UPDATES 12.20.11

- SHIP Update (Meghann):
The first iteration of SHIP ended June 30, 2011. However, the legislature approved unspent funds to be appropriated back to the grantees in the same percentage that they had received in the first iteration. This created Bridging Period #1 (July-September).

SHIP 2.0 was funded by the legislature in July for $15 million. Part of this $15 million was used for Bridging Period #2 (October-December). During this time, a new RFP was sent out for January 2012-June 2013 funding. There were 29 applicants, and 18 funded parties. The Carlton-Cook-Lake-St. Louis and Aitkin-Itasca-Koochiching Community Health Boards were a recipient of almost $1 million (of the ~$11 million available).

Unfortunately, I will not be continuing with School Nutrition and Active Living in Moose Lake. However, I (Meghann) will be beginning more directed efforts with Safe Routes to School in Moose Lake. In addition, I will be beginning School Nutrition, Safe Routes to School, and Community Active Living in Cloquet.

I will still be around as a resource person, and will be putting together a group/sub-group (with members from both the Active Living Coalition and the School Wellness Committee) for the Safe Routes to School effort. I will continue to forward on information for trainings, curriculum, etc. to the appropriate recipients!

- Lunchroom (Becky):
Edible landscape - We are still using the dried herbs in food we are preparing. Last week we added basil and oregano to our home made spaghetti sauce.

Kitchen equipment - We are using the blender to make smoothies for breakfast each month. Now that we've mastered the strawberry and banana flavor, we will try a blueberry, with frozen blueberries that we got from our government commodities.

With the addition of more salad bar containers and tongs we are able to provide more salad ingredients, which often change. Black beans, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, sunflower seeds go along with our usual serving of chicken, turkey ham, cheese, romaine lettuce and whole wheat breadsticks. We often provide an extra salad to try such as cottage cheese, carrot salad, tuna or chicken salad, pineapple coleslaw, broccoli salad or wild rice salad.
The new salad bar provides extra refrigeration for the salad bar options and for milk.

Hydration station - The kids really like the hydration station and look forward to seeing what we have put inside for flavor. They are drinking a lot of water! Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, peaches, carrots, mixed frozen fruit or canned fruit, and mint are some of the things we have tried. It's a hassle for me to go and buy ice, and sometimes fruit, at the grocery store, just to keep things changing, but I'm going to buy ice cube trays so we can make our own ice now.

Taste testing - We've incorporated foods that we have taste tested in the past into our menu: pumpkin chili is served with our chili dogs, sweet potato fries, whole grain pizza, chicken wraps, bar b q turkey, Jamie Oliver's glazed carrots, meatballs. We did the farm to cafeteria promotion and the kids were able to taste different foods from that: zucchini, eggplant, and kohlrabi sticks, locally grown watermelon, green beans, green pepper, corn on the cob, squash and apples. Each month we've been adding a new dish to the menu and they have been well received. We've also been offering a healthier dessert. Apple and cherry cobbler, chocolate applesauce cake, raisin and oatmeal cookies, pumpkin bars and carrot cake.

Meal Magic - It provides the nutritional values of breakfast and lunch on the web site and the computer monitor in the lunch line. I'm starting analyze the different components of the meal to increase or reduce levels, such as sodium. I like the program and would like to continue with it another year so I can use all the technology it has to offer. It's hard to find the time to work with it, so things go slowly.

Nutrition nuggets - These go out at the end of the month with the school monthly calendar.

- Curriculum (update from Ann and Joe):
Joe has started using the curriculum and really enjoys how it is laid out. He said it is very comprehensive and is also laid out by standards, so he knows he is meeting them. He is finding it difficult to use the games purchased, only because of time, but thinks they are valuable.

Joe has been including the nutrition facts provided on the lunch menu on his board everyday and the students comment if it is not there. It has been valuable for the students in decision making, and also combining with their food journaling.

Elementary teachers will be using the health curriculum purchased for them in their own classrooms.

- Worm Composting (Trish):
The worms are eating and making ‘tea’ (or worm juice)! Meghann will send Trish more information on the plan for using the ‘tea’ as a fundraiser, in hopes of being able to re-start the healthy snack cart and fund it from the proceeds.

The plan is to ultimately create a worm composting system on a larger scale, combined with a recycling program in the lunchroom—Stowe Elementary is a great example.

