Newsletter: March 2006

GEI Nutrition in the Schools Newsletter #4

March 2006

The Nutrition in the Schools Network Newsletter provides information on events, activities, and resources that help us to educate and advocate for healthy, nutritional food and beverages in schools.

Table of Contents
1. Next Meeting
2. Our New Name
3. Green Earth Fair – May 7, 1-5pm
4. Letter Writing Campaign to Representative Judy Biggert
5. New Rules (proposed) for Foods/Beverages in Illinois Elementary/Middle Schools
6. Online Resources

1. NEXT MEETING

Our next meeting is on Wednesday, April 19, 7:30 pm, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 815 S. Washington, Naperville, just south of Edwards Hospital.  Enter at the light for the hospital; at the stop sign, turn left into the Church parking lot; park around the back (side farthest from Washington); enter door #3; we’ll be in the second room on the left.

Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings, and if it is your first meeting, we'll spend time getting to know you, your school district, and your interests.

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2. OUR NEW NAME

Our new name is Nutrition in the Schools Network (NISN), formerly Nutrition in the School Committee.  We changed our name to reflect our reality.  We are a network of primarily parents, teachers, and health care professionals who support each other in our local education and advocacy efforts for healthier foods and beverages in schools.  Our e-mail newsletter and action alerts keep our network members informed, and we occasionally initiate campaigns that have a broad appeal, such as our letter writing campaign to Representative Judy Biggert.

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3. GREEN EARTH FAIR – MAY 7, 1-5PM

The Green Earth Fair is an afternoon for the public to see the farm, learn about nature, and hear about ways to use earth-friendly practices in our gardens, yards, and homes. There will be exhibits and demonstrations as well as tours of the organic farm and activities for the kids. Organic vegetable seedlings and native prairie plants will be available for purchase. The event is open to the public, free of charge.  The location is 10S404 Knoch Knolls Road, Naperville.

The Nutrition in the Schools Network will participate in the Fair in two ways.  We will have a booth with information, books, and action ideas.  We will also be giving a presentation from 3:15pm to 4:00pm, which will include examples of successful local activity, lessons learned, and updates on what is happening in Springfield and Washington.  In addition, presenting at 2:15pm for the third year in a row, Dr. Philippa Norman will provide invaluable information on nutrition and the brain.  Don’t miss it!

Please bring your friends!  We look forward to seeing you there.

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4. LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN TO REPRESENTATIVE JUDY BIGGERT

Thanks to all who wrote letters to Representative Biggert, and for succeeding in enlisting others to participate.  With your help, NISN sent Congresswoman Biggert a total of 75 letters. Also, direct communication to her staff has occurred several times about the proposed legislation to provide the USDA with authority to write rules governing competitive foods in schools.

As of today, Representative Biggert has not signed on as a co-sponsor of the legislation.  Her primary concern is whether the federal government should set stricter nutrition standards for public schools, or whether this should be a local (or state) decision.  She is concerned that federal rules will put burdens on schools, generate local resistance, and be ineffective.  Chris Shays (R-CT) has joined Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) as original co-sponsors of the bill in the House, and we expect the legislation to be introduced in April.

If you feel strongly that federal legislation is important, please send your reasons to Representative Biggert directly. Please don’t delay, all letters and correspondence make a difference!  If you are writing again, let Congresswoman Biggert know you want to address her concern about federal involvement, and explain why you think it is important to have federal rules regarding all foods and beverages sold in schools.

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5. NEW RULES (proposed) FOR FOODS/BEVERAGES IN ILLINOIS ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOLS

On March 16, 2006, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) adopted proposed rules regarding food and beverages for sale in Illinois elementary and middle schools receiving federal aid for school breakfast and lunch programs.  These rules are significantly different from those originally proposed in December, 2005.

A summary of the rules can be found on the ISBE website. For more details on the background to the proposed rules and the ISBE response to comments that were submitted on the rules, see our website.

The period for public comments has ended.  Now, the proposed rules go to the Illinois General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) and the rules become final only after JCAR has completed its review.  JCAR meets monthly but we do not know how quickly they will act on these proposed rules.

If you do not want to receive the GEI Nutrition in the Schools Newsletters or Action Alerts, please send an email to Marc Swetlitz at swetlitzm@wideopenwest.com.

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