Appendix C15. Principal Introduction Letter to Schools (Groups 2 & 3)

C15. PRINCIPAL INTRODUCTION LETTER TO SCHOOLS (GROUPS 2 & 3)

This page has been left blank for double-sided copying.

OMB Control Number: 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

<Date>

<P_FN> <P_LN>

<School>

Dear <P_FN> <P_LN>:

Recently, your school was selected for the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II) as part of your district’s participation in the study. Mathematica Policy Research (IF G3: , Insight Policy Research, and Decision Information Resources) [IF G2: and Insight Policy Research] are conducting the SNMCS-II for the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Cooperation with the study by selected States, districts, and schools is required under Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.

The study will (1) describe the food and nutritional quality of school meals and afterschool snacks, (2) update information on the school food environment and food service policies and practices, and (3) [IF G3: estimate the cost to produce school meals and snacks/IF G2: collect information about student participation, satisfaction, and dietary intake]. The attached overview provides a summary about the SNMCS-II and the different data collection activities that will be taking place at your school.

Your school district’s scheduled data collection week is: [DATE]. We are scheduled to visit your school on: [VISIT DATE]. We will send professionally trained field interviewers to conduct interviews and make observations. We are asking for your support to ensure that this is a smooth process for everyone involved.

[IF G2: We request that a school liaison be designated so that study personnel can work directly with someone to coordinate the details of the data collection. You will find attached a description of next steps for you and the school liaison. The school liaison will provide us with the school roster so that we can select the students to participate in the study. They may also need to help distribute study materials to students and encourage participation. The school liaison should also be available the day of the visit to help the data collectors while they are on-site. [IF INCENTIVES ALLOWED AT SFA: We would like to provide the school liaison a $65/$95 gift card as a token of our appreciation for these efforts.] Please email us the name and contact information of the person who should fill the role of school liaison. If we don’t hear from you, a representative from Mathematica will follow up. Once a school liaison is assigned we will coordinate directly with this person about on-site data collection details.]

[IF G3: As part of the study, you will be asked to complete an interview with a data collector on [VISIT DATE]. This interview will review the activities school staff do to help food service, and what their compensation is, so that we can calculate the cost of their food service work. For example, if a teacher supervises a lunch period we would want to know salary information about this person.]

After we visit your school we will ask you to complete a brief, web-based survey that covers general school characteristics and school policies related to nutrition education and physical activity and education. Insight Policy Research will be sending you an email invitation with a link to the web survey when it’s ready to be completed.

While we are at your school we will:

• [IF G2: Interview students. Professional data collectors will interview a small sample of students randomly selected from school rosters. Parents of these students will also be asked to complete a survey over the web or phone. Selected parents and students will be notified about the study by mail. Participation is voluntary, and they may choose not to participate in advance or at the time of the interview if they wish. More information about these interviews is included in the attachments.]

• Work with the School Nutrition Manager to conduct cafeteria observations during one lunch and one breakfast period (if your school participates in the School Breakfast Program). [IF G3 PW: Data collectors will also observe students’ tray to estimate the proportion of foods wasted by students.] [IF G3: The SNM will also be asked to complete an in-person cost survey and a web survey about the school environment and operations.]

Your participation in this study is extremely valuable and we appreciate the time and effort that you and other school staff will devote to the study. If you have any questions, please feel free to call a member of our project team at xxx-xxx-xxxx or email xxxx@mathematica-mpr.com. We look forward to working with you on this important study.

Sincerely,

Mary Kay Fox

SNMCS-II Project Director

Mathematica Policy Research

Attachment: Study Overview [IF G2: and Next Steps for Principals]