Following the Lord’s Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, the Mountain View School Board at its meeting on November 27th focused on wellness and nutrition with a presentation by school nurse Melody Haley on childhood obesity, then went on to formally adopt its updated wellness policy.
But first, members heard a report from student government representative Matt Dougherty. Among other things, Mr. Dougherty offered some hints on the activity of a group of 10 students who are developing a pitch to make at a January conference in Altoona that will ultimately select a host school district for a state SGA conference. The students hope to attract as many as 1,000 students from across the state. Since the Mountain View area doesn’t have the capacity itself to host such a large group, the students are looking at a venue in the Poconos.
Mr. Dougherty also announced that the High School will present The Sound of Music next March 2-3.
The Board then sat back to hear a detailed presentation from Ms. Haley, 1976 graduate of Mountain View with a 1980 nursing degree from Bloomburg University, and a 26-year veteran as school nurse. She is currently working on a master’s degree in nursing at a Boston school.
Ms. Haley presented some alarming statistics on obesity in America, particularly among the nation’s children. She didn’t soft-pedal the data, but did note that while the rate of obesity has tripled since 1970, it has leveled off in the past few years. She said that obesity is a greater problem in the more rural and poor areas of the country; nearly 50% of students at Mountain View are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.
On the other hand, Ms. Haley pointed out the complexity of the problem. For one thing, obesity is determined based on the correlation between a calculation of a person’s “body mass index” (BMI) and their position in a percentile of similar individuals. And obesity has not one, but several potential causes, including genetics, lifestyle and behavior, with no easily identified solution. Nevertheless, obesity is thought to be most commonly found in the correlation between caloric intake (volume and types of food), and the burning of those calories (for example, through exercise). Among Mountain View students, Ms. Haley’s assessment is that as many as 22% may be considered obese, with another 17% over nominal weight.
The government’s “Healthy People 2020” program hopes to cut the rate of obesity by increasing the proportion of fruits and vegetables in children’s diets; and increasing the levels of physical activity, in part by boosting recess times for elementary school students. Pennsylvania has been tracking obesity rates since about 2007 and there have been several laws passed since 2004 targeted at reducing the levels of obesity, in particular the “Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016” that offers supplemental nutrition assistance to schools.
Nevertheless, places like the Mountain View School District struggle to contain the problem, what with increases in “screen time” for children preoccupied with TV, video games and the like. And with the closing of the Clifford market, there are fewer local sources of fresh foods for people in the area.
The Board went on to formally adopt the latest update to its wellness policy, a reaction to state guidelines, that blocks some traditions, like homemade snacks brought in for parties. Superintendent Karen Voigt said that foods may still be brought in, but must be sealed, and will be inspected for content and expiration date.
Board member David Schulte opposed the measure in the roll-call vote. He said later that he had several objections, and could not support a policy in which he didn’t believe. He said several of his constituents objected to some of the provisions. He said that he didn’t think that asking the Nutrition Group, the outfit that runs the school cafeterias, to try to reverse a trend that begins at home would work. And he objected to federal overreach, with the government dictating such nutritional guidelines.
Board Treasurer Edward Napierkowski gave an oral summary of the District’s various funds that showed general fund expenditures of $1.5 million for the month. The debt service fund stands at just over $275,000; capital reserves amount to almost $150,000. The cafeteria fund is in the red, by almost $15,000. Asked about that, Ms. Voigt said that this was fairly normal at Mountain View, and that each school district handles its food service a little differently. The Board will also advertise for an open position in food service.
The Board’s agenda usually includes a group of “summaries” of checks issued, or to be issued, against the District’s general and cafeteria funds. These statements are difficult if not impossible to reconcile with the oral report of the Board’s Treasurer. Asked if the reports could be clarified, at least by modifying their headings to show their actual purpose, the District’s Business Manager, Thomas Witiak, said that the headings on the reports could not be changed, that the software would not permit it.
The Board approved an agreement with the county District Attorney to resume participation in the D.A.R.E. drug education prevention program through D.A.R.E. America. Director of Curriculum & Instruction, and Acting Elementary School Principal Dr. Christopher Lake also reported on a visit by the State Police that gave children the opportunity to tour a police cruiser and become acquainted with the police K-9 unit.
Dr. Lake also reminded Board members to complete the on-line form for the School Climate Survey that hopes to limn community attitudes about its schools. The community survey results must be submitted to the state Department of Education by the end of November.
Dr. Lake also noted that the ACT exams are scheduled for December 9 and that at least 15 are required to sign up in order for the test to be administered at Mountain View; otherwise, interested students would have to go to Carbondale.
Board President Michael Barhite reported that the executive session prior to the public meeting discussed a recent meeting with the Mountain View Education Association (the teachers’ union). The Board awaits another proposal from the teachers.
During open discussion, the Board was asked how often Mr. Jason Casselbury has been absent, and what Board policy says about frequent absences of its members. Mr. Barhite responded that there is such a policy, but that it is not rigidly enforced.
A question about representation on the Board caused some confusion since no one seemed to know how the various regions are defined, or when the last apportionment occurred. Based on its population, Mountain View would be considered either a 3rd class or 4th class district by the Department of Education. For apportionment purposes, it appears from the 1949 Pennsylvania Public School Code that the District’s class doesn’t matter, and that it was to establish a commission of 6 members to “select that odd number of districts from seven to fifteen which will best provide for racial balance and proportional representation of all segments of the population at the time of the apportionment. Such school director districts shall be compact, contiguous, and as nearly equal in population as practicable.” It is most likely that the Mountain View Board member apportionment has not changed since the District was assembled from its constituent local schools in the 1960’s.
One person also mentioned that, while he had no objection to the Lord’s Prayer itself, he did not think it appropriate for the prayer to be used at an official public meeting of the school board.
The Board will meet next to reorganize itself, on December 4, 2017, beginning at 7:00pm in the board room in the Elementary School.
