Photo Credit: Ben+Sam (Flickr CC)
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is inviting families and the community to attend listening sessions throughout October about improvements to their school meal program. These sessions will be held across the district for input on breakfasts and lunches served to students.
Feedback gathered will be shared with the Milwaukee Board of School Directors as the district works to improve their nutrition program for MPS students.
A change.org petition titled “MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNHEALTHY LUNCHES ARE NOT MAKING THE GRADE!!!!!” posted in August by Rebecca Adamietz has received 5,903 signatures as of the writing of this article. The petition claims, “MPS school district is providing unsatisfactory school meals which include fast food style menus with processed foods that contain artificial additives and preservatives.”
MPS offers free breakfast and lunch to every student through the Community Eligibility Provision. The school nutrition program is continually challenged to meet federal guidelines.
“A hungry child can’t learn,” said MPS superintendent Darienne Driver in a press release. “Good nutrition is critical to learning and to lifelong health. School meals often make up the majority of students’ nutrition throughout the day and we want to do our very best for our students.”
Dates and times of the listening sessions are listed below:
Oct. 12: 6–7:30 p.m. at Milwaukee Parkside (2969 S. Howell Ave.)
Oct. 16: 5–6:30 p.m. at Vieau School (823 S. 4th St.)
Oct. 18: 6–7:30 p.m. at Pulaski High School (2500 W. Oklahoma Ave.)
Oct. 19: 6–7:30 p.m. at Golda Meir (227 W. Pleasant St.)
Oct. 23: 6–7:30 p.m. at 53rd St. School (3618 N. 53rd St.)
Oct. 25: 5–6:30 p.m. at Thurston Woods (5966 N. 35th St.)
Oct. 26: 8–9:30 a.m. at MacDowell Montessori (6415 W. Mount Vernon Ave.)
Oct. 30: 5–6:30 p.m. at Acad. of Chinese Language (2430 W. Wisconsin Ave.)
