Aptos Middle School

San Francisco, California

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Categories	À la carte foods and beverages; Establish nutrition standards for competitive foods; Make more healthful foods and beverages available
Problem Overview	860 to 900 students in San Francisco’s most racially diverse middle school 36.5 percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price school meals
Program/Activity Description	The impetus for change at Aptos Middle School came from a new principal, a new physical education department head, and a dedicated group of parent and teacher volunteers. Their efforts came together and with the support of the San Francisco superintendent of schools, became a pilot study for district-wide changes. According to parent volunteer Dana Woldow, Aptos principal Linal Ishibashi deserves most of the credit. Her vision for a new and improved nutrition program provided the motivation for other steps to take place. For example, the new PE department head decided to remove soft drinks from the machines in her department and replace them with water. Ms. Woldow discussed the quality of cafeteria food with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) superintendent, who suggested that she write up a proposal for a pilot project. With strong support from the administration, a committee on nutrition composed of parents and teachers was formed to lead the changes. This group met electronically (via e-mail) to share concerns and data and to reach consensus on appropriate changes for Aptos Middle School. The committee conducted a student survey to find out what foods the kids wanted to see in à la carte lines. Their preferences closely matched the parents’ vision of “more fresh foods.” The most popular choices were submarine sandwiches, California roll (sushi), soup, pasta, and smoothies. In close collaboration with a creative cafeteria supervisor, the committee researched products and ingredients to offer students healthful versions of the foods they wanted to purchase. This process presented both opportunities and challenges. In several cases, food suppliers and manufacturers were willing to adapt their products to meet the nutrition committee’s standards (for example, sushi). However, it has not been possible, at least so far, to find some options with appropriate ingredients at an acceptable price (for example, smoothies). Fruit options for students, beyond apples, oranges, and bananas, were expanded. Students were very receptive to kiwifruit, as well as grapes, strawberries, and melons. Jicama, raw broccoli, spinach, and romaine lettuce appeared in salads. The sample plan used at Aptos has been implemented district-wide. All food served or sold in cafeterias (meal and à la carte) had to meet new standards by August 2003, while all vending machines, fundraising sales, and any other food sold outside cafeterias had to meet the standards by January 2004. To implement the changes, the district formed a student nutrition and physical activity committee in spring 2003 to develop a plan to improve school foods by August 2003; several members of the Aptos nutrition committee were on the district committee. District-wide, the trend appears to be a move away from à la carte purchases and toward the National School Lunch Program.
Program/Activity Outcome	As a pilot project for SFUSD, Aptos Middle School has made significant changes in its vending and à la carte food service programs. All soft drinks have been removed from the vending machines located in the physical education (PE) department and replaced with bottled water. Students are buying more units of water than they used to buy of soft drinks. Since the larger water bottles sell at a higher price, vending machine revenues in the PE department have increased since the change was made. Soft drinks have been removed from the à la carte line in the cafeteria and replaced with water, milk, and 100% juice (no more than 12 ounces per serving). Foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) and high-fat foods, such as French fries and nachos, have been removed from cafeteria meals. During the 2002-2003 school year, high-fat/high-sugar foods were also removed from the à la carte line and replaced with fresh, healthier options and more appropriate portion sizes. New food options include turkey sandwiches, sushi, homemade soup, salads, and baked chicken with rice. Since the changes, à la carte sales have remained similar to sales before the changes. Net revenues have increased, however, because food costs are lower for the healthier items. The Aptos cafeteria ended the 2002-2003 year with a surplus of $6,000. Since the nutrition changes were implemented, administrators and teachers report better student behavior after lunch, fewer afternoon visits to the counseling office, less litter in the school yard, and more students sitting down to eat. Aptos Middle School also reported higher scores on standardized tests. The “Healthy Food, Healthy Kids” policy at Aptos won an award from the State of California. Changes made at Aptos have been implemented throughout the SFUSD for the school year 2003-2004.
Story Highlights	Keys to Success: Administrative support: Many high level administrators are now aware of nutrition issues and are supportive of innovative solutions. Providing popular items: When asked, students will identify nutritious foods that they want to buy and eat. Cafeteria staff: They were willing to work hard at making creative changes. They reported a sense of relief at being able to serve more health-enhancing items. Electronic meetings: E-mail communication united the parent-teacher committee. It increased participation and allowed the group to reach consensus quickly and easily. Future Plans: The ultimate goal is to combine the à la carte line with reimbursable meal service to eliminate the stigma of “free lunch” and to improve overall nutrient intake. Another goal is to add more fruits and vegetables to à la carte options. Students want a salad bar, but concerns about food sanitation and food fights have kept this from becoming a reality. The plan is to phase out empty-calorie juice drinks by using exotic or blended juices (e.g., mango, passion fruit) as a way to help introduce more variety in whole fruits.
Words of Wisdom	"It’s not enough to have foods that aren’t bad for kids; we want foods and beverages to actually be good for them. Our motto is: No empty calories!!" — Dana Woldow, Parent and Chair, Aptos Student Nutrition Committee
Program Contact	Dana Wilson

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