[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6252545,"mediaKeyId","3187635-7f18e99772a0c20ef6f9920c29ce0e94","parentId",3187635,"title","PGCPS food services: federal funding loss, new grants and composting expansion noted in CCAP update","audioSeconds",318,"startMs",267000,"endMs",585000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3187635-7f18e99772a0c20ef6f9920c29ce0e94&start=267&end=585","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3187635-7f18e99772a0c20ef6f9920c29ce0e94/thumbnail_267000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6252545/Maryland/PGCPS-food-services-federal-funding-loss-new-grants-and-composting-expansion-noted-in-CCAP-update","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252545-264b40ae79743871882e59678251725c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770422784&Signature=VIWWjh61TrD6A9pnvERYWt6CZv52YJVmgJc9VvkuRefnnnayfPMS~j0PtZ-MaNpTQqfEdKbwdsi51pXQSAXVxHcMv7~fCZg1WNtQ5gWhGpze7bJo0X0kVzi6Dk3X8rcMDFMHD321-FqK5UtzdcjMP9~m-RQKgeYGo0EwvkXdZKV9armr4EYwSP3xp~Efsu96Muk6seGe4R3zGe1pA7quJVaZrDFmKNo96Pkyy5rKVwTdZkNMGfis0FNqwP9g1JLsOaU2L-TOzKHsjJ0zfZr6ej759OiFvES~K9asXH~nxJhj-V-bboPaD75Ldpkkmldgz8Qx8dFtJZWG-cBTRBBLLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Prince George's County Public Schools","date","2025-05-04T00:02:52.583Z","article","Prince George's County Public Schools officials told the Climate Change Action Plan Ad Hoc Committee on April 23 that a drop in federal funding has slowed some planned climate-related programs but the district has won or applied for state and other grants to advance energy and food-systems work.

Why it matters: the district's sustainability and Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) staff said they will rely more on state and philanthropic partners to keep projects moving while they build internal capacity and operating systems to support climate action across schools.

Key updates from the district: Dorothy Morrison, director of sustainability, said the loss of federal funding could slow some programs but that staff are focusing on internal infrastructure, management systems, operating procedures and training. Mary Kirkland, director of Food and Nutrition Services, reviewed several items:

- Grant awards and applications: Kirkland reported a state energy efficiency grant award announced March 11 (amount given in the meeting as \"one hundred forty-three thousand\" as described by staff) to support building the district's energy database. The FNS team has an outstanding state reimbursement application that staff described as \"up to $3,000,000\" to support the purchase (with subsequent reimbursement) of up to nine electric school buses. Kirkland also said the district submitted a solar installation application for Walker Mill Middle School on March 26 and is awaiting notice.

- Policies and partnerships: Kirkland said the CCAP-related Sustainability Policy 111 and Purchasing Policy 03/2023 were updated internally and reviewed with legal counsel for board consideration. Christina Garcia Sterling said the district is working with Purchasing to incorporate environmentally preferred-product criteria into solicitations; she said the sustainable purchasing policy was on track to be considered by the board at a forthcoming meeting.

- Composting and food waste: Kirkland and Sarah Gillespie, recycling coordinator, reported that four additional schools were added to the district's food-waste composting program this quarter: Judith P. Hoyer Montessori School, University Park Elementary School, Calverton Elementary School and James McHenry Elementary School. Gillespie noted the district typically starts composting programs in cafeterias and then expands to classroom collection where appropriate.

- Student engagement: Kirkland described plans to build a tasting-panel process that will include students, parents, staff and community stakeholders. The district plans to identify student leaders over the summer to participate in menu reviews and taste-testing so student input can inform menu updates.

Follow-up and next steps: staff said they will continue to pursue state grant reimbursements and philanthropic partnerships to fill funding gaps, convene stakeholders to expand composting and sustainable procurement, and develop the student tasting panel and feedback mechanisms over the summer.

