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The Great Lakes Apple Crunch.

October is National Apple Month and National Farm to School Month

So it only makes sense here in Minnesota that we celebrate the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch which encourages healthy eating and supports farm to school and other local food purchasing initiatives throughout the region. It’s also a fun way to connect food and agriculture to classroom curricula – from science to art and more!

Every October schools, preschools, workplaces, and individuals across the Upper Midwest celebrate by crunching into locally-grown apples. Here at Lake City Schools, Jill Duitsman, Food Service Director with Lunchtime Solutions can be seen handing out “I tried a local apple” sticker while fresh, local apples are served on the lunch line.

The Apple Crunch is a way to get excited about delicious local produce, help students understand where their food comes from, and support local farmers. Across the state, students taste-test different apple varieties, take field trips to local farms, and participate in other apple-themed learning activities. 

Duitsman and Renewing The Countryside staffer, Sara George, worked together to coordinate a taste testing with Howling Moon Orchard located seven minutes from Bluff View Elementary school in Lake City, MN. Erin Scanlon and her father Richard Bremer sampled many of their locally grown apples for the students at Bluff View Elementary and then voted on their favorite. As you can imagine, the favorite was the Honeycrisp but sneaking right up behind it was the First Kiss. If you have not tried First Kiss yet, it may be time for you to get your hands on a local apple!

With Lunchtime Solutions, Duitsman has been supporting local farmers and purchasing local foods for many years, thanks to support from the MN Department of Agriculture’s AGRI grants, that encourage schools to purchase local foods, and also due to the ease of ordering and connecting to local farmers via an online store linking the Red Wing Farmers Market and the Wabasha Farmers Market through the Farmers Market Food Hub. There are currently 10 farmers market hubs like this across Minnesota and these online options make local connections easier. 

Sara George, project lead for the Minnesota Farmers Market Hub project said, “We know how hard it is to make local connections with multiple farmers in the community, so we began piloting this online hub project in 2017 with the support of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), and it has grown and expanded ever since. This system allows schools, hospitals, and restaurants to order online similar to Bix and Sysco and yet, provides the connections to farmers right in their own communities. It is a win-win for all.”

Learn more about the Farmers Market Food Hubs.

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and tobacco-free living, thereby helping to reduce the leading causes of chronic disease and death. For information on what it means to partner with Wabasha County SHIP on healthy eating, physical activity, and/or tobacco-free environment projects, please email Tina Moen at tmoen@co.wabasha.mn.us or call her at 651-565-5200.

This school year Lake City schools welcomed a new Agriculture Teacher and FFA Sponsor, Haely Leiding.

Haely Leiding has big plans and hopes for the school’s year-round greenhouse made possible with SHIP funding in 2018. She hopes to get students more involved in agriculture not just have students taking agriculture classes to get the grade, but to have the students taking the agriculture classes to be more involved in a great program. 

“I am looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish with the greenhouse this year. In the near future, we hope to start growing herbs and vegetables and learn more about hydroponics,” said Leiding.

The agriculture classes are currently working on getting ideas for the greenhouse and what to plant, but Leiding has some new ideas and is very excited to implement those this coming spring. Leiding took the time in December to meet with Tina Moen, Wabasha County SHIP Coordinator and Sara George of Renewing the Countryside to see how she could be more connected with Farm to School and resources in the community. Shortly after walking through the greenhouse, George introduced Leiding to Marci, one of the Lincoln High School Food Service Staff, who shared how excited she would be if she were able to have herbs grown in the greenhouse for kitchen use. 

“We are looking forward to seeing more Farm to School successes in Lake City Schools in 2024,” said George.

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and tobacco-free living, thereby helping to reduce the leading causes of chronic disease.

For information on what it means to partner with Wabasha County SHIP on healthy eating, physical activity, well-being, and/or tobacco-free environment projects, please email Tina Moen or call her at 651-565-5200.

Get Registered! Winter Walk to School Day is Feb. 7

Register by January 24, 2024 and we’ll support your efforts with materials and incentives to get your school moving.

When the weather outside is frightful in Minnesota, we put on our hats, gloves and jackets, and get ready to have some fun. Minnesota Safe Routes to School’s seventh-annual Winter Walk to School Day is Feb. 7. It’s a celebration of walking, biking and playing in the coldest and snowiest days of winter. 

The idea is simple: get kids walking outside. Whether that’s having all kids take a lap outside before school, organizing a story stroll, or celebrating those who walk or roll year-round.

