Multimedia Reporting (Utsler)

Jacob Larsen doesn’t disagree with the intent of the recently-implemented Wellness Policy for the school district; he just doubts that it will have any meaningful effect. Larsen teaches at Central Junior High School, and says that despite a good amount of discussion at the policymaking level, the city-wide program has not received the necessary attention it needs to successfully change individual health habits.

When asked about the specific directions he has received on the new wellness policy, Larsen replied, “None. I have not seen anything posted or mentioned in any of the meetings. If it was, then it was not a major issue and was something that was just touched on.”

This is the first full year where Lawrence schools have implemented the federally-mandated wellness program. The policy is a three-pronged strategy to promote nutrition, nutrition education and physical activity. In addition to encouraging students to become more health-conscious, the policy also introduces language that has not been discussed: teachers are directed to be “role models” for students in terms of their food and drink during school hours. And while it may be premature to judge the overall effectiveness of the policy after the first few months, the initial report from teachers like Jake Larsen speaks volumes.

This lack of follow-through on implementation is a problem that has plagued other wellness programs around the nation. The American Journal of Public Health published a 1998 study that determined insufficient participation by school staff dooms most efforts, concluding “These discouraging results…call into question the utility of school site teacher wellness programs.”

Larsen is not alone in his belief that inadequate training has been given to teachers. A 2001 study by Dr. Perez-Rodrigo and Dr. Aranceta published in Public Health Nutrition, finds that is a common problem in wellness programs. “Teachers often complain about the lack of explicit curriculum, suitable materials or training experience.” They conclude that resources and teacher training are “essential to program success.”

Part of the school district’s wellness policy mandates that teachers are to serve as role models for students in their eating habits during school hours. In certain respects, this is an essential component for a wellness program to be successful. On the other hand, some feel the policy is overbearing in its demands on teachers.

“It's one of those things that looks awesome on paper but is not that great of a practice. Of course we want to model the best things for kids during the day,” said Jessica Larsen, a teacher at Hillcrest Elementary, “On the other hand, there are days when I just have to have a Diet Coke at lunch and I'll take it back to the room to finish while there's orchestra going on, or I’ll have a piece of chocolate in the afternoon.”

This sentiment is not unheard of for school district administrators. “In trying to enforce changes, we have received mixed reviews. Some feel that we have overstepped our authority and some feel that we are too lenient and could do more,” said Paula Murrish, Director of Food Services for Lawrence Public Schools.

Jacob Larsen agrees with this assessment, saying that while “policing” school staff could become a slippery slope, it may not go far enough to be truly effective. “If schools really want to make the teachers good role models, then maybe they should institute a weight limit, exercise chart, and have teachers complete a fitness report on themselves each year.”

Murrish hopes that won’t be necessary. “We are not wanting to become ‘food police,’ so we will try to explain why we have these goals and expectations and hopefully we can educate any personnel who feel differently.” As far as teacher awareness is concerned, Murrish contends the plan is still in its early stages of development: “Since the policy was just approved by the BOE (Board of Education) in June, we are still getting the word out and working through staff concerns.”

One of the architects of the district’s wellness policy, Deputy Superintendent Bruce Passman, agrees that finding the middle ground between education and intrusion can be difficult, but says the end goal of improving student health demands action. “Teachers are significant role models for our students. Their choices about food and drink, particularly those in the workplace, have a bearing on students' eating choices. We don't ever intend to patrol our teachers on this issue, but have high expectations and believe teachers will do their part in terms of implementing the policy.”

It seems that the district is trapped in a “Catch-22:” they don’t want to police food choices made by teachers, but at the same time, stepping back from a hard-line approach can diminish the effectiveness of the policy. Jessica Larsen offered a recent example of current staff attitudes: the day before Halloween, a teacher copied a comic strip for others to read where a boss had banned sugary treats in the workplace. Larsen said that the intention was clearly to poke fun at the new policy, saying it is “kind of a running joke right now.”

And while the policy is a “running joke” in some schools, in others like Central Junior High, it receives little to no attention at all. Jake Larsen said that “Teachers are concerned about so many other issues that this policy is not even given the light of day. IEP meetings, SIT plans, testing, and the No Child Left Behind Act, along with grading and daily lessons keep the policy on the backburner.” Jessica Larsen agrees, saying “It's ‘one more thing’ we'll have to take care of on top of a million other things.”

Despite this grim assessment, Murrish still holds hope for the effectiveness of the program, saying she believes the district is doing the right thing and that the changes will simply take time to get used to. Dr. Passman echoes that sentiment, saying that results will not be seen overnight. “The change in eating and physical activity habits have occurred over decades and it will take vigilance by schools and communities to turn this around. Bottom line: we have an opportunity through good teaching and being role models to [enable] our students to live long and healthy lives. I think it’s worth it.”

