
One way SNAP-Ed contributes to the District’s Farm-to-School work is by supporting staff time to help facilitate the Detroit School Garden Collaborative, which connects students, teachers, and community members to local agriculture while engaging them in growing their own fruits, vegetables, and edible flowers. As SNAP-ED continues to evolve in the District, it has become clear that SNAP-ED can take farm-to-school programming to a new level and through the collaborative effort of our SNAP-ED partners, we are working toward that goal of pushing the work to new heights.” “There's always more we can do to increase our impact to strengthen our community. "The District has been a leader in farm-to-school for decades, though the work is never done," says Matthew Hargis, DPSCD Farm-to-School supervisor.

The DPSCD Farm-to-School initiative carries out the District's mission to provide high-quality food, nutrition, and wellness education while eliminating barriers to healthy food. MFF offers grants to conduct SNAP-Ed programming throughout the state of Michigan.
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Department of Agriculture that teaches people eligible for SNAP how to live healthier lives. SNAP-Ed is an education program of the U.S. MFF is a State Implementing Agency of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for the education component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The initiative, operated by the DPSCD Office of School Nutrition, increases the amounts of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and legumes used in school breakfasts and lunches.ĭPSCD families make their own pumpkin smoothies on a bike-powered blender at Drew Farms Harvest Fest.ĭPSCD Farm-to-School strategies are made possible in part by Michigan Fitness Foundation (MFF) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) funding. ĭetroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD or District) emphasizes a holistic approach to education and their Farm-to-School initiative is one of the ways the District helps ensure its students are not just academically successful, but also physically healthy. It is made possible with funding from Michigan Fitness Foundation.
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Vitti said that the return extends the runway to onboard the students and get everybody where they need to be before count day, allowing them to end the school year in early June versus the end of June.Ĭopyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.This article is part of Stories of Change, a series of inspirational articles of the people who deliver evidence-based programs and strategies that empower communities to eat healthy and move more. In addition, the district is starting before Labor Day, which will get them out earlier at the end of the school year. “We are very excited about going into this year, and we’re not going to manage COVID like we have the last two years,” Vitti said. Vitti agrees that the district can stop worrying about treading water and get back to working on student achievement. Vanpelt has four children, ages five through 13 going to school this year after navigating two years of COVID with closures and changing protocols. “Without teachers, how can you educate the children?” “It definitely does help to know schools are fully staffed,” said parent Stephanie Vanpelt. Parents say their children are ready to return to the classroom. In addition, using some of those COVID relief dollars, the district hired 170 new teachers last year, knowing that 50% of its staff is eligible to retire in the next three years.

The district increased salaries across the board and added a competitive benefits package and the highest starting pay in Metro Detroit, and it was able to attract staff. “This has been a five-year process, and that started with increasing teacher salaries,” said Superintendent Dr. In a time when staffing is a problem across the country, the Detroit Public School Community District is returning to school fully staffed. Teachers reported Monday with students to start the following Monday, and, for the first time in two years, COVID-19 will not take up all the preparations and planning. DETROIT – It’s a little earlier start to the school year for the state’s largest school district, but Detroit schools will start the year fully staffed for the first time in a long time.