Celebrate winter with a fun event!
After all, this is Minnesota, the land of ice fishing, hockey, cross-country skiing, fat tire biking and sledding. Why wouldn’t we throw a Walk (and Bike) to School Day party in the middle of the winter? Dig out your hats and gloves, organize your volunteers and get stepping for Winter Walk to School Day on Feb. 7, 2024.

Winter Walk Day Marketing Toolkit 

Resources to make your event easier – download templates and update with your event details.

• Social media images–English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali

• Parent Flyers–English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali

• School Flyers–English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali

• Winter Walk Day Sample Text 

• Walk Zone Postcards-English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali

• Frequent Winter Walker punch card

Read Minnesota Department of Transportation full 12/04/2023 bulletin.

Safe Routes to School applications now available.

Safe Routes to School grant applications and guidelines are now available online for review and sharing and to begin applying for Safe Routes to School Planning Assistance, Boost, or SRTS Coordinator funding.

Grants are due February 21, 2024.

Learn more about these funding opportunities and more.

2023 UPDATES:
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New legislation requires bicycle and walking safety education for back to school.

Thanks to a new state law, all public-school students in Minnesota must receive instruction in safe walking and bicycling skills at the beginning of the school year. This new requirement went into effect on Aug. 1, 2023.

This legislation is similar to the law that requires students to receive bus safety education at the beginning of each school year. MnDOT is available to help you roll out this education in your school or district. 

MnDOT has helpful information such as frequently asked questions, educational materials, and more, to help schools and school districts implement this requirement.

Review the Active Transportation Education requirement legislation.
There’s a lot of information in the legislation that required this training, but the most important highlights are: 

• Students in grades K-3 must receive pedestrian safety education, including crossing  

• Students in grades 4-8 must receive pedestrian safety education, including crossing roads using the searching left-right-left for vehicles in traffic technique; as well as bicycle safety, including relevant traffic laws, use and proper fit of protective headgear, bicycle parts and safety features, and safe biking techniques. 

• In most cases, students must receive this education by the end of the third week of school. 

• Non-public schools may provide this education but are not required to do so. 

Resources for schools and educators to meet this requirement:

Don’t reinvent the wheel.

1. The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota has the following materials on its website to help implement Active Transportation Education in your classrooms: 

• Lesson Plan Ideas

• Handouts & Activity Sheets

• Videos

• Technical Assistance

2. If you are interested in more comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle safety education, consider reading up on MnDOT’s Walk! Bike! Fun! Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Curriculum. 

3. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has videos, activities, and handouts.

• Walking – activity sheets, coloring sheets, and a presentation.

• Bicycle – safe bicycle driving tips, helmet fit, and rules of the road.

4. Review full Minnesota Safe Routes to School news.

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living. If you’d like to learn about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, email Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator or call 651-565-5200.

Immanuel Lutheran making recess more active with SHIP support.

The active recess partnership between Wabasha County SHIP and Immanuel Lutheran launched in 2018 when the school received funding support to build 9 Square in the Air. During the 2020/2021 grant cycle the school completed Minnesota Department of Health’s new, free online Active Recess Training and implemented disc golf at their school. To make outdoor active recess more accessible to students, the school partnered with SHIP during the 2022-23 grant cycle to build a shed to store the equipment.

“With this shed in place, students will have multiple choices of activities to engage in daily. It is important to offer a wide variety of equipment each day. The students really enjoy using the equipment that SHIP had previously supported and now it is more accessible.”

- Michelle MacPherson, RN, wellness coordinator

Immanuel Lutheran contracted with Plainview-Elgin-Millville High School Advanced Construction Program to build the outdoor storage shed. Three students helped build the shed; one of the students was an alumni of Immanuel Lutheran. This not only provided the students with building experience, but an opportunity to give back.

“Immanuel Lutheran School’s new outdoor shed will provide the students and staff secure storage for recess and physical education equipment, keeping it safe from weather and organized for ease of use. It is a true blessing for our school, thank you so much!”

- Rick Arguto, Immanuel Lutheran-Plainview

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living. If you’d like to learn about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, email Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator or call 651-565-5200.

SAIL implements school gardens with SHIP support.

The program was awarded a SHIP Community Partner Funding Award to plant raised gardens at their school in Kellogg.

