You're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM, 97.5 FM.
I'm Melissa Kaye, bringing you news in our community.
During this interview, I'm talking with Wisconsin Rapids Public School District Director of Food Services, Melanie Haneman, on Friday, June 26th.
Thank you for joining me, Melanie, to bring the community an update from the Wisconsin Rapids Public School Food Services.
Department thank you for being here.
Yes.
Thank you for having me.
That's quite a mouthful for your title So tell me just a little bit about your background and how you came to be in food services
Yes, so I've always been interested in food and nutrition and in 2017 while I was in school for dietetics I did an internship here at Wisconsin Rapids Public School District and I fell in love with school nutrition and feeding kids and I completed my degree and
went on to be the food service director at Marshfield School District until a position opened up here two years ago and I came back home it felt like.
Oh wow.
And so I've been here two years and we plan menus and do ordering and work on staffing all to make sure that kids have breakfast and lunch at school every day.
And school
nutrition
isn't
like planning a meal plan at home.
There's a lot of complexities to school
nutrition.
There is, there is.
We always joke that it's like catering a wedding every single day, especially at Lincoln when you're feeding 900 kids.
But there's a lot that goes into planning that menu.
There's USDA regulations that we follow for breakfast and lunch, the amount of sodium and saturated fat that we can offer and everything is whole grain.
And we are very proud and focused on
our salad bars with our fruit and veggie offerings every day.
We have salad bars at every school in this district, which is kind of unheard of when you talk to other districts.
But we really focus on giving kids the best options for fresh fruit and veggies.
Well, because those options, the whole foods, the whole grains, that's what fuels our brains.
Yes.
We need calories.
We need all of those different elements for students to be
able to learn.
Yes.
And in Rapids, you'll notice, if you look at our menus,
Breakfast, we try to cut back on processed foods that are high in added sugar and offer high protein options or homemade items whenever we can because we really believe that students need a good start to their day and those items just don't cut it.
We try to really make sure they're getting the best breakfast possible.
So we encourage families to send their kids to school and let us feed them breakfast because we can do that with good nutritious foods.
And it's
ready, it's there, it's available.
Well,
during the summer time, you have a different, you have a summer school program, or I'm sorry, a summer food program, which is different than the school year, but this is also funded not necessarily through
the traditional ways.
Let's
just
dive into this
a little bit.
Yes, so our summer food service program is different from the school year.
The school year we ask families to fill out income applications and we're tracking guidelines, but the summer we offer free meals for anyone 18 and under, and this is a federally funded program through USDA that's overseen by the State Department, but we...
purchase foods and we compile breakfasts and lunches in a bag.
And we go around to the zoo, to the aquatic center, Mead Splashpad, Washington Elementary.
We set up stations and we just encourage families to come up and grab a breakfast and a lunch from us.
And this is a way to draw the community out and get people involved and see what's in our lunches.
We really are proud of our summer lunches too.
We do homemade sandwiches.
meal kits and turkey sticks and cheese sticks and yogurt and things that kids like and are going to fuel fuel them throughout the summer and all their activities and it's free.
and it's just we just want to feed hungry kids in the summer and these places we we kind of focus on because there's a lot going on at the zoo this year and the aquatic center is busy and we're just there because we're passionate about feeding kids
and that's the point yes is feeding kids and as you said and I just feel it needs to be reiterated the funding for that summer lunch program comes from federal dollars from through the USDA yes
Yes, they set the reimbursement rates that we receive.
There's still regulations that we have to follow with summer feeding, how many fruits and veggies we offer, so it's not a free-for-all.
We're still following guidelines.
We get audited just like any other agency, and we pass with flying colors because here in Rapids we have a team of...
wonderful individuals that care passionately about this program and wanting to see it succeed.
We have had people in the community reach out about volunteering and we don't need volunteers because we have such a dedicated staff to this that they are there every day in the summer making sure we've got healthy meals for kids.
Oh, that's wonderful.
So let's talk just a little bit about staffing.
How many how many employees does the food service department have
through the school district?
The food service department has over 40 employees.
Which is a very large food service department, but because we do so much scratch cooking and baking and our salad bars take so much labor We have we have a big team of individuals, but that's 40 people serving how many kids you there's almost a thousand at Lincoln alone.
Yes.
