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IPSWICH — Meghann Plumlee says she was among the 30 or so parents who brought homemade meals and snacks to Choralfest at the middle/high school on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
The “potluck” meal was supposed to feed the hundreds of students in grades 5 through 12 who participated in the annual event, which brings choirs from across the district together at the Dolan Performing Arts Center.
Parents had signed up in advance through the online tool SignUpGenius, where they listed the items they planned to bring, said Plumlee, who brought finger sandwiches.
But shortly after the food was dropped off for the event, most of it disappeared.
‘Illogical and contradictory’
According to Plumlee, middle school Principal Peter Ginolfi informed her that a parent had called to complain that many of the food items did not comply with the district’s wellness policy, and that Superintendent Brian Blake ordered them removed.
“All the entrées, all the chips, all the juice — everything was removed except the paper plates, some fruit, and one of the pasta salads,” Plumlee said. “All of the entrées that were brought in are the same exact things that are served in the cafeteria every week: sandwiches, pizza, meatballs, chicken, et cetera.”
“There were no desserts brought in, no sweets, or anything like that,” she added.
Another parent, Alison White, said she had brought her stepdaughter’s favorite meal — meatball subs — which were also removed from the Choralfest spread.
White said the district’s wellness policy “seems completely illogical and contradictory,” given that many of the same foods that were removed from the event are also served for school lunch.
“The application of the standard feels completely arbitrary. I don’t think anyone disputes this, but I don’t understand why we accept it,” she said. “Nothing about the outcome or policy speaks to the benefit of kids, teachers, or parents.”
Superintendent Brian Blake (ICAM)
Plumlee estimated the value of the foods that were removed at around $500. She claimed that those foods were left out unrefrigerated for several hours before they were returned to parents at the end of the school day.
After Choralfest had ended, Plumlee said participating students were sent to the cafeteria “to eat sandwiches a couple of slices of cut fruit — and that’s it.”
“I am extremely disappointed with how it was handled,” she said. “I think it was a knee-jerk reaction by Blake because of a single complaint that he received.”
According to the middle/high school’s March lunch menu, meals served in the cafeteria include pasta with meatballs, cheesesteak calzones, barbecue “ribbies” on a roll, creamy macaroni and cheese, chicken patties, and cheeseburgers.
Pizza, subs, sandwiches, soups, Uncrustables, and special dietary options are also available daily, according to the menu.
In separate emails, both Ginolfi and Blake said all of the foods that are served in the schools’ cafeterias comply with the wellness policy and state and federal nutrition standards.
“After it was decided that certain food items could not be served [at Choralfest], I checked with the cafeteria to make sure that they would be able to feed all of the students,” Ginolfi said. “I stayed in the area to help and make sure students could eat and helped arrange the parent items that were brought in that could be served, which is why I am guessing that this parent thought that it was my decision to pull the food, which it was not.”
He added, “I think what confuses some people [about the wellness policy] is that they see pizza or even ice cream being sold but they do not know that it is formulated to meet the standards with whole-wheat dough and low-fat cheese or milk.”
Wellness policy
The wellness policy, which was drafted by the Blake-appointed Wellness Committee and adopted by the School Committee last year, restricts the kinds of foods, beverages, and snacks that are made available to students during the school day.
The policy is based on two sets of standards: the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Guide to Smart Snacks in School and the Massachusetts Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods and Beverages in Public Schools.
Under the wellness policy, foods and beverages served outside the schools’ breakfast and lunch programs must comply with whichever of those two standards is “stricter.”
When it was first introduced, the wellness policy’s ban on student bake sales during school hours drew immediate pushback from students and teachers, who noted that several extracurricular clubs relied on the sales for fundraising. The policy also restricts foods and beverages that can be served in vending machines, school stores, and as part of classroom activities and celebrations.
“The school district supports lifelong healthy eating habits for all students, families, and staff and is committed to addressing the increasing rates of diet-related chronic diseases and health implications for all members of the school community,” the wellness policy says.
Mandate
Meghan Persson, the district’s food services director, told the School Committee last year that the guidelines are “mandated by law,” and that the district is “required to follow them to maintain funding, ensure student safety, and to promote a healthy learning environment.”
“I want to emphasize that this wellness policy is not a reflection of personal preference or what we want as individuals,” Persson said. “Rather, it is a comprehensive framework designed to comply with the state and federal regulations.”
In an email to Plumlee, School Committee Chair Dianna Freehan said that while the committee sets policy, they “do not run operations and were not part of any decision making around the specifics” of the Choralfest incident. She added that the Wellness Committee is looking at ways to “strengthen communication and reimagine what celebrations can look like in Ipswich.”
In her own email to parents after Choralfest, middle-school music teacher Beth Hagan-Haltmeier addressed what she called “incomplete information” that had been “circulating” after the event and thanked the families for their efforts.
“In light of all of this uncharted territory, I think it’s best to say that I won’t plan any more food events like this for the foreseeable future,” she said in the email. “I am truly sorry for the lost time, effort, and money that you all put into trying to make a special day for our students, but am eternally grateful for the wonderful support you continue to show.”
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