Many of their students never get the opportunity to experience where fresh food comes from. This activity is designed to help students see the work needed to grow crops and enjoy the fruits of their labor. The students helped to put the gardens together along with Mrs. Michelle Houston, project lead. They filled the gardens with fresh garden soil and planted seeds directly into the gardens as well as the seedlings they had started in their classroom. The gardens have been planted with lettuce, spinach, carrots, corn, squash, pumpkins, and other vegetables. Just before school was out for the summer, lettuce was ready to harvest. Students were able to taste fresh lettuce from the garden. During the extended school year students will continue to work on weeding and watering the gardens for more harvesting in the fall.

SAIL’s goal is to help students experience not only the joy of gardening but also to learn how tasty fresh vegetables from the garden can be. Now that gardens are in place, this will be an annual event for SAIL students and teachers. 

“It was a great way to build community within the classroom,” said Mrs. Houston.  

For the past several years, Amy York has been the special education director for SAIL, a setting Level IV behavior program in Kellogg.

“I will be retiring at the end of June and want to thank Wabasha County SHIP for all they have done to serve the students and staff at the SAIL program.”

 “A few years ago I was encouraged to submit my first SHIP Community Partner Award Application and we were able to secure a bottle-filling station for our school. This led us to build a close relationship with Tina Moen who has helped us with so many projects,” said York. “Since then, we have partnered in several MN Eats, MN Moves, and MN-Wellbeing activities totaling $8,265 in Community Partner Funding Awards. We were able to have Active Recess training and implemented new strategies for our students based on this. Tina connected us with BikeMN and three of our staff were trained in Walk! Bike! Fun!”

”This has had wonderful long-term benefits for our staff and students. We have had the bike fleet for the past three years for two weeks in May. Our students all get a chance to ride bikes and learn bike safety,” said York. “One student learned how to ride a bike during our 21-22 school year. He was so proud of himself, as were we! We have secured grants for gym and outdoor equipment, making our active time so much better. We put up a heavy lifting room so our kids are able to use those large muscles to help reregulate their bodies. Our goal for the students has always been to find life-long coping strategies they can use to keep themselves regulated.”

In addition to the bottle filling station, SAIL has worked with SHIP on other healthy eating projects, not only for students but also for staff. In 2019, SAIL became a member of the SHIP workplace wellness collaborative and partnered in implementing a healthy snack station. Also, during the 2019-2020 school year, SAIL worked with SHIP on a healthy snack cart and SHIP served as a community connector inviting Annette Shepardson, SNAP-Educator who worked with youth on classes which engaged them in cooking. The teachers were then trained to continue the classes which the SAIL named “Tasty Tuesdays.” This year the school planted three raised garden beds for students to experience gardening and the joy of eating fresh vegetables. All of these things would not be possible without SHIP support. 

“Once SAIL partnered on a few SHIP projects, Tina asked that I join the CLT team. Even though my availability was challenging, I was able to be in many meetings, seeing the big picture of SHIP and how it impacts Wabasha County. This county is doing great things to help improve the lives of its residents! It's refreshing to see, even during a pandemic, that leaders in different organizations continued to strive for improved health and opportunities for healthy activities. I always learn by listening to others and appreciate being able to bounce ideas off the members,” said York. 

“Thank you for all you have done in partnership with SHIP that has resulted in making the healthier choice the easier choice, in Wabasha County. You will be missed,” said Moen, SHIP Coordinator.

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living. If you’d like to learn about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, email Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator or call 651-565-5200.

Minnesota Safe Routes to School (SRTS) has opportunities to share. SHIP can support this work, learn how.

Boost Grant Funding Available

As the name implies, Safe Routes to School Boost grants are intended to help boost Safe Routes to School efforts! These grants allow MnDOT to support communities with existing Safe Routes to School (SRTS) plans, or other comprehensive SRTS approaches, in advancing non-infrastructure strategies for schools. The strategies should support making it safe, easy and fun for students to walk, bike or roll to school. More detailed information on eligibility, funding restrictions/requirements, and the grant application materials are available on the MnDOT SRTS Boost webpage. View past Boost awards to get project ideas and cost.

An informational webinar is available on Wednesday April 12 at 11 a.m.
Grant information is as follows:

• Grant application requests may range between $5,000-$50,000 and do not require a match.

• Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17, and must be submitted online.

• Awardees will be announced in June with funding beginning in September 2023 and ending in June 2025.

Upcoming events:

• April 6, 10-11 a.m. – MN SRTS Network Call

  • Share and learn with whose working on SRTS from across Minnesota.

