ICOS Irish Cooperative Organisation Society Ltd'

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• School Principle Feedback

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Evaluative Criteria
• Assessment of the School Milk Scheme is carried
  out on varying levels
• Awareness Is the scheme considered to be active
  or defunct?
• LogisticsHow easy or difficult is it to
  Administer the scheme? Store and distribute the
  milk? Dispose of extra milk or cartons? Spillage
  Messy smelly.
• Impact of Staff How many staff hours are
  involved in the program? Do the benefits of milk
  as a drink at school outweigh those of other
  drinks? Benefits outweigh negatives?
• Imapct of Students Is the concept a good one?
  How beneficial is milk for school children? How
  willing are they to drink milk at school? Do
  these benefits outweigh any difficulties involved
  in the scheme?

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Awareness
• The School Milk Scheme suffers from a low level
  of awareness or understanding of its history, and
  in some cases, its existence.
• History
• Teachers in both participant and non-participant
  schools have little or no recollection, or
  conflicting opinions about when the program
  began Varies from 1965 1995.
• They do not know who established the program.
  Most closely associate scheme with their local
  dairy . Assume that dairies involved provide milk
  at subsidised costs. Due to government / EU
  subsidies. Or because of over production

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Awareness Cont.
• Availability
• Most non-participating schools unaware that
  Scheme is still in operation Most had
  participated in the scheme at some point in the
  past. But after school had ceased involvement, no
  proactive marketing of information has been
  provided. Some are open to re-considering
  joining But would not know where to go for
  further information. Assume that local dairy
  would be a first stop.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Logistics
• How easy or difficult is the scheme to
  administer?
• Principals vary in their perceptions of how easy
  or difficult it is to administer the School Milk
  Program.
• Phase I Alerting parents to the existence of the
  scheme
• Very systematic and straightforward no problems
  encountered
• Generally through topic specific mail-shots from
  school Principals at the beginning of the school
  year
• Sometimes through general mail-shots about
  services available at the school during term,
  books needed, etc.
• Some, but few parents proactively ask whether the
  program is available at the school when enrolling
  students.
• Reminder issue at parent teacher meetings.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Logistics
• How easy or difficult is the scheme to
  administer?
• Phase II Collecting money from parents if
  payment is necessary
• Rarely an issue for administrative staff or
  school secretary
• Checks are submitted promptly
• Initial uptake is generally high
• Cost is insignificant
• One instance of resentment however
• Sense that Principals and teachers are called on
  to administer and participate in many different
  schemes
• Adding to already busy schedules
• Nonetheless, a strong belief that the use and
  involvement of schools as an administrator is
  essential
• That if schools and teachers do not support a
  cause or scheme, then parents will not put their
  weight behind it.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Logistics
• How easy or difficult is it to store and
  distribute the milk? (Contd)
• Phase III Milk storage
• Supplies generally arrive daily at 830AM
• Some instances of delivery problems
• Insufficient or varying amounts delivered/sour
  milk delivered, milk labelled incorrectly.
• Some instances of non-delivery.
• School then stores milk until it is distributed
  to children
• Somewhere between 1000 and 1100 daily.
• Perceptions of the program vary depending on
  whether a school fridge is available for storage
  or not
• Lack of fridge is ultimately the key reason
  schools have pulled out of the program
• While fridges were provided to some Dublin
  schools, most schools depend on
• staff room fridges- many of which cannot
  accommodate all milk supplies
• Cold storage space such as cool corridors,
  basement rooms or buildings/sheds adjacent to
  school.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Logistics
• How easy or difficult is it to store and
  distribute the milk? (Contd)
• Phase III Milk Storage (Contd)
• Although the use of school fridges is considered
  to be an inconvenience, most Principals would not
  consider this to be a disincentive to joining the
  program.
• In schools that do not have fridges, storage is a
  major issue.
• Children claim, and Principals generally concur,
  that milk tends to lose its taste or sour quickly
  during warm weather when not refrigerated.
• Leading children to reject milk either long or
  short term.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Logistics
• How easy or difficult is it to store and
  distribute the milk? (Contd)
• Phase IV Distribution
• Distribution of milk in primary schools is
  generally conducted by school caretakers, but
  sometimes by teachers/Principals or parent
  volunteers/or school children.
• Systematic and straightforward process
• Place milk outside classroom doors about 30
  minutes prior to small break
• 1000, 1030 or 1100.
• It is generally consumed at small break and
  sometimes extra supplies are provided at big
  break
• 1230.
• Allows teachers to monitor what children are
  eating and behaviour while eating.
• Drinking milk in school yard was a problem in the
  past
• Children boys in particular used cartons to
  squirt others.
• Children at Secondary School
• More involvement in distribution process
• Allowed to take milk freely
• Not confined to classroom consumption.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Logistics
• How easy or difficult is it to dispose of
  milk/milk cartons? (Contd)
• Phase V Disposal of cartons.
• Disposal is generally not considered to be an
  issue for school Principals
• Children either automatically flatten cartons and
  place them in bags which are then collected by
  school caretaker, or
• In cases where schools want to avoid bin charges,
  children take their empty carton home with them.
• The latter is an issue for school children
  however.
• Disposal of overage poses a considerable problem
  for some Principals
• Overage is generally poured into sinks
• Leaves an odour
• Causes blockages which are costly.
• Leaves a sense of guilt at wastage
• Though some give the extra to children/or staff
  to take home.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Impact on Staff
• Mixed views about the amount of staff hours
  involved in the scheme.
• Principals at participating schools indicate that
  a strict regime and system has developed around
  the School Milk Scheme
• Hence, it is not considered to be a strain on
  resources
• Teachers and caretakers have built the School
  Milk Scheme into their schedules
• And administration or distribution is
  second-nature to them.
• Principals at lapsed schools predict that the
  distribution and administration involved in the
  scheme would be a strain on staff resources
• Feel that teachers and caretakers are already
  overburdened.
• In one instance, the Principal of a lapsed school
  detailed how many wasted hours were spent on
  administration
• School was continuously sent inconsistent amounts
  of milk and incorrect bills
• Reconciling bills to amounts involved counting
  cartons daily
• And regularly contacting the local dairy to seek
  clarification or re-imbursement
• The school withdrew from the program as a result.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Impact of students Cont.
• Overall, there is strong support for the Scheme
  among participating schools
• And Principals from non-participating schools
  believe that the scheme is fundamentally
  worthwhile
• Speaking on their own behalf and on behalf of
  their colleagues, school Principals firmly
  believe that it is important for children to
  drink milk.
• Is healthy and provides nutrition
• Is good for bones and teeth
• Gives children sustenance they need for a long
  day at school
• No reporting of lactose intolerance as a reason
  for not drinking milk. Children who dont drink
  milk generally say that they just dont like it.
• Provides milk for children who may not get it at
  home.
• It fills a gap at primary schools now that the
  School Lunch Program is in operation.
• Is a much better alternative at school to fizzy
  drinks that used to be permitted.
• Is generally enjoyed by primary school children
  provided that it is served cold.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Impact of students Cont.
• But they do highlight some of the barriers to
  uptake
• They highlight the fact that consumption can be
  seasonal and irregular
• Students are less likely to drink milk in warm
  weather
• They get bored from drinking milk every day
• Its association with childhood means that milk is
  not considered to be cool
• A deterrent for secondary school girls, and some
  boys
• As they age, members of this group are becoming
  increasingly influenced by peer pressure
• In the case of secondary school girls Principals
  perceive that young girls consider milk to be
  fattening
• This group is becoming increasingly health and
  image conscious
• Water is their drink of choice particularly
  popular in designer bottles.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Impact of students Cont.
• In addition, some school Principals at schools
  where School Milk is free, believe that the
  scheme is over generous for many students
• They are well nourished at home and not
  physically in need of milk
• Receive lunch money with which they purchase
  other drinks (e.g. juices), and so come from
  families that can afford to pay for the scheme
• Might appreciate the milk more if it were not
  free.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Suggestions for Improvements
• When asked how the scheme might be improved
  moving forward, school principals offered
  suggestions relating to storage and appeal to
  students.
• Believe that fully-financed refrigerators or
  coolers supplied by dairies would ultimately
  encourage more constant milk drinking
  especially during warm weather
• The type of free-standing coolers seen in shops
• Alternatively, cooler boxes with ice-pack like
  pouches.
• Aid in the help of purchasing equipment would
  still mean additional expense for schools
• And Principals would be unwilling to shoulder
  this outlay.
• Budget constraints are the norm and no funds
  available for extra expenditure.
• Principals noted that primary school student
  interest in drinking milk cartons is heightened
  when the pack design changes or when pack series
  appear (e.g. a variety of animal or sports
  pictures)
• The like to choose favourites and enjoy the
  competition of trying to find their favourites.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Suggestions for Improvements Cont.
• No complaints about the current size of the
  carton
• Children go back for seconds if they are thirsty
  or want more milk, but with the exception of some
  boys, as a group, students are generally content
  with just one carton.
• Those from schools that distribute milk free of
  charge believe that students would appreciate
  milk more, and perhaps drink it more, if they had
  to pay for it.
• Educational support packages would be considered
  to be an incentive for secondary school children
  rather than primary school children.
• Primary school children currently clearly
  understand the benefits of milk, and discontinue
  drinking it for reasons of taste, boredom,
  temperature or freshness.
• Integrated into SPHE Scheme rather than sent as
  individual packs.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Suggestions for Improvements Cont.
• Milk needs to be re-positioned in the minds of
  secondary school children however.
• The uncool image needs to be dispelled and milk
  needs to be repositioned as trendy.
• The health benefits of milk need to be stressed
  for girls, and the message that milk is fattening
  needs to be overarched by a strong positive.

