Haldane Receives Gift from First Lady's Let's Move Campaign

Haldane completed the first year of its Farm to School initiative and received a gift from First Lady Michelle Obama’s national Let’s Move campaign. When Haldane partnered with Chef Mark Gandara for the Chef in the Classroom program, a component of the farm to school initiative, Superintendent Dr. Villanti registered Haldane on the Let's Move Campaign/ Chefs Move to Schools national website.

The Chefs Move to Schools program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helps chefs partner with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools’ dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices.

For registering with the national campaign, Haldane received a free cookware demonstration kit from The Partnership for a Healthier America. It is a beautiful kit containing All-Clad pots and pans, cooking utensils, bowls, a portable induction burner and more, valuing over $2,000.

The Partnership for a Healthier America serves as a partner to the First Lady’s Let’s Move Initiative by linking and mobilizing the private sector, foundations, thought leaders, media, and local communities to action and further the goals of curbing childhood obesity within a generation.  

On Monday, June 20^th, Mark and Sunny Gandara presented this gift to Cindy Miozzi, Haldane’s food service director. Cindy has been working with Chef Mark since the beginning of the school year preparing the recipes he develops in the classroom and serving them to the whole school each month. “Farmer’s Choice “ is what Cindy calls the fresh, local vegetable dish she serves in the cafeteria each month.

What is great about Haldane’s Farm to School initiative is what is happening in the cafeteria. Each month, the entire student body is being exposed to new foods. Not only are the kids that buy lunch encouraged to try the new vegetable dish, but anyone who is adventurous enough can ask to try a free sample.

For the final Chef in the Classroom event of the school year, Mrs. Battersby’s 5^th grade class made a “Rhubarb Jumble Crumble” with Chef Mark. It was met with such enthusiasm that when it was served in the cafeteria the following week, the kids were asking for seconds and ultimately it sold out.

Haldane is looking forward to starting up the program with Chef Mark again in the fall and trying out the new cookware and tools they received for participating in the Let’s Move campaign.

Calling All Summer Garden Volunteers!

Summer is near and we are asking for friends and families to help tend our our garden while school is out.

Each volunteer is responsible for tending to the garden for one week. You can bring friends and family members, and you can eat or bring home whatever you harvest. The responsibilities include watering and weeding. You can also plant something if there is an empty bed. Depending on the weather conditions, you should come at least twice during the week. If there has been no rain, you will need to come every day to water the garden. You will receive a reminder a few days before your shift. Please notify us ASAP if you have changed your plans and will not be able to fulfill your week committment. Email any questions at: info@growinghaldane.com.

Here are the available dates:

June 26
July 3
July 10
July 17
July 24
July 31
Aug. 7
Aug. 14
Aug. 21
Aug. 28 Errin Garrett-Metz
Sept. 4

Please sign up and send this back to info@growinghaldane.com

Let's welcome the students back to Haldane next fall with a beautiful, bountiful garden!
Thanks for all your help!

Volunteer Photographer Needed

As we complete our first year of Haldane's Farm to School initiative and the Chef in the Classroom program, we have some great news! When we partnered with Chef Mark Gandara, Haldane registered on Michelle Obama's national Let's Move Campaign/ Chefs Move to Schools website. For registering with the national campaign, Haldane received a free cookware demonstration kit from The Partnership for a Healthier America. It is a beautiful kit containing All-Clad pots and pans, cooking utensils, bowls, an induction hot plate and more, valuing over $2,000.

Mark and Sunny are going to present this gift to Cindy in the kitchen next Monday at 1:30. Dr. Villanti will be there and I believe Maggie Davis and Julia as well.

I was wondering if there are any professional photographers out there who would like to come and take pictures. I will be sending the photo and a press release to the local papers. Let me know if anyone might be available. It will only take a few minutes.

Last Farmer's Choice Day

Don't forget, tomorrow is our last Farmer's Choice of the year. Mrs. Battersby's 5th grade class made a Rhubarb Crumble with Chef Mark. It was so delicious that everyone tried it, and most had seconds and still wanted more!

Make sure you tell your kids to buy lunch tomorrow. It's pizza day anyway.

For those concerned about the ingredients, here they are:

rhubarb
oranges
brown sugar
ground ginger
rolled oats
white flour
salt

PS We are hoping to expand our Farm to School program next year. Anyone interested in learning more and helping out, please come to our next Wellness meeting on Monday, June 6th at 3:30 in room B1. Hope to see some of you there!

Rhubarb Day With 5th Grade Class

Haldane's first year of Chef in the Classroom finishes with a big hit! Mrs. Battersby's 5th grade class got a visit from Chef Mark today. The vegetable the students chose was Rhubarb.

While Mark set up his kitchen and laid out all the ingredients, Sunny told some interesting facts about rhubarb. For example: only the stalk of the rhubarb plant is good to eat. The leaves are toxic and should be discarded. Rhubarb grows in cold climates like Norway where Sunny is from. They even grow in Alaska! Rhubarb is a great source of vitamin C.

After some lively discussion about what you can make with rhubarb, they decided on Rhubarb crumble. There was a lot of excitement as the students gathered around. All were eager to help with the preparation of the dish. First, they prepared the crumble with granola, brown sugar, flour, ground ginger, and butter. Chef Mark blended it all up in a food processor. Then he cut the rhubarb and put it in a pan to cook. He added fresh ginger, orange zest, brown sugar, and juice of the orange. And finally, he added pieces of fresh orange. As the ingredients cooked, and the sweet aroma filled the classroom, the students got very excited to try it.

Once the rhubarb softened and the juices got syrupy, Chef Mark poured it into a pie tin and sprinkled the crumble on top. Then he popped it into the oven to cook. (Lucky for the students he had one ready to eat waiting in the warming oven.) Well, I don't need to tell you how everyone liked it. Not only did everyone try it. Most clamored for seconds! This might be our biggest success to date!

Thank you Chef Mark and Sunny Gandara for finishing up our year with a bang. Cindy is planning on serving this dish in the cafeteria next Friday, June 3rd. Believe me, this one is not to be missed!