Long Beach BOE Discusses Health and Nutrition at Meeting

At the Oct. 28 work session of the Long Beach School District Board of Education, Chief Operating Officer Michael DeVito and Director of Food Services Steven Kamlet gave a presentation on food and nutrition services.

They reviewed the program from the 2013-14 school year and discussed the current school year’s plan.

DeVito and Kamlet shared an overview of 2013-14 profit and loss, expenditures, participation and enrollment, meal cost and revenue. Expenditures exceeded revenues last year, resulting in a $174,619 deficit after a $250,000 general fund subsidy. However, the district has decreased its expenditures by 11 percent from the 2011-2012 school year, when the deficit was $211,000 after a $250,000 general fund subsidy. Profit generated in the 2012-13 school year when Superstorm Sandy created unusual circumstances offset part of the previous years’ losses. Reduced labor payroll and a 23 percent decrease in food costs also lowered expenditures.

Despite declining enrollment, the average daily participation of students purchasing meals continues to grow. The district has introduced several initiatives to maximize the benefits of the food services program and provide nutritious and appealing options for students. Since April of 2012, the use of fresh produce was increased by 42 percent. The use of salads and yogurt parfaits has increased by 38 percent since last fall.

Life Skills students have work study opportunities to assist in the high school kitchen, and high school science students are able to gain hands-on learning experiences through a garden compost program. Kamlet is exploring possibilities to install usable gardens at each elementary school to expand fresh produce availability and involve children in the planting and harvesting processes.

Long Beach is the first school district in the nation to provide an Allergy Awareness Program in which parents can go online and check the allergens in various foods. School nurses meet to discuss the individual needs of students and work with parents to ensure that the appropriate actions and precautions are taken, from menu design to food preparation to equipment cleanup.

Moving forward, the district is looking at increasing faculty sales, converting high school a la carte snack sales to reimbursable meals, removing the high school from the National School Lunch Program and shifting to more of a collegiate food court model, and encouraging the free/reduced lunch program. Other initiatives are being considered to help break even and mitigate the losses.

The district encourages families who are eligible for free/reduced meals to take advantage of the services. Reduced price lunches are $0.25 while full-paid lunches are $3. To determine eligibility, please complete the application available on www.lbeach.org. The full presentation can be accessed from the website as well.

Submitted by Long Beach Schools