Want milk? Only if it’s chocolate, say M-P students

By Mary Zielinski
Offered chocolate milk only on Friday, Mid-Prairie students are saying no to the white stuff the rest of the week.
The district’s move this year to lower the percent of chocolate milk served from 67 percent to less than 20 percent resulted in total milk consumption going down by some 66 percent, the Mid-Prairie Board learned at its meeting Monday.
The limit on chocolate flavored milk is an attempt to address nutritional issues and student obesity concerns, explained Superintendent Mark Schneider.
He stressed that the decision to limit access to chocolate was mainly his and I take responsibility for the fallout from this issue.
While both white and chocolate (non-flavored and flavored) milk have significant protein, calcium, vitamin A and D content, flavoring adds 80 calories per 8 ounces.
Board member George Shafer, who said he had received all positive comments on the move, noted the issue is sugar not fat or calories.
As Schneider said, It all depends on what you are most concerned about for your students, nutritional benefit or obesity.
School principals indicated currently parents are split about 50-50 on the issue.
Figures given to the board Monday show that there are 177 elementary students (K-5th grade) who are at risk of being or are overweight.  There are 95 middle school students in a similar situation.   There were no high school figures presented.  The district has approximately 1,200 students in its five attendance centers.
Figures also showed that the  risk of overweight has dropped in the lst, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th grades by an average of nearly five percent.  No single factors were listed for the change.
Board member Jack Dillon questioned if the milk question was a board decision and Òmay be we should back off the issue.
Shafer  said that it takes time to make changes.  The milk policy began August 20.
I will bet that one carton of chocolate milk a day is not going to make a child obese, said board member Randy Billups, adding It is what happens after school and at home.
He noted that having no milk is worse than having chocolate.
Shirley Kos, a district parent, grandparent and employee, noted most students will not take or drink the white milk.  She added that some parents have been sending juice to school for their students.
Following more milk concerns, the board granted Schneider’s request for more time to study the issue and return to them with a recommendation by the end of the month.
Schneider said he thought the reactions are positive because It has gotten students, parents, staff and the community to discuss and consider child  nutrition.
As for finances, the per carton  cost is  .1914 (virtually 19 cents) for chocolate  and .185  (18 and a half cents) for white milk.
In other business, Monday, the board:

• received the transport report from Transportation Director Richard Durst that showed the district mileage, for all buses, increased by 11.7 percent in fiscal 2008 with a total of 1,810,759 miles.  The previous yearÕs total was 1,621,315.  Total expenses for fiscal 2008 were $500,023.93.  Durst noted that the district now has only two gasoline operated buses;
• approved substitute staff pay of $110 for a full day, $55 for a half-day for teachers, and hour rates of  $11.43 for a secretary, $10.64 for an associate, $11.85 for a custodian, $10.64 for a food service worker, and $10.89 for a library-media secretary and $27 per route for a bus driver; and
• accepted the resignation of Terra Huber as middle school track coach.