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Food fight could be brewing over MCPS cafeteria options

By WTOP Staff

The modified MCPS elementary school menu for January, via Real Food for Kids-MontgomeryA pair of County Council members on Monday put their support behind a list of recommendations for more healthy food options in MCPS, but the school system is already offering some pushback.

Councilmembers Craig Rice and George Leventhal sent a letter to MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr saying the Board of Education should enact policies for unlimited fruits, vegetables or salad bars, remove dangerous chemical additives from all menu items and provide more scratch-cooked food — meaning dishes that don’t use processed and pre- packaged ingredients.

The recommendations come from Real Food for Kids – Montgomery, a nonprofit that was key in getting MCPS to ban strawberry milk and that quarreled with MCPS over snow day-influenced menu changes that meant two days of double-stuffed pizza in elementary schools during one week in January.

“We believe these changes would go far in improving student health and would encourage smarter, healthier food choices,” the letter from Rice and Leventhal read. “MCPS is usually on the forefront of student nutrition and we are certain headway on some or all of these fronts is already underway. It is important that the lines of communication stay open when discussing such issues.”

Marla Caplon, director of MCPS Food and Nutrition Services, told The Gazette the idea of offering unlimited fresh fruits and vegetables would be “absolutely impossible,” because of costs. Plus all meals already include a fruit and vegetable option, Caplon added.

That set off this back and forth on Twitter between One Montgomery, a community group seeking to improve county schools, and MCPS public information officer Dana Tofig.

“We are continually assessing what we’re able to offer to students, given the available funds,” Tofig wrote. “We’ve made many improvements.”

The cost issue is almost certain to come up at a joint hearing of the Council’s Health and Human Services and Education Committees on March 20, when MCPS officials are expected to discuss the topic.

Real Food for Kids – Montgomery has also pushed the recommendations on the state level:

In addition, Senator Jamie Raskin and Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher sent a letter to Robin Ziegler, Chief of the Community and School Nutrition Programs Branch at the Maryland State Department of Education, emphasizing that the same priorities be included in the forthcoming Maryland Management and Operations Memorandum that her department is working on. Many thanks to these elected officials who are working on behalf of families in Montgomery County and the entire state.

In the scuffle over double-stuffed pizza, Caplon said MCPS and Real Foods had a fundamental disagreement on the nutritional quality of the popular cafeteria menu item.

Caplon said Real Food’s characterization of double stuffed pizza as “fast food” was wrong. MCPS lists the item as having fewer than 300 calories.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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