  • To join the Minnesota Safe Routes to School Network and received log in information please email dot@state.mn.us

  • View past recordings and slides

• April 27 – Walk! Bike! Fun! Teacher Training - Laporte

• May 3 - Bike to School Day  

Local examples of SRTS implementation with SHIP support:

• Lake City Public Schools

Read the story: Lake City Public Schools supports and advocates for walking and biking by their students and staff.

• Zumbrota-Mazeppa Public Schools

Schools participated in a MNDOT SRTS Planning grant which wrapped up in July 2018 with non-infrastructure and infrastructure recommendations made. The school district has requested funding for Walk, Ride, and Roll flyers which should be available to students, staff and parents in the Fall of 2018.

View Walk, Ride and Roll to School maps in the links below:
Maps for Zumbrota
Maps for Mazeppa

Congratulations to the Plainview-Elgin-Millville (PEM) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Team for being awarded a 2023 SRTS Planning Assistance grant.

Richard Baker, Plainview’s Development Coordinator, submitted the grant with an award letter received from MN Department of Transportation on February 16, 2023. The award letter stated, “We estimate the value of this award at approximately $38,000, however, as a reminder, these grant awards will be in the form of the service of planning assistance that will be provided by a MnDOT consultant beginning July, 2023. The plans will be completed in partnership with your local Safe Routes to School team, which will be the point of contact for local input, information and reaction of an implementation plan.”

The planning process is expected to launch late spring/early summer and is anticipated to wrap up by June 2024.The 6 Es of Safe Routes to School which includes the following: Engagement, Equity, Engineering, Encouragement, Education, and Evaluation. You may learn more about how to get involved with the PEM SRTS Team by contacting, Richard Baker, EDA by email or phone; 507-710-4085.

If you are interested in learning more about the Safe Routes to School planning process and how it might support your community, there are three Safe Routes Planning 101 webinars available on the Minnesota Safe Routes to School Resource Center.

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living. If you’d like to learn about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, email Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator or call 651-565-5200.

Local farm to school efforts progress with a local training and networking event.

Local farmers and schools networked and received trainings at an event on December 19 in Red Wing. The event included schools and farmers from the southeast region. The meeting was sponsored by and presenters were from Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Renewing the Countryside, and U of M Extension Food Safety Team.

The Wabasha County Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Coordinator was also present to talk about some of the ways SHIP can support famers markets and schools in implementing farm to school efforts. A few examples of Community Partner Award Funding related to food hubs are first time start-up items such as:

• a wholesale food handlers license

• sorting table

• commercial grade kitchen mat

• tent

• first time advertising

• signage

• refrigeration

• nesting buckets

• utility cart

• reusable totes

• scale

• handwashing station

• SHIP can also support farm to school implementation in the school setting such as supporting a salad bar cooler or a robot coupe.

The five local schools in attendance were very interested in learning more about Minnesota Harvest of the Month (MN HOM). MN HOTM celebrates an in-season, locally-grown food item each month in K-12 schools. It’s a free marketing program designed to promote the use of seasonally available, locally grown, raised and harvested products. It features marketing materials, local food items, and recipes to help food service staff use those products. Accompanying academic standards-based educational resources extend the program into K-12 classrooms. Learn more about HOTM. There posters, sticker, tools, and newsletter support available as well, take the pledge to get your school food service involved and order your free promotional materials.

“It was great seeing farmers and schools networking. If farmers know what schools are looking to order, farmers can better plan for what they will grow and get schools what they want. The farmers market and hub platform makes ordering very easy for the school.” -Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator

What is a food hub? Good question!

• Food hubs bring together product from multiple farmers and offer it to larger-scale buyers.

• Farmers who don’t have enough time or product to reach larger markets on their own can sell through a food hub.

• Buyers who can’t deal with separate accounts for multiple farmers can buy local through a food hub.

Sara George shares that Minnesota currently has 9 farmers market hubs statewide, the first of which was developed right here in Wabasha MN in 2017. “Buyers, both wholesale and retail, are able to login to the online platform and place their orders with one shopping cart, one checkout, one delivery. Think of it as the Amazon of local food that helps overcome barriers with sourcing local foods.”

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and tobacco-free living, thereby helping to reduce the leading causes of chronic disease and death. For information on what it means to partner with Wabasha County SHIP on healthy eating, physical activity, and/or tobacco-free environment projects, please email Tina Moen or call her at 651-565-5200.

2022 UPDATES:
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St. Felix Catholic School expands its farm to school efforts.

