The Aliquippa School District faces an insurmountable task to meet Adequate Yearly Progress. The challenge is great, but can be attained with much support. A way to demonstrate such support is through the members of the community addressing the need for a charter school in our district so that stakeholders have a choice and together we can raise the student success rate.

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. 72% of the US population is overweight or obese with one in three children overweight or obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity and improve the health of youth today many may live shorter lives than their parents for the first time ever. The Centers for Disease Control have stated: "Schools may have an ethical obligation to act in response to the precipitous increase in the incidence of obesity among children. Because children are required to spend half their waking hours in school and because they consume a substantial portion of their daily food there, school is a logical focus for efforts to encourage healthy dietary behaviors to prevent obesity and its consequent individual and collective costs...Opponents of school food regulation argue that people have the right to choose the foods they eat. However, we structure and regulate many student activities in the school setting and do not consider doing so an abridgment of children’s rights....For example, parents would rarely serve candy alongside vegetables on the dinner table and expect their children to choose the vegetables instead of the candy. Similarly, school authorities are responsible for offering foods from which the child can select but limiting choices to those that provide nutritional benefit rather than harm." Currently the majority of the food served in the CVUSD cafeterias is processed, re-heated meals which are high in sodium, preservatives, additives, and low in fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, freshly cooked meats, whole grains/pastas, etc. We want to have the staff of CVUSD kitchens to be trained in ‘scratch cooking’ and for fresh food to be purchased and prepared for school lunches (elementary, middle and high school). This approach has been successful at many local school districts (Oak Park USD, Ventura USD, Santa Barbara, and Carpentaria). We want our kids to eat healthy, freshly cooked meals instead of meals consisting of mostly processed food. While salad bars have been utilized in many Conejo Schools it does not undo the damage to our children being served a diet of mostly processed foods. Intervention is needed and we recognize the cost to staff training, which we parents will look to local donations to pay providing the district, cannot find funding for the project at this time. We want the district food service to agree that if training of staff can be funded, that they will in turn agree to fully support the scratch cooking project (buy fresh food, raw commodity foods, and assist and support staff in being adequately trained to produce more healthy meals). We would like outside, professional consultants to assist in menu development, training, and implementation of the new program that will meet the new recommendation put forth by the USDA School lunch program. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

The modern metric system is easier and more modern than our current system of weights and measures (The English System.) The United States is the only country besides Burma that doesn't use the International System. Metrification will improve our ability to communicate more clearly with the rest of the world. It is necessary to improve our standings in math and science.

Per the California State Law, as of July 1 2011 free drinking water is to be provided during lunch time in food service areas to all children in California Public Schools with the mission to increase ‘water consumption and decrease sugar-sweetened beverage consumption as a strategy to support obesity prevention and improved long-term health’ (Calif. Dept of Education).    In order to promote water consumption the California Dept of Ed suggests: 1.    Provide or Plan for Chilled/Filtered Drinking Stations 1. Provide Water Dispensers in the Cafeteria/Food Service Area 2. Maintain School Site Water Fountains As of now the Conejo Valley food services department and district have stated that the water fountains already at schools are sufficient to meet the guidelines of the law.  Since children are not allowed to get up from lunch tables freely to consume water, and there are many children at lunch trying to access water fountains all at once, and many fountains are not located where food is served we concerned CVUSD parents want hydration stations set up in all elementary, middle and high school cafeterias during lunch with enough cold water and cups to service all students.

