A new movie that explores the dark side of the American diet and what it describes as “the horror of school lunch programs” found an exception to the rule in Appleton schools.

Greg Bretthauer with a poster signed by movie director Morgan Spurlock.

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock devotes his box-office movie – “Super Size Me” – to answering the question, “Why are Americans so fat?” To make the point, he put his own body on the line, living on nothing but McDonald’s food for an entire month – and suffering the physical consequences.

But in holding out hope for America, he also examines ways the country is on the right track, including four minutes or so devoted to the school lunch program in Appleton schools, particularly the pioneering program at the Appleton Central Alternative High School, a district-operated charter school that has about 100 at-risk students and four teachers. There, a healthy food program has generated many benefits.

“We noticed a change in behavior from the get-go,” said teacher Mary Bruyette, one of the catalysts for the program. “All teachers reported that students were able to concentrate for longer periods in class.”

In addition, she said, the switch-over to healthy breakfast and lunch programs resulted in fewer reports of stomach aches, headaches and fatigue among students, as well as less tardiness and far fewer disciplinary referrals to the office.

“We also found in talking to students that many started healthy food habits outside of school,” she said.

Mary Bruyette

The concept began in 1997 after Bruyette and another teacher attended a seminar on “Nutrition and Behavior” by Natural Ovens Bakery of Manitowoc. They came back and convinced the school’s site-based decisionmaking council to remove the school’s vending machines – filled with soda, candy bars and chips – as part of a health-focused initiative that included new fitness equipment purchased through a grant.

Working with Natural Ovens, they provided healthy breakfast options that included bagels, low-fat muffins and breads, fresh fruit, trail mix, granola, water and juice-based energy drinks.

“We thought there would be some revolt,” Bruyette said. “But after sitting down with the students and exploring the reasons for the change, they accepted it without complaining or whining. ... I find a lot of times kids will eat what you give them. Plus, they follow examples. Kids pick up on the behavior of other kids.”

Eventually, the school started a lunch program that now features a healthy – and very popular – salad bar.

“I am amazed now the choices they make as they go through the line,” Bruyette said. “They are making these wonderful salads.”

Dean of Students Greg Bretthauer said the success of the healthy foods program at Appleton Central prompted the school board to develop a districtwide policy prohibiting the sale of candy, soda and fat-laden products in school buildings during the school day and moving toward healthier lunches.

The district has produced a video about the success of the program. In it, Principal LuAnn Coenen said the switch from burgers, fries, soft drinks, candy and pizza to fresh fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods created a “total change in the students and the environment in the school."

The change in diet, Coenen said, “settled the kids down” and took a school that was “out of control” to one with no dropouts or expulsions, far fewer class disruptions and no vandalism.

Bruyette attributes the change to the fact that the sugar and caffeine in junk foods and soda were causing severe mood swings that led to discipline problems. Once the school replaced them with healthy choices, the students settled down.

For the first five years of the Appleton Central healthy foods program, Natural Ovens trained and paid a cook and assistant cook and covered overhead costs. The program has since been turned over to the district’s food service provider, Aramark.

District Administrator Tom Scullen and Assistant Superintendent Todd Gray said that while some healthy foods carry a higher cost (usually due to lower volume from suppliers), there is no overall increased cost to the food service program. Scullen said any increased cost has been made up by other savings, particularly from greater federal subsidies due to higher participation in the lunch and breakfast programs by low-income students. Scullen said some fundraising efforts that used to rely on selling junk food have been hurt, but other fundraising options are available.

All considered, Scullen said, cost is not a reason for a district to continue to serve its students unhealthy meals.

In addition, Principal Coenen said, there are huge paybacks in terms of academic progress as well as savings in security and vandalism. “I can’t buy the argument that it’s too costly for schools to provide good nutrition for their students,” she said.

Posted May 21, 2004