Yeah, we're serving over 2,000 kids a day Out of the 4,000 in the district so over half closer to 3,000 are eating
breakfast and lunch every day wow that's a big number for 40 people to take care of it in my opinion yes that's it's like a catering but
It's an intense catering because of all the regulations to our following.
Right.
So let's dive into some of those regulations a little bit because as you said, they're specific.
You have to have a certain calorie count.
You got to keep the sodium under a certain amount.
How do you juggle that?
Yes.
It's a lot on the on the back end and in the office that when we're planning menus, we're making sure that it qualifies that we're offering whole grains and protein.
And the milk, we get local milk and making sure that's low in added sugar and low in saturated fat.
So there's a lot on our end that we take care of in the office when looking at menu planning.
And then we train our staff to know, okay, this is what we're planning on the menu, this is why, and then we allow kids to choose what they want.
So we're offering tons of options each day, but kids get to choose, well, I would like this vegetable, I would like this item for breakfast.
Because
there's a certain
amount of things that they have to have on their tray to qualify for the free and reduced
lunch.
Yes, so for it to be a reimbursable lunch, we call it, yeah, they have to have three of the five items.
students if they don't like milk they don't have to take a milk but then we're asking that they take a fruit, a veggie and some kind of grain or protein item.
It really is, I don't
I can't express enough how much thought and care and preparation goes into these meals that go on these trays for these little students and our staff come to know what they like and they don't like and they know them by name and they they greet them in the morning and it's just incredible if anyone has time to spend even a moment in a lunch room and watch the care that goes into feeding these kids.
I think they'd be blown away.
Yeah, I have no doubt of that.
Yeah.
Um, because there is something to be said about preparation, you know,
Maybe it's an old wives tale, but if you put love into your food that you're preparing, it is felt.
Yes, we believe that.
And that's why we do a lot of scratch cooking, the homemade lasagnas, the homemade coffee cakes in the morning and things that we can make from scratch.
I take a little extra time and labor, but it's worth it.
Well, and then you know what's going into it
exactly
without having to read labels.
And because you're doing the figuring and you're, you're assembling the, it lessens the amount of processing that goes into those
foods.
Exactly.
And the new regulations with the added dyes and sugars, we haven't been doing that.
years.
When these started trickling down and saying, well, we don't want these ingredients in our school lunches, we didn't have to make any adjustments because we haven't been buying
food.
We've already
been doing that.
With these ingredients, we don't put artificial dyes in any of our foods or purchase things with artificial dyes.
So you were ahead of the curve on that one.
Yes.
Yes.
Rapids has been phenomenal in the program that I took over and now that we're running, we're really strict on that.
I say no a lot to things, but we stand by the food that we serve.
Well, and you as the one at the top of the food chain, haha.
Yes,
it were.
W RPS.
You have to make some of those tough decisions, but it sounds like you have a great team working together
to do
those.
Yes.
Yeah, we do.
We do.
We'd get requests for the sugary breakfast items and we will constantly say no, even though kids may be used to that, you know, other places.
We just can't serve them.
We can't feel good about the.
degree start to the morning?
Well, you and I both know there's always a crash that comes later.
There is.
There is.
Yep.
At 9 a.m.
crash, we want to avoid.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Because if they're in the middle of math class, that's not a good time to have a sugar crash.
No, it's not.
And
it's probably helpful for the teachers, too, to have a little bit more of the consistency with knowing that they can continue teaching them their brains are ready to absorb that knowledge because it's fuel.
Yes.
Yep.
And we offer second chance breakfast for those kids that come late or maybe just aren't hungry right away at Lincoln and Rams.
There's always an opportunity a little while later.
Oh, I'm hungry.
Come on down and get something to eat.
That is phenomenal because we're very accommodating in that sense.
That's wonderful.
Well, let's take just a brief pause here to hear from our sponsors.
I'm Alyssa Kay talking with WRPS Director of Food Services, Melanie Haneman, and you're listening to Perspective on 13 20 a.m.
97 5 fm W.
Welcome.
You're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM, 97.5 FM.
I'm Melissa Kay bringing you news in our community.
I'm speaking with Wisconsin Rapids Public School District Director of Food Services Melanie Haneman and where we left off we were talking about some of the complexities of putting together a school meal menu program for the school district feeding
Almost 3,000 students every day during the school year, but again, let's just touch on for a moment this summer Program that is federally funded comes through the USDA Program to help feed kids like that is the point right
yes
to feed kids in the summer Doesn't matter what district they are in if they're here visiting the zoo they happen to be coming through They have an option to have some food.
