5 things: Group names America’s Healthiest Schools

Each Friday I compile a list that highlights five things you probably missed in the news that week and why you should care about them.

Here’s your list for the week of Sept. 17:

1. Group names America’s Healthiest Schools

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has announced its 2018 list of America’s Healthiest Schools. A record 461 schools from 26 states and Washington, DC, were recognized by the Alliance, a national organization that empowers children to develop lifelong, healthy habits. In order to be recognized for the award, schools are judged on criteria that include serving healthier meals and snacks, providing health and physical education and serving breakfast every day. Schools can receive Gold, Silver or Bronze recognition.

Read more: Healthier Generation Announces “America’s Healthiest Schools”

2. Cafeteria worker allegedly threatens students on social media

A cafeteria manager at a school in New Jersey allegedly posted threatening messages on her social media account saying “she was going to stab [students], run them over with a car, spit in their food, poison their food.” “She was going to blow up the school,” said a parent quoted in a story by WFMZ news. The employee in question also was said to be holding a gun that resembled a BB gun, according to the article. The district sent out a message to parents alerting them to an increased police presence at the school following the posts and the foodservice company for which the employee works said she would no longer be working in any district building.

Read more: Phillipsburg School District cafeteria worker threatens students

3. University opens all-vegan dining hall

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, Alberta, just opened a 100-percent vegan outlet called Square Root. The university said it opened the venue following an increase in requests for vegan and vegetarian food from students. Stay tuned to FM for an in-depth story on Square Root in October.

Read more: This University in Canada Opened an All-Vegan Food Eatery on Campus!

4. Study: Free meals for all limits student suspensions

Numerous studies have shown the benefits of students eating healthy school meals, and now a new one indicates that providing free meals to all students, regardless of paperwork requirements, helps reduce the number of students who get suspended multiple times. The study was released by the National Bureau of Economic Research and focuses on the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools to serve all students free meals regardless of payment status if 40 percent of students qualify for free or reduced meals. The study found that the chances of being suspended multiple time in elementary schools fell by nearly one-third of a percentage point and by half a percentage point in middle schools. While the study admits those drops are not large, only a handful of students actually receive multiple suspensions.

Read more: A benefit of free lunch for all: fewer students get repeatedly suspended, new study suggests

5. North Carolina students receiving free meals following Florence
The USDA has announced that students in North Carolina who have been affected by Hurricane Florence will receive free meals through Oct. 26. The USDA says this could affect more than 284,000 students in 31 school districts. “During a storm like this, the state may face transportation challenges, or need to divert food inventories to other disaster response efforts,” said USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue in a press release announcing the measure. “We are providing this flexibility to help schools provide wholesome meals to students using the foods they have available.”

Read more: USDA Provides North Carolina Children Affected by Hurricane Florence with Access to Free Meals

Bonus: What’s new in NFL concessions for 2018

Contact Becky Schilling at [email protected].
Follow her on Twitter: @bschilling_FM