school recruitment, and strategies for program
implementation.
PS 28, in the Mount Hope neighborhood,
already had a Nutrition Committee, organized
by the assistant principal, consisting of student
representatives from the upper grades
as well as a representative of the Office of
School Food and Nutrition (OSFN). The PS
28 Nutrition Committee recommended the
elimination of whole milk and sweetened
vanilla and strawberry milks, and phasing out
chocolate milk in their school with the understanding
that both BHH and the Monte-
fiore School Health Program would help educate
parents and students about the benefits
of the plan. However, according to several
accounts, when the school decided to place
the order for all low-fat milk, the OSFN staff
objected, raising the question of whether a
school had the right to decide foods could be
served.
The PS 28 committee investigated whether
an individual school had the right to make
this decision, and requested assistance from
the Region 1 office. The director responded
by sharing information from the Chancellor’s
Regulations on Wellness Councils and
practices of school food partnerships with
the councils. She also discussed the matter
with the OSFN administrators to obtain their
support for the initiative proposed by the
PS 28 committee. Given the 2004 federal School Wellness Policy mandating that educational
institutions participating in the national
school lunch program establish a wellness
policy, the director decided there was
both a strong rationale for, and interest in, establishing
a regional committee to develop a
milk policy. As a result, the Region 1 Fitness
and Nutrition Committee was established.
(see Table 2)
THE “MOOOVE” TO LOW-FAT MILK
The first Region 1 Fitness and Nutrition
Committee meeting was convened in April
2005. Invitations to join the Committee were
sent to members of the community that
were involved in health and wellness, including
hospitals, community health centers,
community-based organizations, and the local
office of the City’s Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene. The Committee included
representatives from BHR, Bronx Healthy
Hearts, Montefiore School Health, Jacobi’s
Weight Management Program, Local Instructional
Specialists, principals, OSFN, WIC
program representatives from 2 area health
centers, and the Bronx District Public Health
Office. A regional milk policy was at the top
of its agenda, with the intent to also develop
an educational plan, a fitness plan, and a
plan to address vending machines, snacks and
fundraisers.