"Where Olmsted County News Comes First"

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An abbreviated Pine Island School Board (the quorum comprised Janet Szajner, Randy DePestel, Angela Heiden and John Champa) heard good news about the 2012 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs).

The tests’ results were such recent arrivals that K-8 Principal Tammy Berg-Beniak said she hadn’t had a chance to analyze them, but could report that in most grades, reading and math scores topped 2011 marks.

Comparing reading proficiency this year to last, the combined percentages of students who met or exceeded standards improved in third grade (+3.3 percent), fourth grade (+3.2 percent), sixth grade (+6.4 percent) and seventh grade (+3.1 percent). Grades five and eight, however, slipped some (-3.6 percent and -1.2 percent respectively).

Among area schools, Byron led in reading proficiency, Kasson-Mantorville finished second and Zumbrota-Mazeppa and Pine Island tied for third.

As for 2012 math scores, Pine Island’s skyrocketed. The third- through eighth-grade average beat last year’s by 17 percent, boosting Pine Island into a fourth-place tie with K-M. Byron, Z-M and Dover finished first, second, third.

Burger with milk demoted

Under new federal nutrition standards for schools, a hamburger and milk no longer constitute a meal and will not count as such. And that’s official, one among a glut of directives issued by NSLP (National School Lunch Program), which the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) administers.

The mandates are part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, passed by Congress and promoted by First Lady Michelle Obama.

Two representatives from Taher Inc., the food service management company that oversees Pine Island school district’s meals program, attended the Aug. 2 board meeting. Senior Vice President Judy Cameron and District Manager Jayme Sundby had come to address several complaints and to explain USDA’s latest regulations.

Cameron discussed some of the changes and said compliance is essential.

The old rules called for fruits or vegetables. The new rules require offering both, and for students to take at least one. Every day, every student must have at least a half-cup of fruit and/or vegetables on his or her tray. If not, the lunch will fall short of government directives – which include penalties.

USDA categorizes vegetables and specifies serving sizes:

• orange or red - ¾ cup

• dark green - ½ cup

• starchy (green peas, corn, white potatoes) - ½ cup

• dried beans or peas - ½ cup

“When you see black beans on the menu,” Cameron said, “it’s not our choice. We’re going to try to get kids to taste them.”

At least half the grains must be whole grains. Portions will be restricted. (No longer will bread sticks complement spaghetti.) Meat/meat alternatives’ portions will likewise be limited. Milk must be one percent or fat-free; chocolate milk must be fat-free.

Calorie counts fall within strict ranges:

• 550 to 650 for K - 5

• 600 to 700 for 6 - 8

• 750 - 850 for 9 - 12

(No seconds for strapping athletes.)

“We have no choice,” Cameron said.

“We’re required to have butternut squash on the menu,” Sundby said. “I don’t know about Pine Island kids, but my kids don’t like butternut squash.

“I’m a little nervous we’ll be feeding the garbage can.”

Then he and Cameron talked about the board’s complaints against Taher:

• Menu changes. Given the mass of new government mandates, menus will have to be nearly carved in granite. Only a dire event such as a shortage will allow for changes.

• Lack of customer service, disagreements among Taher workers and unpleasant workplace environment: Taher will hold its annual staff training program soon and will cover each issue. The company has a teamwork agreement, too, that relates to the complaints and requires signing by all employees.

Board member Champa asked whether Taher would agree to meet periodically with a school meals committee. After Taher said yes, board members unanimously renewed the school’s contract with Taher for the 2012 - 2013 school year.

In other business, the school board:

•Heard Principal Berg-Beniak’s plan for teaching technology in grades K-8. Minnesota has no guidelines for technology education, she said, but ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) does.

Using ISTE’s set of standards, she developed a technology-teaching outline that begins in kindergarten, progresses through eighth grade and includes a range of topics – technology and society, legal and ethical issues, basic operation concepts, keyboarding, word processing and more.

The plan, she said, is thorough, moves step-by-step and will avert learning gaps.

•Heard the first reading of an updated bullying policy for K-8. (The requisite second reading will take place at an upcoming meeting.)

•Voted 4-0 to accept the resignation of 8th grade math teacher Greg Burman.

On Aug. 13, the board will hold a special session to set criteria for the interim superintendent’s job description. (That position has yet to be filled.) The next regular meeting will take place Aug. 20.