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One of the challenges facing many public schools today is how to keep crime out of schools so that learning can more effectively take place. To address this need, many school districts across the country have created their own police departments, with law enforcement officials that do everything from teaching anti-drug classes to making arrests when necessary. These officers work with students and faculty every day, developing a rapport with students and heading many potential problems off at the pass.

This video explains why police add to school safety.

However, severe budget cuts at many schools have forced some districts to take a closer look at these police departments, even cutting staff in some areas. These decisions have not gone over well with school administrators, who believe officers are essential for maintaining a safe environment where students can come to learn every day.

On the other hand, districts with budgets intact have found ways to use law enforcement officials even more effectively, adding to their list of responsibilities to expand safety to school grounds and beyond.

Let’s visit some of these police departments across the country to find out how they add value to the educational system.

Duvall County Public Schools Add Officers, Save Money

In Jacksonville, Florida, the sheriff's department is in the process of transferring many of the school officer resource duties to the Duvall Public

The estimates that the incidence of childhood obesity has tripled in the last three decades, which makes weight one of the primary factors in children's health today. While school lunches may not be a primary culprit in the rise in obesity numbers, few parents and educators would argue that this daily fare could stand to be improved. One solution has been to add more fresh produce to the school lunch counter – some of which is coming from gardens grown right on school grounds. However, this approach to healthier eating is not without its share of opponents.

The Prevalence of School Gardens

According to a recent report on , schools around the world are tuning into the many healthy advantages of growing their own fresh produce. Students are assisting with the planting, cultivating and harvesting of crops that they eat right in their own school lunchrooms. Classrooms take turns weeding, fertilizing and coaxing crops along, until the great harvest comes along and school cafeterias get to work finding delicious, healthy ways to use the fruits, vegetables and herbs the students had been growing.

To help schools along the way, the Green School Initiative, the Healthy Schools Initiative, Farm to School and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN offer step-by-step planting guides and information about how to incorporate the growing process into the classroom. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's Guide to Federal Funding for Local and Regional

Washington, D.C., is home to some of the poorest areas of the country, and the problem has been exacerbated in recent months due to rising unemployment and poverty levels. Unfortunately, some of the most tragic victims of poverty are children who are left without three stable meals a day because their parents simply don't have the necessary income to put food on the table. To help combat some of those dire results of poverty, public schools in Washington D.C. are now offering dinner to needy children, bringing the total number of square meals these children receive from the public school district to three a day.

Prevalence of Poverty

According to a recent report in the , over 6,000 D.C. residents fell below the poverty line between 2008 and 2009. A adds that the poverty rate for African American children in the city is about 43%, which is up from 31% in 2007 and much higher than the national average. These children often go without meals, leaving them ill-equipped for the rigors of school and greatly hindering their ability to learn.

This video describes the free lunch program in schools nationwide. Today, more than 30 million schoolchildren benefit from the National School Lunch Act, which was signed by President Truman in 1946. For many students, it may be the only nutritional meal they get - and some kids are still being denied a hot meal because their parents can't afford it.

School board members are responsible for a variety of responsibilities during their terms of governance. They must set budgets, establish school policies, make long-range plans, and assess data to determine school performance. This governing board further decides how schools will operate and recommends strategies that will increase student achievement.

Due to these obligations, it stands to reason that elected board members should receive some type of training to assist them in conducting complex school business. However, school board member training is not without its share of controversy.

In this video, Cal Heminway, Board Chairman of Granby School District in Connecticut, talks about what makes a good school board member.

The Importance of School Board Training

In Michigan, voters seem united in their desire to see school board members properly trained for their roles. A recent survey published by the demonstrated voter discontent. As many as 30% of the 600 Michigan voters polled gave their current school board members an average grade of "C" in terms of their recent performance. In addition, the survey found the following:

• Two-thirds of the respondents believe that school board training should be mandatory.
• The vast majority support training within one hour of the local school district.
• About half oppose training on a national level, preferring local training.
• Almost two-thirds said they would be more likely to vote for a potential member who has