The pro-child action by the Mishicot School Board is featured in a Herald Times Reporter front page story by reporter Amy Weaver on January 15, 2002.

Also, Weaver reports in a related story on February 6, 2002 on Manitowoc PTA's offering breakfast on test days, presumably to boost student performance on standardized tests.

Finally, on February 7, 2002, Weaver reports on Manitowoc County Public Health Nursing Director Amy Wergin's comments to the School Lunch Program Coalition. Wergin observes the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program ends after a child turns five, "because schools are supposed to take over nutritional programs after WIC."

Weaver's story emphasizes MACS' pro-child values underlying participation in the NSLP:

• St. Francis de Sales cook Deb Hackney, "It makes you feel good to give children a nutritious meal in the morning and afternoon."
• By offering homemade goodness in food served at school, De Sales' cooks believe they are teaching students the importance of eating healthy.

• MACS food service director Dorothy Wilhelm attributed the popularity of the hot lunch program to their serving two entries each day. It cuts down on waste but also gives students and staff more than one choice.
• To make sure children eat what they selected, students ... carry color tickets or clothes pins.
• (Cooks) decorated the kitchen, dressed up and served food related to different types of music (... and) different countries.
• The de Sales staff have been known to take the home cooking business to the extreme and make a recipe a student has brought from home. "It's a challenge whan a recipe comes in for four people and we need to it to serve 200," Hackney said.
• "The more we do, the more they are interested."

Parents like Shelly Orth couldn't ask for more from a school hot lunch program.

Orth, the mother of three children, couldn't be happier (MACS) schools ... offer a hot lunch program.

"The hot lunch is better than what I could make for $1.50," she said.

"Parents want their kids to have one good hot meal a day," cook Kay Anderson said.

Green Bay Fox 11 TV Reporter Reggie Aqui aired a story on Manitowoc's unique position as the only major school district lacking a school lunch program.

Read the transcript of Reggie's story, which aired on Channel 11 on July 10, 2001, 5:00 PM.

Here's an excerpt quoting our new superintendent:

MPSD Superintendent Dr. Wayne Johnson: You know, taking your thought process further, maybe we need to have free dental work for all the children in the school.