Yes, and that's a big one is that it's any kid.
It's not Wisconsin Rapids students
Only it is anybody in town 18 and under if you're at the zoo you're from out of town grab a lunch eat with us Yes, we just want to encourage anyone out and about if you see our signs if you see our ladies our sweet smiling Ladies go ahead and feel free to go up and grab a lunch and a breakfast from for the next day from them.
That's what they are there for they're happy to help Serve and
they're
they're great to talk to I
chatted with some a couple last week that and they were happy to to talk about the program and share
what they're doing because they are just, I was so impressed with their passion to just feed kids, like that is the point.
Yes,
yep, they are.
And they got hugs.
They expressed to me earlier today that they have people coming up and hugging them, thanking them.
So the appreciation is there, the need is there, we just, we want to feed kids.
And again, it's this federally funded program.
This is not necessarily, I mean, you may be spending a tiny amount of your federal tax dollars go to this, but
going to feed kids.
I
don't know
about you but I like feeding kids.
So another thing that you are doing is quite
Interesting and forward-thinking hydroponics.
Let's talk about your hydroponic towers.
Tell me
what this is.
It sounds very sci-fi.
Yes.
No, we love it.
We have a hydroponic grow tower called a flex farm from the company fork farm in Wisconsin.
They're Wisconsin based and we purchased one last year for Rams and We've been working with the special needs students at Rams.
We have it up and running.
They help us do the planting They watch over the seeds and the plants in the classroom.
They read to them and then when they're ready to be
planted into the tower, they bring them down.
We put them in our grow tower that just uses water to grow these plants.
And they can watch in the cafeteria.
The students at Rams as our plants grow.
And then we harvest the lettuce and put it on the salad bar.
And so we've done a couple of rounds of growing there.
And so students are planting, watching it grow, and then eating the produce that's grown there.
So this is a total educational nutritional
moment for them.
There's curriculum with it.
Yes.
It's super nutritional because the lettuce is so fresh and so nutrient dense.
And there's no dirt.
No dirt.
Which I don't know if anybody
out
there has grown their own lettuce in their gardens.
The thing I hated the most about my mother's garden and the lettuce was it was just, there was dirt.
There was always something that you're getting in your mouth when you're eating them.
But
there is none of that with
this because it's.
hydroponics,
meaning
just water.
Yes, just water to grow it.
And then we received from a grant from Marshall Clinic another grow tower that we had it grow this year.
So then when school ended, we brought both of our grow towers to Lincoln, where we house our summer meal program.
And we're currently growing lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes for the summer meal program.
Oh, wow.
So in a few weeks, families that are participating will start to see some fresh produce in their bags.
And that was grown by the ladies right at Lincoln High School.
That is incredible and just that it's...
You can't get more local than in your own kitchen.
No, no, right.
No kitchen growing it.
And the ladies are very dedicated to it.
It takes a balance of balancing the pH in the water and making sure that there's enough light and wind and to make the plants grow strong.
And so they've taken all that on just for this fun opportunity.
Who would have known like going into school nutrition, like I'm going to work in a school cafeteria.
Well, you're also going to be a farmer.
Yes, yes.
And balance your pH and your, yes.
I just didn't know what PH testing strips were until I started working in a school kitchen.
Yes, yep, yep.
Jack of all trades.
Oh, fun.
You touched on a little bit about bags of food going home to kids.
What is that for the summer?
The summer meal program.
Okay, yes, that we're growing the produce for.
Okay.
Because you do not have to eat on site.
Gotcha.
So that is families can pick up and grab it to go.
Got it.
All right, so they don't have to necessarily eat there
They can
just come when during the times and it's is it 11 to 12 30
at most locations.
Yes.
Yeah, except Washington or Woodside Woodside ends next week and July second yes because that ends when summer school and
okay
But the other
locations will continue on through mid-August.
Yep, August 14th.
So we say bags to go because you can swing by any location, grab a bag, hop in your car and go.
And a lot of families do.
We see Thursdays, they might stop and grab a lunch and head to lunch by the river or anywhere else where you're traveling in town.
It's easy to just pick up and go.
And again, these aren't just for Wisconsin Rapids District students.
These are for any kids
that
happen to be in the area.
And federally funded.
Well, another thing that you do through the district is the food service angel fund program.
Let's talk about that a little bit.
Yes.
