STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Representatives of The Nutritional Group introduced changes to the school meal nutritional guidelines during the Clarion-Limestone School District Board’s October meeting.
(Pictured above: Board members and meeting attendees try a new queso dip provided by The Nutrition Group.)
On Wednesday, October 18, The Nutritional Group presented changes in sodium and whole grain levels to school meals. It was noted that the group has provided 109,954 total meals to C-L students in the 2022-2023 school year.
“We have never had a sodium change since the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act started,” Jodee Raybuck, a Regional Manager at The Nutrition Group told the board.
“They’ve tried it. The manufacturers all had big problems meeting it, and they’ve kept blocking it. This year is different. They lowered those (sodium) levels as to what’s allowed for the students,” Raybuck added.
The representatives at The Nutrition Group brought along samples for the board, and anyone else attending the meeting, to try during the presentation.
“This low sodium queso is a really good example of one of these responses. The previous cheese sauce that was used in those exciting meals such as walking tacos, quesadillas, and cheesesteaks in the past was nothing but sodium and calories. It accounted for nothing else in the nutrient analysis. This queso has enough cheese, enough whole milk, and enough things like that that it counts as a protein,” Raybuck explained.
In addition to the demand for lower sodium levels, a greater percentage of whole grain foods will be served by The Nutrition Group.
“Another change is whole grain. They have changed from 51% whole grain from all the entrees that we serve to 85%. 85% makes it a little bit tough to do the pastas and the pizza crusts,” Raybuck explained.
“What you’re eating tonight in the dumpling or potsticker is a whole grain pasta. For any of you who have tried to make whole grain pasta at home, you know it’s not easy to keep it soft, so we are really excited about this product. We’ve gotten a huge response from the students with this.”
Raybuck also announced that The Nutrition Group is bringing back Wellness Wednesdays, which is a taste-testing program where representatives come into the cafeteria and offer different fruits and veggies that some of the students may have never tried.
Students who try a new thing will get a sticker to show their parents at home. This is designed to get a conversation going at home about healthier options, and students are given recipes that they can take home with them.
In other business, the board approved the following items:
Old Business
– Consideration of the final reading and approval of the revisions to the following policies (per amendment to the PA School Code and upon solicitor’s recommendation):
- 137.2 Participation in Co-curricular Activities and Academic Courses by Home Education Students (new)
- 137.3 Participation in Career and Technical Education Programs by Home Education Students (new)
New Business
– Consideration for approval of the 2023-24 school bus transportation routes as presented.
– Consideration for retroactive approval to purchase a cooler through Stallion Mechanical for the high school cafeteria in the amount of $9,256.00 from the Cafeteria Fund, as approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Capital Expenditure Request.
– Consideration for approval of the following 2023-24 supplemental contracts pending receipt of all required legal documentation:
- Joseph Lopez, Head Softball Coach
- Jason Craig, Assistant Softball Coach
- Wendy Ferguson, Junior Class Co-advisor
- Sarah Meals, Junior Class Co-advisor
– Consideration for retroactive approval of Greg Nugent as a bus/van driver for Rossey Busing for the 2023-24 school year and approved as a substitute driver for other bus contractors, pending receipt of all required legal documentation and subject to final review of all criminal record checks for all non-automatically disqualifying offenses.
– Consideration for approval to accept the resignation effective October 28, 2023, of Lainey Lavelle as the Senior High Cheerleading Coach.
– Consideration for approval of the following volunteers for the 2023-24 school year pending receipt of all required legal documentation:
- Todd Lutz – Baseball
- Ambler Hubler – School
– Consideration for approval of the Clarion-Limestone students enrolled in band classes to attend a tour of Chicago via Motor Coach from Monday, June 17, 2024, through Thursday, June 20, 2024 (at no cost to the school district).
– Consideration for approval to appoint Robert Spicher as Board Treasurer through December 21, 2023.
– Consideration for approval of the School Support Therapist job description as presented.
– Consideration for approval of the Non-Corporate Resolution with Pershing LLC as the custodian for investments through Financial Northeastern Corporation.
– Consideration for approval of the first reading of the review and/or revision to the following policies:
- Policy #251 – Students Experiencing Homelessness, Foster Care, and Other Educational Instability.
- Policy #918 – Title 1 Parent and Family Engagement.
– Consideration for retroactive approval of the Clarion University Baseball team to use the baseball fields for practice from October 2 – 18, 2023, during their home field renovation.
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