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. For this reason as parents we feel that Conejo Valley USD school lunches should offer desserts (brownies, cupcakes, cookies, etc) one time per week instead of every day. These desserts should also not contain artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Fresh fruit, yogurt, rice, pasta salads and other sides can be offered as alternatives the other four days of the school week. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. The Centers for Disease Control have stated: "Schools may have an ethical obligation to act in response to the precipitous increase in the incidence of obesity among children. Because children are required to spend half their waking hours in school and because they consume a substantial portion of their daily food there, school is a logical focus for efforts to encourage healthy dietary behaviors to prevent obesity and its consequent individual and collective costs...Opponents of school food regulation argue that people have the right to choose the foods they eat. However, we structure and regulate many student activities in the school setting and do not consider doing so an abridgment of children’s rights....For example, parents would rarely serve candy alongside vegetables on the dinner table and expect their children to choose the vegetables instead of the candy. Similarly, school authorities are responsible for offering foods from which the child can select but limiting choices to those that provide nutritional benefit rather than harm." For these reasons as parents we feel that highly processed snack food/junk food/competitive foods/candy such as Doritos, Cheetos, Pop-Tarts, etc. should not be sold on school campuses (cafeterias, vending machines, student stores, etc). More freshly cut fruits and vegetables, and less processed snacks that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors, trans fat (trans fatty acid) and preferably contain less than 4 grams of added sugar per serving should be offered instead. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. Right now CVUSD middle and high school students do NOT have access to a salad/produce bar during lunch. For this reason as parents we feel that each Conejo Valley USD school cafeterias (elementary, middle and high school) should have a salad bar/produce bar available for students to choose fresh vegetables and fruits. This bar is to be replenished throughout the lunch period so every student eating at the cafeteria has the ability and option of choosing a fresh fruit or vegetable daily. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. The American Heart Association (AHA) has stated that "over the last decade, at least 6,000 excess deaths from any cause and 21,000 life-years lost can be attributed to the increase in sugar-sweetened drinks" and "Sugar-sweetened soda, sport and fruit drinks (not 100 percent fruit juice) contain equivalent calories, ranging from 120 to 200 per drink, and thus play a role in the nation’s rising tide of obesity" (AHA March 5, 2010). The sugar in these drinks often exceeds the AHA daily allowance of sugar for children and young adults. We would like more water and fruit juices without added sugar to be offered instead. For these reasons we are asking that the CVUSD Health & Wellness Policy state that all drinks including electrolyte replacement beverages (ERB’s) with added sugar, artificial colors and flavorings (Gatorade, Powerade, Nesliquick, sodas, etc) be removed from all school cafeterias, vending machines, and student stores. Sport drinks/ERB’s should only be offered to athletes at sporting events in conjunction with water. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently flavored milk (chocolate) is being served to school children at breakfast and lunch. Chocolate milk has 56% more calories; 108% more sugar (4 tsp); 11% less protein, 50% more salt and 25% less Vit C than unflavored milk. Due to the fact that 1 in 4 children are obese, and 2 out of 3 adults are obese we feel that kids should enjoy the benefits of milk without the sugar and additives of flavored milk. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to state that no flavored milk (chocolate or otherwise) will be offered or served on school campuses. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently ‘birthday celebrations’ are being held on school grounds during recess, before/after school, that involve food (cake, cupcakes, doughnuts, candy, etc). This food/candy is given to kids WITHOUT parent permission. This is an issue due to allergies (8% of kids), obesity (1 in 4 kids), cavities, special needs children, behavior problems in class, not eating lunch, etc. We know that parents want their kids to feel special on their birthdays, but we want these celebrations to not involve food or beverages; instead read a favorite book, give out pencils, share something special, wear a birthday hat, etc. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to include that no food or beverage shall be given for birthday celebrations on school campus. School should be about education; let’s leave the birthday celebrations involving food off school campus. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently candy is being given out by some teachers, principals, school nurses, after school activity leaders, etc. to our children for testing, good behavior, ‘boo boos, etc. This candy is given WITHOUT parent permission. This is an issue due to allergies (8% of kids), obesity (1 in 4 kids), cavities, special needs children, behavior problems, and the basic idea that you are giving or withholding food to reward kids. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to include that no food or beverage shall be given as a reward for student accomplishments or withheld as punishment on school campus. Let’s find other ways to reward kids that doesn’t involve candy or food! Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. For this reason as parents we feel that nutrition education should be a major concern to schools as they are our nation's primary institutions of education. Schools help teach children how to read, write and become problem solvers. As parents we believe schools can also help educate children (and parents) about eating right and keeping their bodies healthy. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to require that nutrition education be included as part of the curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html