So last November, we saw a large negative balance with our food service accounts.
So during the school year, like I mentioned, families have to qualify for free or reduced.
And families that don't qualify will pay the full meal price, which in our district is less than $2 for breakfast and around $3 for lunch.
That's a pretty affordable meal.
It is affordable.
And it still adds up for families with many kids.
and things like that.
So families with negative balances.
It sits there until it's paid.
And so we have an angel fund account where community members can donate money too to help families in need pay off negative lunch balances.
And this year we had about $25,000 in negative debt for the whole school year.
And we received $28,000 in donations.
Oh my goodness.
So our community came together, rallied, and said, let's get this taken care of.
And it was the first year that I had ever seen a school year end with no negative balances.
Wow.
It was incredible.
That is so.
impressive every student when they come back in August has a clean slate whereas before they were maybe coming back to a $300 $400 bill and who wants that it back to school time
So it was taken care of this year by our incredible community and we couldn't be more thankful.
But looking into next year, we're going to see this need arise again.
We did have to raise meal prices by a quarter.
So lunch prices are up.
We're still seeing the same need for families that struggle to meet that.
So I just want to put a thing out to the community that think of us.
When it comes time for giving next year, we have the angel fund and that money goes directly to helping families pay off lunch balances.
And again, feeding children.
Yes, so important.
And we feed every child.
So even if they have a negative balance, we feed them a breakfast and lunch.
They're not allowed to get any extra items, the chips or the bottled water.
But every student will get a breakfast and lunch, regardless of what their account status says.
That's important to us.
We don't discriminate.
We don't pull them aside.
We don't.
Out them in any way, every student comes through our line.
They are just a student that's hungry and need of a meal to us.
We feed them and we deal with the logistics in the office later.
But the community really proved that they cared about feeding kids and they kind of, it shows value in what we do.
We can just continue to do our job and they have our backs.
So it's just incredible.
Wow.
That is impressive.
And again, kids need food.
They need food to grow and to learn and to play and to interact with the world around them.
Yes.
Yeah, there is a push in Wisconsin, healthy school meals for all.
They keep trying to get it through some states have passed it.
But it's that idea that every kid deserves to eat a breakfast and a lunch, regardless of what's going on at home or what the parents make, whether their income is high or low.
Every student.
just deserves to eat for that reason.
We pay for their books and their bussing.
Let's pay for their food.
I'm pretty sure Minnesota passed that.
They did.
So come on, Wisconsin.
We can't let Minnesota get one up on
us.
And Michigan too has passed it as well.
Oh, dear.
So now we're going to be surrounded by all.
Well, a side of how can people donate to the Angel Fund?
Yes.
So we're working on a link.
Where they can just go online and pay that way, but currently it is a cash or check to the food service office at the district
So they can either stop by the district office or maybe even Lincoln High School Yes,
you can stop by any of the schools and donate and just say you want to designate it for food service angel fund central office
And let's run through a list the list again of where they can get the summer lunches Yes, free
summer lunches available at Mead Splash Pad the aquatic center
the zoo?
and Washington Elementary School, and then at Woodside through next week.
And the ones at the first four that you listed, that's 11 to 1230?
11 to 1230, yes, through August 14th.
We will be there smiling faces, bags of lunches, hoping to feed as many kids as possible.
And those bagged lunches include a breakfast for the next day, correct?
Breakfast for
the next day,
yeah.
Or if you're super hungry, a snack for later.
Because it's just, we just want you fed.
Yes, and it's so encouraging, again, to see
kids ride up on bikes, grandparents out with kids, parents out with kids.
I bring my own kids and we sit at the park and I look around and I see people eating together.
And there's just so much value in that.
Bringing people out into the community, bonding over meals.
You couldn't ask for more.
And there are very many community opportunities that we have that you don't maybe don't always think of.
The zoo is a great one.
The splash pad at Mead is another one.
Our aquatic center.
Yes.
I said to a fellow mom yesterday at the park, Wisconsin Rapids has so many opportunities and great playgrounds and great parks and things going on.
Just get out, get involved, and grab a lunch while you're out and about.
Yes,
indeed.
Well, I'm Melissa Kay speaking with Melanie Haneman, Director of Food Services with the Wisconsin Rapids Public School District.
Thank you for talking with me today, Melanie.
Thanks for having me.
And thank you to listeners joining us for news in our community on Perspective 1320 AM, 975 FM WFHR.