The District Office ‘babysat’ the worms for the summer and enjoyed feeding and taking care of them—even without much instruction!

- Indoor Walking Signs (Tim):
The Indoor Walking Route Signs arrived, but have yet to be installed. Tim will talk to maintenance about that, and they will be up soon!

- Library Resources:
No update from Mary, however, Joe said he has used a few of the items and is working his way through the list of items that would be useful in his classroom.

- Webinar:
I was asked to speak on a national webinar through the Public Health Law Center (the people who helped us with policy language for the Health Snacks/Treats Policy, Wellness Policy, and Bicycling and Walking to School Policy). I was able to talk about all of the great things you have done!

Here is the link for the webinar, and I encourage you to watch it when you have time (it is about 1.5 hours). The information from the three presenters before me was great!
https://publichealthlawnetwork.webex.com/publichealthlawnetwork/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=4488677&rKey=40cf1df1a5651291

Next Meeting: 12-8-11

The next meeting for the Moose Lake School Wellness Committee has been scheduled for Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 3:45-4:45pm in the board room at the school. It will be a planning meeting, so please plan to attend!

Please RSVP to meghann.condit@co.carlton.mn.us by Wednesday, December 7th, if you are able to attend. See you on the 8th!

SHIP Update and Kitchen Excitement!

SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Program) funding ended June 30, 2010. However, since there was unused funding left over from around the state at that time, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reallocated funding, in the same percentage as the original grant, to all participating Community Health Boards for a “Bridging Period”. This funding was strictly for finishing activities by making everything sustainable, and for final evaluation.

After the government shut-down, and new budget was formed, SHIP was included at a reduced amount for the next biennium, but still funded! MDH decided to create a second bridging period from October-December 2011. During this time, a grant application is to be formed (based on an RFP sent out by MDH), which, if awarded, would fund activities from January 2012-June 2013.

Northeast Minnesota will be applying for this funding, and should find out if they are awarded by December 2011. SHIP may look different, be in different communities, etc.—we do not know all of the details.

On a more exciting note, please note all of the wonderful things happening in the Kitchen at Moose Lake School!:

- Taste testing with the farm to cafeteria products-zucchini sticks, green pepper, cantaloupe, watermelon, green beans, diced tomatoes, shredded carrots, eggplant, squash, corn on the cob, and kohlrabi. 

- Nutrition nugget (newsletter) goes home with each student going

- New aprons for the cooks with the quote of the contest winner: "Real Rebels Cook"

- Making smoothies for breakfast with the new blender (a big hit!)

- Becky has picked from the herb garden this summer and fall and put them in the freezer.  So far, they have used the fresh parsley in our chicken noodle soup, the oregano in our spaghetti, the sage in our turkey gravy.

- The new salad bar has been set up, with many more options

Please watch for more information about the 1st School Wellness Committee meeting of the 2011-2012 school year!

New Edible Landscape!

Thank you to all who helped plant the edible landscape at Moose Lake School on Friday, June 10th, 17th, and Thursday, June 23rd! Here are some pictures:

Total planted:
1 pear tree
4 plum trees
15 apple trees (various varieties)
80 strawberry plants
10 blueberry plants
17 herbs (various varieties)

The produce will be used in the kitchen for breakfasts, lunches, smoothies, part of the hydration station, and possibly for elementary snacks (healthy snack cart). The herbs will also be used as seasoning in the kitchen. How exciting to introduce some fresh, and very locally grown produce to the school lunch!


On another note:
The SHIP Grant is coming to an end June 30, 2011. Activities with the Moose Lake School Wellness Committee will continue, so watch for more excitement. If you are interested in joining the wellness committee, please contact Tim Caroline, Superintendent, at 218-485-4435. Thanks you for all of your help throughout this grant--the school has accomplished SO MUCH!

Planting Edible Landscape!

The Moose Lake Wellness Committee secured funding for planting "edible landscape" at the school. This ties in to multiple areas of our work plan. The produce will be able to be used in areas such as the school lunch, classroom snacks, smoothies, and the hydration station. Not only is the landscape edible, but it also beautifies the school's property--dual purposes!

Please join us in building the two raised beds and planting the fruit trees and bushes!

-June 10 (9am-12/1pm): build raised beds

-June 17 (9am-4pm): plant bushes, trees, and herbs (complementary lunch, provided by the SHIP Grant, for the 17th)