Central Middle School

Whitefish, Montana

Categories	À la carte foods and beverages; Establish nutrition standards for competitive foods; Make more healthful foods and beverages available
Problem Overview	660 to 700 students in northwest Montana 25 percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price school meals
Program/Activity Description	According to Principal Kim Anderson, “It all started with the garbage.” While looking into concerns about trash on the school grounds, Anderson realized that Central students were consuming large amounts of candy, chips, soft drinks, and snacks instead of eating the nutritious school breakfast and lunch meals served in the cafeteria. Around the same time, Mr. Anderson was introduced to the Healthy School Nutrition Environment concept at a Team Nutrition presentation. He saw the link between nutrition—what students were, and were not, eating and drinking— and school behavior: discipline issues, classroom management, and the overall learning environment. As principal, Mr. Anderson first introduced parents to Changing the Scene by building awareness. He involved the PTA in identifying the problem (foods and beverages of minimal nutritional value) and providing a solution (purchase of a vending machine to be stocked with positive choices by Central’s food service program). Over the past 3 years, there has been a complete overhaul of Central Middle School’s nutrition philosophy and environment. The changes include healthful options in vending machines and à la carte lines, active promotion of breakfast, recess before lunch, and a cafeteria recycling program (to solve the garbage and trash problem). Mr. Anderson recognizes the importance of developing written policies and standards to ensure a healthy school nutrition environment. He notes that changes cannot be based on the leadership of just one person or the commitment of a few parents and staff: “It has to become part of who you are as a school community.”
Program/Activity Outcome	Over the past 3 years, Central Middle School has made substantial changes in its school nutrition environment, including major changes in school vending. All soft drinks have been removed from vending machines and replaced with bottled water and 100% juices. Candy has been removed from vending machines and à la carte sales. No candy is available for sale to students during school hours. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) purchased a $4,000 vending machine for the school’s food service program. The machine is stocked daily with milk, yogurt, pudding, string cheese, beef jerky, baked chips, and fruit. All profits go to the school’s food service program. Healthful à la carte offerings in the lunchroom now include homemade pretzels, bagels, and salads, as well as sandwiches, baked chips, and fresh fruit. The lunchtime recess schedule was changed in 2002-2003. All students now have recess before lunch, with noted improvements in afternoon academics. Net proceeds from vending and à la carte sales have stayed the same, or increased slightly. Total sales dollars have decreased. However, the higher profit margins for healthier items (as compared to candy and soft drinks) mean that the net proceeds to the school’s food service program are higher than before the changes were made. Lunchroom discipline problems have decreased—from 183 per year (before changes) to only 36 in the first 8 months of the 2002-2003 school year After-lunch referrals to the principal’s office (for classroom and other behavior problems) have also decreased—from 96 referrals (in 2001-2002) to just 22 referrals in the first 8 months of the 2002-2003 school year. Teachers report improved student behavior and attentiveness during fifth period classes (immediately after lunch). According to one teacher, “Students are now rested, relaxed, and ready to learn.” One math teacher reports that she has “gained 10 minutes in instruction time” per class period (equal to 30 hours per year).
Story Highlights	Keys to Success: Data collection Collected evidence (garbage) and data (numbers of discipline and behavior problems reported in the lunchroom and after lunch) Involvement of school community Built awareness and involved stakeholders (parents, food service staff, and students)
Words of Wisdom	"You cannot put a price on the benefits of good nutrition. I have supported these changes in our school nutrition environment because I believe that this could be the missing link to a better learning environment and improved academic achievement. If we want our kids to do better on a regular basis, we need to offer them healthier choices." — Kim Anderson, Principal
Program Contact	Kim Anderson

Page last reviewed: February 27, 2013
Page last updated: February 27, 2013
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