Student Nutrition Department is Ahead of the Curve

On January 25, 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released new regulations for the National School Lunch Program to ensure healthier school lunches for students across the nation.

The final standards make the same kinds of practical changes that many parents are already encouraging at home, including:

• Ensuring students are offered both fruits and vegetables every day of the week;
• Substantially increasing offerings of whole grain-rich foods;
• Offering only fat-free or low-fat milk varieties;
• Limiting calories based on the age of children being served to ensure proper portion size; and
• Increasing the focus on reducing the amounts of saturated fat, trans fats and sodium.

Mansfield ISD has already taken great strides on our menus to encourage healthy eating throughout the student population. Implementing these changes will be easy for MISD because of the previous menu revisions over the last several years.

At the elementary and intermediate level, all sandwich offerings from lean meat hamburgers to grilled chicken are offered on whole wheat products only. Whole wheat dinner rolls are offered one to two days a week on the elementary and intermediate levels as well. We began serving whole grain pizza in the 2010-11 school year after a taste test was conducted at Holt Elementary school in the spring of 2010. Students were given samples of pizza made from different flour types. When asked to choose which pizza they would like to have in the cafeterias, the response was overwhelming in favor of the whole grain pizza. The pizza is also topped with low fat mozzarella cheese. 

The new regulations require any flavored milk to be nonfat. Again, MISD has already accomplished this by offering only 1% unflavored milk or nonfat unflavored, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla milk. 

MISD offers chef salads and fresh fruit daily at all school levels. Ground turkey in place of ground beef is used in several entrees offered by the District. Other healthy alternatives offered by the student nutrition department are yogurt, fruit parfaits and entrees such as oven roasted chicken and pasta dishes made from whole grain pasta. 

So in response to these regulations, MISD is well prepared and welcomes the changes the government is making to enrich the lives of students across the nation through better nutrition.

Summit High School's FROG Week 2012

Guest post by Emily Waneck, Summit High School Pre-AP English 1/English 1teacher and Student Council Sponsor

What is FROG week? FROG week stands for Friends Reaching Out and Giving. Every year, student council along with the entire student body at Summit High School adopt a child from the Make-A-Wish foundation and have one week to raise enough money to grant the child’s wish.

This year, our child’s name is Sienna. She is a 7th grader at a junior high in Arlington and wishes to go to Florida and Disney World. Here is more about our wish child: Sienna, age 13.

When Sienna was born, she only weighed 4 lbs 15oz , and her mother had only gained 9 lbs. during her pregnancy. After Sienna struggled with eating as an infant, her mother took her to the doctor. When they tested her, Sienna's hemoglobin was only at a 6. Sienna remained in the hospital for almost 3 months. She had every test done imaginable including, bone marrow extraction, a sweat test, tests to check for cancer, etc. Finally after two weeks her family was given a tentative diagnosis of MMA (Methylmalonic Acidemia) with Homocystinuria, but by that time all her organs were failing. She was put on a ventilator and they conducted blood exchanges because her red blood cells were fragmenting.

“We were told to call our families as she was not going to make it through the night,” recalls her mother. “I prayed so hard that night asking God to please let her live and I would take her however he wanted to give her to me and I meant it.”

She lived through the night and started improving a little. Although she was improving she was still a very sick little girl. Said her mother, “at the time of diagnosis we were told there were only 19 children with this diagnosis and that several had died.”

 Now at 13, Sienna has lost her vision due to her illness and reads braille.

Because of our love for Sienna and other children in similar situations, the Summit High Student Council and the Make-a-Wish Foundation have teamed up to grant Sienna’s wish of going to Disney World and Florida. However, we need YOUR help to make her wish come true! Monetary donations help most immediately, but service and time donations are also greatly appreciated. Our student council and school will need as many donations as possible to make this wish come true. Our goal is to raise at least $7,000 for our child. Any donation helps in the long run, whether it is 5 cents or 100 dollars. All contributions will be appreciated.
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Read more in the SHS Jagwire student newspaper.
Contact Emily Waneck via email EmilyWaneck [at] misdmail.org.

Rachel’s Challenge at Danny Jones Middle School

On Tuesday, January 24, 2012, the Rachel’s Challenge Organization is coming to Danny Jones Middle School. Rachel’s Challenge is an organization that was started in honor of Rachel Scott, the first student to be killed in the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999. Her acts of kindness and compassion coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for one of the most life-changing school programs in America.

The mission of Rachel’s Challenge is to inspire, equip and empower every person to create a permanent positive culture change in their school, business and community by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. When asked why Rachel’s Challenge was so important to the students of Danny Jones Middle School, Mr. Travis Moore, the principal replied, “I saw the presentation in Arlington over a year ago. It really touched my heart. I knew that it would have a positive impact on our students.”

