What are our kids eating?

What are our kids eating?

We all know the old adage – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There are many benefits of eating a balanced meal in the morning, chief among them being increased brain activity and therefore enhanced concentration. With that said, I believe we must look at the current food choices our children have in our schools.

“Our food choices are disgusting.” That is what I’m hearing from teachers and students. On paper, the district is adhering to the prescribed guidelines of food offerings, but whether or not it is truly healthy is another matter. As I understand it, the district has recently renewed the current vendor contract for food items. Moving forward, we must take a closer look at the vendors and their food choices. If I, as an adult, have the opportunity to choose healthier options, so should our kids.

Within our district, there are children who depend on the food services we offer in order to have their daily meals. If we aren’t giving them the fuel they need, how can we possibly hold them accountable for in-class performance and behavior. As a board, it is imperative to realize the role it plays in a student’s success as well as their health. A study from a few years ago found Students who ate school breakfast attended an average of 1.5 more days of school than their meal-skipping peers, and their math scores averaged 17.5% higher. We know the challenges we face with standardized testing. In this district. Why complicate it more by not providing healthy meals? This goes beyond breakfast as well.

Sandwich & salad bars similar to Subway & Salata would be ideal to place in our FBISD schools. I’m well aware of the costs associated with bringing in healthier, fresher food options, but I consider this a sound investment to at minimum consider. The district should too.

Let’s do more the next time food vendors are up for contract renegotiation. It’s starts with asking the right questions, and then making an informed decision with the community’s feedback and buy in. Together, we can ensure our kids have the best opportunity to succeed. It starts with a balanced diet.

Related Articles:

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2013/02/27/study-finds-school-breakfast-is-a-key-to-future-success/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/289854-does-eating-breakfast-help-your-performance-in-school/

http://www.fitness.gov/eat-healthy/why-is-it-important/

Improvement Plans

Improvement Plans

As you know, we have a very real discipline problem within our district. When our students are not attentive, or not there due to suspension, this can cause poor performance in the classroom. Recently, the current board had been tasked with developing improvement plans for Briargate Elementary, Ridgemont Elementary and McAuliffe mIddle School due to poor performance. The Texas Education Agency required these schools improve, as they did not meet the standard that was set forth. There were numerous articles on this serious matter during the fall semester, yet it took the board almost four months from the initial ratings being posted to come to an agreed upon solution. I find it perplexing that an immediate plan of action was not instituted. What’s more baffling is how we as a community allowed these schools to fall short in the first place. These schools feed into Willowridge High School, which has not been as proficient in segments of the STAAR test as its counterparts around the district. This means a student at WHS today conceivably has been failed by the district since as early as 3rd grade. I have to think the district knew of the problems those schools were facing. In fact, this isn’t the first time this has happened in our district.Improvement plans

In 2011Parks Elementary, Lake Olympia Middle School and Marshall High School needed improvement plans as they were deemed Academically Unacceptable (UA). This issue is not just a crisis, its systemic. As your Board member, I’m determined to make sure all students have the best opportunity to succeed. I will, however, make sure campuses like these get the attention and resources they need. Equitable education is the only way all of our schools can achieve high marks; not just in the classroom, but in life.

Furthermore, the current approved improvement plans available online are convoluted. A clear and transparent plan should be presented to the community. That way you can have community leaders invested in the schools success. When you have buy-in by the surrounding neighborhoods, the ownership of the issue now becomes more balanced. With an easily digestible plan, the community and the district can work more efficiently together to get to the solution so sorely needed for these schools.

The time to overlook this issue is over. Join me in my fight to build a better district.

Related Articles:

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/fortbend/schools/article/Fort-Bend-ISD-board-critical-of-improvement-plans-6623404.php

http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/fortbend/news/article/FBISD-grappling-with-discipline-at-McAuliffe-6753981.php

http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/article/FBISD-targets-achievement-at-3-schools-6647114.php#photo-8992668

Friends, I’m running.

Friends, I’m running.

Friends, I’m running.

After much discussion with my family and deliberate preparation, I’ve decided to run for Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees Position 7. I did not come to this decision lightly, nor do I take the opportunity to run for granted; but as Dr. King once said: “There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor political nor popular, but he must do it because his conscience tells him it is right.”

I enter into this with humility. I am, however, confident this is the right thing to do. Our district needs someone who’s been through the school system and can relate to everyone involved in a student’s success. It needs an advocate who will focus on disproportionate discipline, increasing literacy rates, decreasing truancy and work to solve the problem of over-testing. This run will not be about politics. To me, I am doing what is right for the students, parents, teachers and administration in our FBISD schools. The district has made incremental progress in recent history. With my leadership, I believe we can achieve more.

The road to May 7th will have its ups and downs, but Philippians 1:6 reassures me that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it until the day of His return. This run is good work, and I’m asking for your support to help me get to the finish line.

More information is forthcoming (website, campaign kickoff etc.), so for now please go and like my Facebook page James Davidson. The filling period hasn’t begun yet, but I wanted to get the ball rolling now. Should you wish to donate, please visit https://jamesforfbisd.com/donate-now/

Thank you!