Ending note: committee members welcomed the updates and encouraged staff to coordinate with school administrators and community partners as the district adjusts service models, procurement, and composting expansion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) Ad Hoc Committee Meeting April 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District sustainability staff said federal funding reductions may slow some climate and food programs; Food and Nutrition Services reported a state grant award, pending applications for electric buses and school solar, updated policies under review, and four new schools joining the composting program.","taxTitle","Prince George's County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",14202,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6252549,"PGCPS students press district to stop distributing plastic breakfast bags in some schools",990,2010000,3000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3187635-7f18e99772a0c20ef6f9920c29ce0e94&start=2010&end=3000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3187635-7f18e99772a0c20ef6f9920c29ce0e94/thumbnail_2010000.jpg","/articles/6252549/Maryland/PGCPS-students-press-district-to-stop-distributing-plastic-breakfast-bags-in-some-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252549-0ccc1b52caa1f6cf49862742ec208401/orig.mp4?Expires=1770422784&Signature=kxXcw5N2Xx51FbPb62QducZkls9Tawjc~~zGlmQYUHqLbZBqtxC51QUw0Q5d2m54cUosAl47H34CjSh481pDY5du~FI216b-FPIKkl3wzpMTrEPAYa4x14QH2BzUSnFzGyCM9-41rNv7OPU4om7RammzIFKLZH3djlnKIQ~IghNO6nYRKpt-zTICzJF-qzM-uYy8H43gEOW29istaAafhHfuI~xEgH5GaNG5GopGSsR5rxxaVXnWNuF0ZsP6N3qMY7GpKaJ8gr7LIDuwLplOts23KmfPIowKG9jq39Iu9bDJN14L85S9rfGUB2-~rUn7vFE65s4FS6oT1ta4WNhEjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Prince George's County Public Schools students told the district's Climate Change Action Plan Ad Hoc Committee on April 23 that plastic bags used to package breakfast items at some schools appear unnecessary and should be eliminated where they serve no purpose.

At the meeting, Olivia Thomas and Noah Agbere, eighth-grade students who led the research, said they noticed plastic bags used to hold cereal and other breakfast items at Kenmore Middle School and elsewhere and asked why the bags remained in use despite a countywide plastic bag law. \"We are going to present information and guide a discussion about the problem of plastic bags being used in a seemingly unnecessary way at PGCPS breakfast in hopes that we can develop an effective approach,\" the students said during their presentation.

Why this matters: district staff and committee members tied the bags' continued use to pandemic-era service changes and to nutrition program requirements, and said continuing the practice could conflict with district sustainability goals. Mary Kirkland, director of Food and Nutrition Services, told the committee that in some schools the bags were introduced during COVID-19 to simplify distribution and to ensure students received a reimbursable meal under Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) rules. Kirkland said she will visit Kenmore and other schools to determine where bags are used and whether usage can be reduced.

What was said and asked: students described their research process, including emailed questions to district staff and a follow-up Zoom meeting with Kirkland. Kirkland told the students the bags are provided separately (not prepackaged with cereal) and said district staff believed the bags helped monitor that students received items from each of the required food groups. She also noted that MMFA and Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) models vary by school — some schools offer breakfast in the classroom, others use kiosks or cafeteria service — and that service model affects how meals are packaged and delivered. At the meeting Kirkland clarified district totals: on a typical day about 45,000–50,000 students receive breakfast in PGCPS, and the district has served roughly 5,200,000 breakfasts during the 2024–25 school year.

Discussion and next steps: no formal motion or vote was taken. Committee members, students and staff discussed alternatives (paper or compostable bags, different service models, and in-classroom composting). Christina Garcia Sterling, the district lead for sustainable materials management and procurement, said the district is reviewing a sustainable purchasing policy and working with Purchasing to include environmental criteria in contracts. Mary Kirkland said the committee's goal should be to eliminate unnecessary plastic bags rather than simply swap to another single-use material; she asked that the district communicate proposed changes to school administrators in advance so managers and cafeteria staff can plan.

Community partners also raised possible operational responses. Michelle Burton of the Food Equity Council (Institute for Public Health Innovation) described an app developed at the University of Maryland that links excess produce to food pantries and suggested it as a logistical resource if schools can make surplus items available to families or community partners.

What staff agreed to research: Kirkland said she would follow up to determine (1) which schools currently use plastic breakfast bags; (2) the annual cost of purchasing those bags (the students reported ACME Paper as the vendor in their correspondence); and (3) how the district could eliminate bags in schools where they are unnecessary, with attention to the needs of cafeteria staff and students. The students asked the committee to consider as a first step removing bags from schools that do not eat breakfast in the classroom.

Ending note: committee chair Pamela Buser Struthers praised the students' work and encouraged continuation of collaboration between students, Food and Nutrition Services and Procurement as the district examines sustainable procurement and operational changes.","Student investigators told the Prince George's County Public Schools Climate Change Action Plan Ad Hoc Committee that plastic bags used to hold breakfast items are unnecessary in many classrooms; district staff said they will research how many schools use the bags, their cost, and whether use can be reduced or eliminated in some sites.","actionData","errors"]

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PGCPS food services: federal funding loss, new grants and composting expansion noted in CCAP update

PGCPS students press district to stop distributing plastic breakfast bags in some schools