The cupcake treat handed out by a teacher to students after they’ve finished a spelling bee classroom activity is no longer an option in District 97.
The school district is trying to get teachers and PTOs to follow its Wellness Policy that’s been in place for a few years but has not always been adhered to, or understood, by parents and teachers. Some schools have done better than others in following it, explained Kirsten Straughan, co-chair of D97’s Wellness Council.
The district’s policy went into effect in 2007 and has been revised and refined since.
Straughan says the policy — as well as more specific guidelines for administration outlining what’s OK and what’s not — is governed by the National School Lunch Program.
In 2004, the federal government mandated school districts nationwide to develop a wellness policy, part of a move to provide healthier food and more physical activity for kids. The ’04 mandate stipulated wellness policies to include nutrition guidelines for all foods served during the school day, and also that a stakeholder committee group be set up to monitor the policy.
The federal law kicked off a domino effect across the country, including in Illinois, which in 2006 banned junk food and soda pops served in schools during the school day.
Individual schools in D97 also took steps to limit unhealthy foods to their students. Hatch, for instance, did away with their cupcake birthday parties, as did Beye. Mann School did away with any kind of food-related celebrations in their building.
As for PTO food-related fundraisers done on-campus, like the one-day-a-week sandwich lunches served at Brooks, those are still allowed under a “competitive food sales” state waiver that D97 currently falls under. But those programs, Straughan said, must still comply with federally-mandated healthy food guidelines — for instance, providing fruits and vegetables with the lunches.
Still, D97 officials from administration to the school board, as well as some parents, admit that those tasty treats are still finding their ways into kids’ bellies in the classroom.
Straughan said the council is talking with administration and PTO council about how to educate teachers and families. But Straughan, who’s a licensed dietitian and a clinical professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, says with childhood obesity a growing problem nationally, everyone could do a better job solving the problem.
“Everything is OK in moderation, but with the epidemic of childhood obesity, we as a country need to play a role in addressing that issue, that’s why it’s important to have this policy in place to make some headway,” she said.