Ms. Callie Farr, PTA president of Danny Jones Middle School, helped to raise the funds necessary to bring Rachel’s Challenge to DJMS. When asked why it was so important to bring this national program to her child’s school, she replied “As a middle school PTA, we are challenged to find a program that is of benefit to the students. Rachel's Challenge provides an impact message of personal tragedy that serves to promote positive change in the way students treat others. We want each student know they can make a difference. We want the universal message of kindness and compassion told by Rachel's story to be heard by Danny Jones Middle School students and motivate them to positive change and commitment. We also want parents to attend and know their support of PTA serves to make a difference.”

Rachel’s Challenge will be presented to Danny Jones Middle School students for one hour at the following times on January 24, 2012:

• 7th grade @ 9:30 am (gym A) 
• 8th grade @ 1:30 pm (gym A) 
• RC Chain Reaction training for student leaders @ 3:00 pm (Cafeteria) 
• Community event (open to the public) @ 7:00 pm in the DJMS (Cafeteria) 
  Danny Jones Middle School is located at 4500 East Broad St., Mansfield, TX 76063.

Please visit the Rachel’s Challenge website for additional information.

Timberview Coach Guided Team Through Tragedy; Earns Heartbeat Award

It’s been said that adversity breeds character and strength. During a period themed by tragedy and pain, Timberview High School head football Coach Mark Walker emerged as a shining example of that adage. It is for this reason, Coach Walker was named the January 2012 Heartbeat Team recipient.

In late October, the students, staff and community were dealt two crushing blows with the loss of two students in a car wreck, followed a week later by the death of assistant football coach Cody McCarty.

Although the odds seemed to be stacked against Timberview, Coach Walker’s faith in his school and his team never wavered. Rather than making excuses, Walker and his Wolves agreed they would dedicate the remainder of their season to McCarty and they were determined to honor his name.

“When the tragedies hit, he took a load on his shoulders and just kind of carried the whole team for a while,” said Derrell Douglas, Timberview High Principal.

Walker led the team to victory and the longest playoff run in Mansfield ISD history, and feelings of loss began to transform into hope. While the on-field success was energizing for Timberview, it was the tidal wave of school pride in the stands that seemed to be healing.  

Although it’s obvious to many that Walker’s strength and perseverance played a major role in the outcome of the season, he gives every bit of credit to his team.

“I’m just proud of the life lessons these young men have learned,” Walker said. “Our group of young men did an excellent job.”

Now on the other side of what once seemed like a set of impassable obstacles, Walker and his team are left with a football season they will never forget and a legacy that will live on forever.

The Mansfield ISD administration is proud to present the January 2012 Heartbeat Team Award to Coach Mark Walker for his inspirational strength and spirit on and off the football field.

Here's an excerpt from the nomination essay submitted by Coach Walker’s colleagues:

“Coach Walker should be honored not only for the tremendous heart and character he has shown in his leadership, but also for inspiring the entire MISD community with an incredible football season that will forever represent an expression of love by the Timberview Wolves family for their never forgotten son, Coach Cody McCarty. Coach Mark Walker helped teach an entire community what can happen when we stick together, lean on one another, support one another and put our heart and soul into something in which we all believe.”

About the Heartbeat Team

The Mansfield ISD Heartbeat Team was established to recognize employees who display heart in their lives and inspire other district employees through their actions. Heartbeat Team members are nominated only by other district employees. Winners are selected during the school year from those nominated. Those named to the Heartbeat Team are still eligible for other district honors.

Summit High School Musical: Big River

Via Lyndsey Simmons, Assistant Director of Theatre/Communication Applications at Mansfield Summit High School:

On January 26-29, Summit Theatre will open the musical Big River. This piece is a musical adaptation of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and we will collaborate with both the Summit Band and the American Sign Language Department at Ben Barber Career Tech Academy.

Big River has a history of being produced on Broadway by deaf actors. This year, we decided to have our hearing student actors play the roles, and they will be shadowed by both professional and student interpreters from Ben Barber. The Summit Band will also be providing us, for the first time, with a live orchestra.

We are also showcasing out International Thespian Society National Qualifying student designs for costumes and set.

Make reservations for the show via email at summittickets@yahoo.com.

Mansfield High School Musical: Seussical

Mansfield High School's Theatre production of Seussical will run January 19-24 at the following times:

• January 19, 20, 21, 23, 24 at 7:00 PM
• January 22 at 2:00 PM

Help Pick Student Questions for the Astronauts

What would you ask astronauts in the International Space Station?

Maybe something like...

• How do you deal with minor and major injuries and/or illnesses while in space?
• How is the ISS protected from space debris and can you feel when debris hits the station?
• Do you sweat in space?  If yes, does it float?
• Does your blood pressure change in space?
• What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen while in space?

On Tuesday morning, January 31, students from NASA Low Intermediate School will speak live with astronauts on the International Space Station.

We need your help narrowing down the student questions for the astronauts. Decide which 10 questions students will ask the astronauts by selecting your five favorite from the list on this online survey. [Editor's note: The survey closed January 17.]

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In related news, the temporary "N" for NASA Low was put up on the school building over the winter break:

NASA Low Intermediate School will also host their Space Night school community event on Friday, January 27 from 6:00-8:00 PM.

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Special thank you to Mouser Electronics for their generous sponsorship of this educational opportunity.