Schools beat the drums for healthy eating

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

As students prepared to sample a piece of a fresh Mutsu apple at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School last week, the worried looks they exchanged suggested they had never had one before.

At a lunch encouraging students to make a conscious effort to eat healthier last week, they were asked to choose their favorite among Mutsu, Blush Gold, Rome, Jonna Gold, Spencer, Winesap and Spartan apples plucked from trees at Bashista Orchards in Southampton.

"Some of these are apples that I've never even heard of and it's always good to let them try new things," said Heather Bouley, the high school's food service director. "The students really seem to enjoy it."

Using a grant from the state's Department of Public Health, Bouley said the effort will promote physical and nutritional health with a series of programs.

"I've been using a portion of that to buy fresh fruits and vegetables for tastings like these," Bouley said as students worked together to decide which apple they thought was the tastiest.

Other healthy foods, including Waldorf salads, zucchinis, and carrots will be among those sampled at school-wide taste-tests this year, Bouley said.

"Caesar salad was such a hit last year among students that we made it a menu item that we now serve once a week," Bouley said. She noted that school staff prepare about 70 percent of the food they serve from scratch.

"This is just our way of reminding students to think about eating healthier and to get them thinking about the fruits and vegetables they can eat."

Tom Bashista, who provided the apples for the taste test, said he grows 42 different apple varieties at his East Street farm and hand-picked the kinds that he thought local students may have never had before.

The results, Bouley said, showed that 32 percent of students ranked Mutsu apple slices as their favorite, easily beating the Blush Gold variety which drew support from 16 percent of students.

Rodriguez honored

Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez was recently selected by the National Association of Professional Women as one of 100 women to receive this year's Woman of the Year award.

Rodriguez said she was notified late last month that she had won the award and attributed the honor to the staff and faculty she has worked with during her tenure in Northampton.

"As your Superintendent, I am thrilled that this honor is also extended to the Northampton Public Schools as well and a big thank you goes out to my staff, administrators, School Committee members and families for continuing to support me and the district," Rodriguez said. "I am proud of all that I have accomplished during my time in Northampton and look forward to continuing that work in the coming weeks and months."

This year will mark the last for Rodriguez as the city's superintendent. Previously, she was director of pupil services for the city, and held a host of other positions in her 25 year career in public schools.

Ward 3 deadline

Candidates for the vacant Ward 3 School Committee post have until today by 5 p.m. to file nomination papers with the Registrar of Voters office in City Hall. To get on the ballot, candidates need to get the signatures of 50 registered voters from the ward.

The position earns a $2,500 a year stipend. It opened up when Timothy Fisher resigned recently because he moved to Holyoke.

The special election is set for Jan. 7, but if more than two people qualify for the ballot, a preliminary election would be held Dec. 7. The last day to register to vote in the preliminary election is Nov. 17; the last day to register for the special election is Dec. 22.