Wellness Committee Survey Comments
Jan 2007
1. Has the
once-a-month birthday party concept benefited students nutritionally?
Yes, but it takes away from each students celebration. It does help with classes
that have Jehovah Witness students, less interruptions and healthier parties.
This doesn’t have an impact on High School.
Not aware—not in regular classroom at that time of day.
…by lessening the frequency of “party”type food items.
We don’t celebrate with food or drink.
It hasn’t really been an issue. Kids at our level don’t always ask to bring treats for
their birthdays.
I still have parents complain about it. And the parents don’t like to work together
for a party. The all want to bring cupcakes and want their cupcakes eaten at the
party.
2. Recess before lunch improved students eating habits.
The kids are so wound up from eating lunch. They are very rowdy in the cafeteria. And it takes approximately 20 minutes for them to calm down when they return to the classroom.
Kids are more rowdy in classroom in P.M.
BMS 8th grade does not have this option.
N/A 8th grade Recess after lunch. However, metabolism is better after activities.
Our schedule does not work out that way.
Too wound up to eat.
Still have to rush.
3. The “Approved Snack-List” has resulted in
healthier snack for students.
Parents just aren’t sending anything!
We just don’t have snacks.
Don’t have a lot of snacks.
Don’t know.
4. Vending machines turned off during lunch is nutritionally
helping the students.
Does not
effect
By turning off machines during lunch, we leave them on during classes. Students are now bringing snacks to class and “grazing” all day. Shutting them off during classes and turning them on at lunch makes more sense to me. Also, when I send kids to the office for tardies, they are swinging by the machines. Why not, they’re
Already tardy and they’re on.
They are not turned off on a consistent basis.
Not unless turned off all day ( school day, that is .)
There are some teachers that are giving or allowing students to get pop during the day as rewards.
Don’t have it.
What about the rest of the day?
It is on all other times so what’s the difference?
5. The proportion size of the school lunch is appropriate for the students.
Portion sizes are too small. Kids are hungry.
I don’t know.
Students say they are still hungry after finishing their tray.
Unsure
The students still throw away a lot of food.
Too much food—they throw it away.
Sometimes
Much better now.
Too small.
Especially at middle school!(1)
Now the proportion size has improved at our school.
6. The Wellness Committee is meeting the
objective of helping staff and students to
make healthier
choices.
The concept of Wellness Committee is to be commended. I realize we can only do baby steps, as many habits are ingrained.
Good concept but the students aren’t understanding it.
How would we know this?
Not all content areas are receiving the info!
..helping staff—we could do more
…students—increase physical activity time or opportunity
Helping staff—yes students—no
Appreciate the efforts—difficult task!
I can’t really answer that.
I’m afraid this survey does not
apply to me or my experience here at MHS.
COMMENTS:
More raw veggies would be eaten better than cooked. I’d like to see us focus on more physical activities instead of only restrictions on food. I’d also like to see more emphasis on food kids will eat. The sauces, seasonings (peppers, onions, etc…) are tasty, but kids won’t eat them. We have to remember that some student only get fed at school. The menus need to be kid friendly. It would also be nice if the kids had mayo, mustard, and ketchup for sandwiches.
I feel recess is better for the students after lunch. I feel they actually eat better if they play after lunch.
Recess before lunch increases student discipline problems, noise and rowdy behavior at lunch. They come in loud and stay that way. The children continue to throw away tons of food.
It would be nice if students at the
elementary (
I haven’t seen any results to really answer the above questions. Are there graphs or % that we should have looked at. Have students done a poll or survey such as this to get their opinion. I personally don’t see the effects at the High School.
Getting rid of soda machines completely would help. Add on water and some juices.
I do not think soda should be supplied at all, also the vending machines contain very little food that has nutritional value. I have noticed that students often just purchase French fries at lunch, which can’t be very healthy.
I do feel that there has been an attempt to provide healthier food but there is a lot of room for offering more alternatives. Too much fried and prepared foods, Need no fat dressing for salads. Also mark these where people know what is available. Low fat alternatives are needed. We do have fresh fruit. That is great. It would be great for it to be easier to cut down and still eat healthy. The sub bar is good and salad bar. Breakfast items that are not fried or is heavy oil also. It is like eating at fast good restaurants when everything is fried. You have no idea what you are eating if you are trying to cut fat or calories. (How are thing prepared?) many of these things are more important that just eating whole wheat bread over white. That is an O.K. change but an easy one.
I just wish the lunch room would not run out of food for 5th hour lunch.
Students can still utilize the snack bar if they want. The vending machines are rarely turned off during lunch.
I think we are micro managing way to much. Maybe if we make kids get off their bottoms and play outside we would have a better or healthier student body. Throw Away those Game Boys!
Students are not able to make choices. The students think that if there is a food item in each of the compartments on the tray it’s O.K.; then they throw the food away.
Elementary children are not capable of making these types of decisions. Responsible adults need to help them with their choices.
I have a concern at BMS. The students are being told by the kitchen staff –“If you don’t know your lunch code, you don’t eat.” I’m sure they don’t really mean that but if so that is something the Wellness Committee needs to know about.
We need to keep making allowances for the “once-in-a-while” special treats-please don’t go to an all-or-nothing concept. “Healthy snacks”-many are not any more healthy than the ‘unhealthy”.
If we really want our students to improve nutrition, they should not let the children have the choices for fruits/veggies. They just don’t take them. Often, if the children are hungry and it is on the tray –they’ll eat it!
Students just go home and load up on junk and watch TV!
Need bigger portions for kids!
We don’t have a once-a-month birthday parties, we might have 2-3 with none. Most parents ignore the “Approved Snack list”. We don’t have vending machines with junk food. Sometimes the school lunch is skimpy and sometimes overboard.
I don’t see the trays enough to know if portions are appropriate. I don’t have students who go to recess before lunch.
None of these questions apply to my area!
Some students detour from celebrating their at school. Fruits and Veg. are too expensive for the parents. So are some of the other healthy snacks. Portion sizes
are still too small, even the healthy foods.
Encourage staff to exercise….offer sparkpeople.com or a nutrition system to support. mypramid.gov
Teachers are providing healthier
snacks at monthly events. Students and
/or parents don’t get it and if they do, they are not choosing to provide
healthy snacks. I’m confused whether I
should flat refuse to
let them bring in cupcakes or encourage them to not bring snacks at all . I have told parents sweets such as cupcakes,
cookies, etc. were frowned upon and it did not make one bit of difference. There must be something more than a note home
to continue this policy—Either we do it or don’t!