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Summary Conclusions

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Summary Conclusions
• Milk fills a valuable gap in the school lunch
  repertoire for primary schools and is an
  acceptable lunch drink
• A healthy option
• An easy option for parents.
• Some key barriers to consumption of milk at
  Primary School level however
• Bad taste - refrigeration is essential
• Boredom - variety of either flavours or carton
  redesign can help
• Seasonality - consumed less during warm weather,
  so refrigeration is a must.
• Extremely low awareness of School Milk Scheme
  among non-participating schools
• A barrier to uptake
• Needs to be publicised directly to schools or
  via teacher targeted magazines
• Some non-participating school principals open to
  sign on, but fears of extra workloads on staff
  are an issue
• As are fears about overage and carton disposal

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ICOS Irish Co-operative Organisation
Society Ltd.

• Summary Conclusions Cont
• Milk has a discontinued life cycle among school
  pupils
• Interruption occurs around second year once
  children come under the influence of peer
  pressure
• Milk has strong associations with children and
  babies
• Milk is not considered to be cool
• There are more exciting and better tasting
  options available
• The benefits have become latent
• Opportunity to extend the lifecycle
• Repositioning milk among secondary school
  children
• Needs to be seen to be cool and beneficial
• Opportunities to enhance the Scheme and make milk
  more appealing
• Through varying carton design
• Of particular appeal to primary school children
• Among participant schools a lack of refrigeration
  confirmed to be a barrier to continued drinking
• Children complain that milk is too warm and
  therefore tastes bad
• Some suggestions that Milk Scheme should not be
  free
• Pupils more appreciative of it if they have to
  pay.