St. Felix participated in Pilot to Accelerate Regional Support for Nutrition at Institutions from Producers (PARSNIP) during the 2021/2022 school year. This project, led by Renewing the Countryside, worked to engage six schools in Goodhue and Wabasha Counties, encouraging local food purchases but also building a network around Farm to School. 

 In 2022 the school, supported by Wabasha County Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), implemented a refrigerated salad bar cart that is used to store and serve fresh vegetables for their lunch program.

“The project goals are for students to understand the importance of healthy eating, take ownership of the food they are provided for lunch, and to have access to fresh foods,” said Mr. Sonnek, Principal

 During the 2020/2021 school year, St. Felix partnered with SHIP on a healthy school snacks project, funding a new milk cooler and a display cooler to provide healthier snack options for their seventy-two students, kindergarten through sixth grade, as well as staff. Students have access to items from the coolers such as milk, fresh fruits, and vegetables along with yogurts.

Read below about other school activities Wabasha County Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) can support during the 2022/2023 grant cycle which begins November 1, 2022.

 MN Eats school activities are as follows:

• Food and Nutrition Security

• Comprehensive Framework for Addressing School Nutrition Environmental and Services (e.g., school meals, time for lunch, smart snacks, water access, healthy eating learning opportunities, staff role modeling, food and beverage marketing, celebrations and rewards, school nutrition and the social and emotional climate and learning)

 MN Moves school activities are as follows:

• Save Routes to Schools

• Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (such as physical education, physical activity before and after school, physical activity during the day, family and community engagement, staff involvement)

• Outdoor Classrooms

 
MN Well-being school activities are as follows:

• Incorporate Social Connections in SHIP Activities

• Build Trauma-Informed Principles

• School-Based Social and Emotional Climate

• School Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services

• School Health Services to support students with chronic conditions, such as asthma, disordered eating, oral health, and diabetes (e.g., community-clinic linkages, health literacy interventions, support telehealth and telemedicine, community health workers)

 
MN Commercial Tobacco-Free school activities are as follows:   

• Commercial Tobacco-Free Schools (CTFS)
  

If you’d like to learn about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, email Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator or call 651-565-5200. SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living.

Plainview-Elgin-Millville High School implements a calming sensory space.

With the support of Wabasha County Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) and contributions from staff donations and school funds, Plainview-Elgin-Millville (PEM) High School implemented a calming sensory space, which was completed April 2022. 

The school has also included a sensory swing that not only gives students motion sensory input, but also a deep pressure squeeze sensation.  A crash pad was included in the sensory room to meet the needs of students seeking a more physical outlet, as well as those looking for a soft place to lay.  Other items included in the sensory space are fidget toys, pillows of varying textures, and an oil diffuser.

PEM’s sensory space has been an asset to helping students improve their ability to focus in school. 90% of students felt they were more ready to focus on school work after spending 20 minutes in the sensory space. 

“The sensory room has helped staff and students as students have been having more positive behaviors throughout the school day.”
- Emily Miller, Special Education Teacher

If you’d like to learn about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, email Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator or call 651-565-5200. SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living.

Lake City Public Schools supports and advocates for walking and biking by their students and staff.

On May 5, 2018, Lake City Public Schools brought together a team of nine local stakeholders to participate in a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Academy workshop facilitated by the Minnesota Department of Health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, and BikeMN. Attendees discussed what has been done and opportunities moving forward. Together they developed short-, medium-, and long- term goals to help make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school.

The 2018 SRTS Academy workshop led Superintendent, Erick Enger, to submit a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Safe Routes Planning Assistance grant in January of 2019. Planning assistance was provided to the SRTS team and included an analysis of existing conditions, public outreach, and identification of potential infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions to help more children walk and bicycle safely to school.

The MNDOT SRTS Planning grant wrapped up in June 2020 with non-infrastructure and infrastructure recommendations.

Read the Lake City MnDOT SRTS Planning Assistance grant summary here. Learn more about MnDOT Planning Assistance grants by clicking here.

Using the information gleaned from the Planning Assistance grant, Lake City planning and community development director, Megan Smith, submitted an application on behalf of the SRTS Team for a MnDOT SRTS Demonstration Project Technical Assistance grant in February 2020. Learn about this grant here.

The grant was awarded, but was held up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The demonstration projects were installed at two locations, on South Prairie St. in front of the high school and at the intersection of South Prairie St. and Lakewood Ave (CSAH 9).

SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living. If you’d like to learn about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, email Tina Moen, SHIP Coordinator or call 651-565-5200.