{"id":12803,"date":"2019-03-31T20:04:25","date_gmt":"2019-04-01T00:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/news\/?p=12803"},"modified":"2019-03-31T13:36:44","modified_gmt":"2019-03-31T17:36:44","slug":"teacher-receives-first-of-its-kind-federal-commendation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/news\/?p=12803","title":{"rendered":"Teacher Receives First of Its Kind Federal Commendation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Several times a week, fresh fruit or vegetables are delivered to Deborah Haiman\u2019s kindergarten class at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology as part of a federal program. On a recent school day, Haiman\u2019s students were lined up in front of her as she held up a pear and told them about how it grows from a tree and attaches at the stem. The students are encouraged to touch the stem and skin on the pear. Haiman described how it felt to bite into the flesh of the pear, what it smelled and tasted like and then asked the children to do the same, using all five of their senses.<\/span><\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t just Haiman\u2019s students who took note of her presentation \u2014 the senior manager conducting a federal audit was also in the room. In fact, the senior manager for the audit was so impressed with the way Haiman was using the program to teach and encourage students, that he highlighted her in his report \u2014 the first time he had ever highlighted an individual during an audit and singled out a teacher for commendation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ms. Haiman was remarkable in her presentation of the fresh pears offered in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program on the day of the review,\u201d the report said.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For her part, Haiman didn\u2019t know the auditor would stop by her class, and she didn\u2019t do anything differently that day.<\/span><\/p>\n

The program is important because so many of Alexandria\u2019s children are low income and the school provides two-thirds of the food they get in a day. With that sort of responsibility, they need nutritious options,\u201d said Haiman.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The most surprising thing she has learned since the program started has been the willingness of the children to try \u201calmost anything\u201d \u2014 except when it comes to radishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

They were not a huge hit, but a few really enjoyed them,\u201d said Haiman.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

ACPS was the first school division in Virginia to adopt a health and wellness goal<\/a> as part of its divison-wide strategic plan. Since the adoption of the ACPS 2020 Strategic Plan<\/a> four years ago, ACPS has introduced salad bars and revamped its breakfast and lunch menus, as well as its snack policy to offer healthier options.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Deborah
\nThis is year one of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program at Cora Kelly. It is also available at William Ramsay Elementary School. The two schools receive a grant from the federal government to provide a fresh snack three times a week. The hope is that students will be exposed to whole foods and possibly to some types of foods they may not have had a chance to try. At each snack time, it is hoped the teacher will provide a bit of nutritional information. <\/span><\/p>\n

When Director of School Nutrition Services Cynthia Hormel stopped by Haiman\u2019s class with the federal auditor, it was the first time she had been able to see the program in action. <\/span><\/p>\n

It was exactly how we hoped to see it in real life. The kids were excited. Even if they weren\u2019t willing to try the pear, Ms. Haiman got them to experience it with at least one of their five senses,\u201d Hormel said.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The administrative review of the National Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Adult Food Care Program and Summer Food Service Programs showed ACPS to be successful with the following highlights: \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n