA and FRIES or PANCAKE ON A STICK?

Glad to have another DPS Board member join the conversation,

A dps parent

[Kirsten Kainz]

a) Thanks for the clarification, and no, the numbers are not okay with me.
b,c) Fair enough.
etc.) Regarding our meal tomorrow night, you've raised a very fair criticism.

Heidi and I have discussed alternatives to the existing school meal program -- most recently we have discussed an alternative focused on providing healthy, minimally processed foods by changing the underlying business model of school nutrition, a model that ties us to government supply lines (see posts above, especially from M. Gifford). Toward this end we've been examining programs in other school districts. Right now, I'm looking for promising approaches to launching a financially viable school meal program. Creative ideas are welcome.

[DPS parent]

Was Morehead was able to do this because of the relatively low percentage of free and reduced lunch kids there?

[A dps parent]

Kirsten,

Here is a creative idea: It is immoral to raise money from school lunches by serving our students PIZZA and FRIES. Period. If that means no school lunches can be served, so be it; Let's see what happens when the national news services pick up this lead... "Durham Public Schools refuse to serve kids unhealthy federally subsidized foods that are killing their communities most at risk children".

Finally, thanks for the honesty. I truly respect the service you give to our community, but I think you underestimate your position as a leader on this issue. It is not for you to work out the details of a new program. The board sets policy. Just as you ask your teachers not to accept failure, you also must not accept failure from DPS administrators. They are getting paid the big bucks! Last time I checked you earned a whopping $500 bucks a month. Do not become their whipping boy.

Please consider what the moral action is on this issue.

Respectfully,

A dps parent

[Frank Hyman]

@ a dps parent

I ain't your bro and being my neighbor doesn't get your behavior a pass.

To not use your real name in a forum shows a lack of courage. Period.

Pitching hissy fits and cynicism are no substitute for citizenship.

Lots of people meet with others and engage on listserves and blogs in order to get good work done. Some people unfortunately use group meetings as a cheap form of group therapy. And likewise with blogs and listserves.

To carry on as if elected officials can wave their hands like a dictator and make magic happen is--well, let's call it what it is--magical thinking. Appropriate in children, embarrassing to witness in adults.

Frank Hyman

[Hank Fryman]

Really, Mr. Hyman, that seems quite unnecessary. Mr. Davis has stated his opinion on posters revealing identities and he allows pseudonymous posts. I'm sure "A dps parent" has good reasons for using his/her sig and it's really of no matter to you. Obviously, the concerned writer is well versed on the issues s/he raises, leading me to believe that s/he is active in trying to effect positive change. The only hissy fit I see pitched comes from the previous post to this one.

[Frank Hyman]

There are people with thinner skin than I have who would like to play a role in forums like this, but forgo sharing their views because of posts like the last one that attempts to make fun of my name.

The unrealistic and cynical posts like yours and the other anonymous posts poison the well and deter comments from citizens of milder temperaments.

I disagree with Mr. BCR's policy on identity.

I'm sure there are no more than a handful of posts from people who genuinely need to hide their identity because they have a thoughtful comment to make that might cause them grief in their workplace. Mr. BCR can vet those and exclude the majority of anonymous posts, which on their face are merely petty attacks that are only made because they have the option of coming from behind an alias.

I believe that fewer anonymous posts on the internet would lead to a greater number of thoughtful, signed posts.

My name is Frank Hyman and I approved this message.

Can the previous poster say the same for themselves?

[A dps parent]

Frank,

I have clearly stated my postion:

1) It is immoral to raise money from school lunches by serving food that we know to be harmful.

2) If the problem of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease impacted the wealthy of our city like it does our poor and disenfranchised we would see a change.

3) You're correct that I don't have a fifteen point plan on how to implement healthier lunches. In fact, I don't know how to solve the health care crisis, get us out of Afganistan, or stop global warming; however, that does not stop me from DEMANDING from my elected political leaders that they solve those problems. If they don't, they will hear from me... and it won't be anonymously on a blog.

I joined this debate because I felt Morehead was getting a little more recognition than they deserved, and that Kevin's post should have addressed the real crisis of food/health in the schools. Everytime Morehead is mentioned as a successful magnet, it should also be mentioned that they have a very low percentage of students of Free and Reduced Lunch, and that most families in Durham would not be able to send their child to a magnet due to transportation issues or lottery results.

Frank, you have yet to rebut any of the statements I have made except to say I want a "magic wand waved" and I am "cynical". I'm not asking for a magic wand, and I apologize if my comments about white Trinity Parkers with fancy green gardens struck you as cynical. I was most certainly not attempting to be cynical, but state a clear reality.

I'm asking our elected leaders to take a principaled stand on this issue and then ask the people in DPS administration to find a way to make it healthier food work. You can't tell me that in a place like Durham with so many smarty pants wandering about, we can't find a solution to this problem?

However, for you, politics is personal, localized, and full past relationships. I noticed that the class you teach about Durham politics promises a "Who is who" of Durham political circles. Well, you know who I am... I'm Jose Durham...a simple person... I'm not politically connected... I don't live in a fancy house with one of your gardens... I'm just one concerned DPS parent... what's the difference? I'm hoping for change... I believe a change is possible...

Respectfully,

A dps parent