2020 Education Magazine

First of its kind Illinois school meal program at Lincoln Elementary School District #27 achieves high marks in the opening semester
By ALMH Community Health Collaborative, Lincoln Elementary School District #27, and Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners

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[February 24, 2020]  On Wednesdays after the happy, frenetic rush of lunch is over and quiet sets in again, the cooks at Lincoln Elementary School District 27 (LESD 27) begin the task of preparing scratch-made chicken strips for the following day. They cut 200 pounds of 100% breast meat into four-inch fillets for the nearly 1,200 hungry, growing children who dine in their cafeterias on any given day.

Thursday, the cooks run each slice of chicken through a three-step breading process: first, a seasoned flour mixed with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper; second, an egg wash; and finally, the breadcrumbs. The finished chicken strips are placed on sheet pans, ready to be baked in the oven until golden brown, and devoured by students in need of a nutritious meal to soak up all the learning for the day.

As a Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) district, creating a healthy school environment is a priority for LESD 27.

Lincoln Elementary School District launched a farm to school cafeteria program, 'Lincoln 27 and Beyond,' at the start of the 2019-2020 school year in collaboration with the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Community Health Collaborative and through grant funding provided by Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation.



The initiative brought Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners to lead the kitchen transformation.

In addition to eating delicious, made-from-scratch breakfasts and lunches, students tour the cafeteria to learn about cooking preparations, meet farmers, and learn about food and agriculture in the classroom.



Meanwhile, school cooks receive culinary and production skills training to operate more like a 5-star restaurant for kids.

The program is based on a simple concept articulated by a third grade student of the district who when asked, "What would you change to convince your friends who don’t eat school lunch to eat school lunch?" said, “Like Lincoln 27 and Beyond, ask the kids what they want and then put it on the menu.”

Through taste tests, surveys, and lunchroom and classroom discussions, students provide input on what they want to eat at school. The student driven menu highlights sloppy Joes, macaroni and cheese, and chicken and noodles, with sprinklings of new foods such as kale and turnip chips, garbanzo beans, and beets.

The principle idea is to scratch-cook healthy, kid-friendly dishes that are free from preservatives and chemicals used in processed foods while introducing their palates to new flavors of nutrient dense foods. Even second graders recognize the long term benefits of starting healthy eating habits now, saying, “We can remember when we are older and get out of school, we can still eat healthy and be strong.”

Healthy adults emerge from healthy children – that’s the premise of how 'Lincoln 27 and Beyond' came to be.

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Community Health Collaborative brought the CATCH program to the district in 2016 as part of a community mission to address high rates of obesity in the county. CATCH is a national program that has historically launched kids and communities toward healthier lifestyles.

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LESD 27 was a great fit for the program. In addition to reaching the majority of Logan County children, the district food service director and cafeteria staff were willing to take on the challenge to provide the best quality foods possible to the students. After all, it’s not an afternoon picnic to transform a community’s relationship with food or completely upend how a kitchen operates or run a program that crosses all departments within the school, and yet, 'Lincoln 27 and Beyond' would do all three.

Chef Greg Christian, Founder and CEO of Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners has worked with several dozen schools across the North American continent and has never seen such a deep level of commitment from all departments of a school and from the entire community. “Everyone from the cooks and custodial staff to teachers and aides to administrative support staff are dedicated whole-heartedly for the kids to win at school and in life. I have not met a single person who is too busy to support the program or who doesn’t see the value. It’s been all hands on deck since day one, which is critical to turn this ship around to where we are taking care of all the people, the community, and the environment.
And it all starts with strong leadership from (District 27 Superintendent) Kent Froebe.”

The transformation to a scratch cooking program is the direct result of Crawley’s hard work and her team of 16 staff. Cooking from scratch requires new systems and ways of working in the kitchen and they have all risen to the challenge.

 

For example, to find the time to chop, mix, and sauté, the cooks have to plan ahead and collaborate. They now have 12 steps for every one step they used to do, which means they work harder in addition to smarter.

One cook expressed the purpose for which they all work, “[I feel] overwhelmed at times but I feel it’s good for the children in being able to provide good quality food.”

Along with adopting new kitchen practices to cook from scratch, the kitchen staff weigh food daily to reduce waste. The savings from reduced waste allows the school to purchase higher quality ingredients from local farmers.

LESD spent 20% of their budget on local food in the program’s first three-and-a-half months. In the course of a school year 20% of the budget will result in approximately $90,000 going directly to local farmers. The goal is 30%, which will be achieved next year with more time for farmers to prepare for the new demand, and with the more skilled to cooks with local food the entire year.

When LESD reaches their local food goal of 30%, $135,000 will stay in the community annually.

Taking these numbers statewide, if other schools would follow suit with this leading program in Lincoln, the state would generate $150 million by spending 20% on local food purchases and $225 million by spending 30% on local food purchases.

The program measures criteria for nine goals. With more than two dozen data points the program staff are able to monitor real results in real time and make the needed adjustments.

LESD reached 60% scratch-cooked meals in the first semester and will be at 100% by the end of the school year. However, more than scratch cooking simply happening, data informs whether students are eating the food and liking the food; whether attitudes and behaviors about food are changing not only with students but parents as well; whether a correlation exists between healthy eating and absenteeism; and more. “We have third-party evaluation on this program for a total of three years,” says Lincoln Elementary School District Superintendent Kent Froebe.

“We are committed to playing our part in supporting Logan County to become the healthiest county in the country. Lincoln 27 and Beyond is a long-game with far-reaching benefits for the whole community.”
 

Read all the articles in our new
2020 Education Magazine

Title
CLICK ON TITLES TO GO TO PAGES
Page
Introduction 4
Teaching students to cope with stress 5
First of its kind Illinois school meal program at Lincoln Elementary School District # 27 achieves high marks in the opening semester 8
West Lincoln-Broadwell students actualize studies in comet data mission 14
Students gain mental acuity at Hart-Em Chess Club 19
Exciting things ahead for the future of Mount Pulaski CUSD # 23 23
School Report:  Mount Pulaski Community Unit District #23 30
Logan County School Information 31

 

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