State and district policymakers are responding to the need for policies to encourage healthy school environments, including food marketing in schools. However, additional and sustained support is required for the food marketing policies to affect nutrition and physical activity behaviors and reverse trends in childhood obesity. This program will examine Maine’s food marketing policies using an educational leadership model for states, school districts and schools to align policies, practices and actions related to school wellness.
State leaders, school districts, teachers and supporting organizations will:
- Learn how to apply the through-line, an educational leadership model, to align policies, practices and actions related to childhood obesity, nutrition and physical activity.
- Discuss the reciprocal accountability needed for state, district, and school level wellness policy implementation.
- Explore models of success for strategies that coordinate state policy to classroom implementation.
- Provide input to support future wellness policy implementation tools.
Support for this webinar was provided by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Adolescent and School Health (CDC DASH).
National, State, District, and Local leaders implementing school wellness policy initiatives including: state boards of education, state departments of education, coordinated school health leaders, public health officials interested in school health, district school boards, school administrators, school wellness policy leaders, school health council members, and classroom teachers.
Welcome and Introductions
Federal Overview
Margo Wootan, D.Sc. Director, Nutrition Policy, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Overview of Maine’s School Food Marketing Policy
Karen O’Rourke, Deputy Director for Program Development, University of New England’s Center for Community and Public Health
School-District Implementation of Maine’s School Food Marketing Policy
Rich Abramson, Superintendent of Schools, Maranacook Area Schools, Readfield, Maine
School Building Implementation of Maine’s School Food Marketing Policy
Jeff Bridges, Director of Food Services, Maranacook Area Schools, Readfield, Maine
Margo G. Wootan, D.Sc.
Director, Nutrition Policy, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Margo Wootan is the director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), one of the country’s leading health advocacy organizations that specializes in food, nutrition, and obesity prevention. Dr. Wootan received her B.S. in nutrition from Cornell University and her doctorate in nutrition from Harvard University’s School of Public Health. Dr. Wootan co-founded and coordinates the activities of the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) and is a member of the Steering Committee for the National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance. She has coordinated and lead efforts to require trans fat labeling, improve school foods, reduce junk-food marketing aimed at children, require calorie labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants, and expand the nutrition and physical activity program at CDC. Wootan has received numerous awards and is quoted regularly in the nation’s major media.
Karen O’Rourke
Deputy Director for Program Development, University of New England’s Center for Community and Public Health
Karen O’Rourke is currently the Deputy Director for Program Development at the University of New England’s Center for Community and Public Health in Portland Maine. At UNE Karen coordinates the Maine-Harvard Prevention Research Center (MHPRC), an obesity-related research and research translation program in partnership with the Harvard Prevention Research Center and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Her primary responsibilities include school initiatives, daycare interventions and state-level policy initiatives. Karen is also working on the development of a school of public health at UNE and assisting in the accreditation process for the Masters in Public Health on line program. Karen received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley and her Masters in Public Health from San Jose State University.
Richard A. Abramson
Superintendent of Schools, Maranacook Area Schools, Readfield, Maine
Rich Abramson has served as Superintendent of Schools for Regional School Unit #38 (Readfield, Maine) since 2001. He currently serves as Superintendent representative to the Dannon Institute’s Schools Advisory Committee. He has been a national speaker on school wellness speaking to Superintendent Associations and wellness organizations. Previous to being a Superintendent, Rich was a local YMCA Executive Director, Special Education Director, Association Executive Director, and Teacher. Rich also serves on numerous State Wellness committees and Task Forces.
Jeff Bridges
Director of Food Services, Maranacook Area Schools, Readfield, Maine
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Please see below to download copies of the resources offered by Margo Wootan from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.