Posted by Nathan Rodriguez at 1:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It’s a more unusual sight these days: a customer walking into a local music store.

On this day, Steve Wilson, manager of Kief’s Downtown Music, glances up at the lone patron in his establishment after sending a text message to an acquaintance.

With the light sounds of a jazz trio playing in the background, Wilson thoughtfully leans back in a swivel chair and acknowledges, “I started in this business in 1973…and on the one hand, yes - everything has changed but then again, the adage ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same’ remains true as well.”

“What’s Goin’ On?”

Simply put, most of the music industry has gone digital. The spread of the ipod and alternate sources of music have already caused music stores such as Vibe, Seventh Heaven and the short-lived Threads ‘N Tunes to close operations in the past couple of years. It begs the question: are these shutdowns a result of a failure to adapt or are they an omen for other long-time local music retailers?

Some industry insiders claim the days of the local music store are numbered. “Similar to how records turned to eight-tracks, to tapes, and then to CD’s, we are now living in the digital age,” says Aaron Kayce, editor of the San Francisco-based online music magazine, Jambase.com. “No one expects CD’s to die overnight, but the effects of digital music have already crippled the old model.”

The “old model” is based on customers shopping at music stores for full-length albums. Whereas all the previous changes in recording technology fit within the old model, the digital age offers no such comfort for music stores. “The major difference here is that when we had records, tapes, CDs, they still needed to be pressed in some form and physically sold, either in your local record store or online,” said Kayce. “This is no longer the situation. Major record labels and local record stores are freaking out trying to figure out how to live in this model, and many of them will die.”

Following the demise of national retail giant Wherehouse Records, Tower Records filed for bankruptcy in August, prompting Mike Fitzgerald of Recordnet.com to comment that “compared with an ipod, a brick and mortar CD store looks like an elephant. A hip, tattooed elephant, maybe, but one still lumbering through the digital savannah.”

The Digital Effect on Music Consumption

For the casual music consumer, buying online has its advantages. “I’ve never been a big music buyer, but I have purchased more music on itunes in the last two years than I ever have in a store,” said IT Analyst and Lawrence resident, Tom Seymour. “I find that I have a better selection and I really like the fact that I can get free 30-second previews. Some music stores have headphones set up to preview popular albums, but I never really liked much of that stuff.”

The conversion from tangible commodities to the digital era was not immediate, but rather took a few years to hit full stride.

Perhaps the most telling statistic documenting the ipod revolution is a July 2006 survey by the New Jersey research group, Student Monitor, showing that ipod use has become the most popular activity among college students, beating out “drinking beer” by a narrow margin. The meteoric rise of the ipod is clearly seen in the percentages of college students responding that ipods were “in” during the last three years: 22% in 2004, 59% in 2005 and 73% this year.

Ipods aren’t the only threat to the traditional music store. In September, Myspace.com announced the creation of its own online music store, which will be operational by the end of the year.

Adapting to Survive

The traditional model for local music stores may have changed, but that doesn’t mean the remaining stores are circling the wagons and preparing a white flag.

Steve Wilson offers a bemused grin, saying “It’s a mixed blessing. If you consider the restriction of radio formats and the fact that MTV doesn’t play music anymore, where else are people going to hear music but the internet? There’s a percentage of people where that’s enough: they can put that on itunes and…they got to hear a few songs and they’re fine with just that. But then there are going to be some customers who hear that and go “yeah, but I want the whole thing.”

Wilson harbors few illusions about consumers shifting their purchasing habits, and said “So far it’s not particularly more cost-effective to download entire programs than it is to buy the album. But there are always matters of convenience.” To that end, Wilson and Kief’s Downtown have adapted their business model to mirror demand. Itunes and other online music sources may have a wide variety of music, but they don’t have as many of the “up and coming” bands which audiophiles have come to expect from Kief’s. Wilson estimates that 40-50% of their business comes from independent labels, aided largely by the store’s status as a founding member of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores.

Aside from establishing themselves in that niche market, Kief’s has broadened its reach from the confines of Massachusetts Street. “We now have a store on ebay called musicdowntown, which we started about a year and a half ago.” By doing so, Kief’s is now able to offer their more obscure artists to a broader audience. With respect to the content of the online store, Wilson said “We’ve used it mainly to sell closeout stuff. For those things where there’s not necessarily a customer. Generously, our trade area is 3 million people. Immediately, it’s about 90,000. We could get customers from Topeka, Wichita, or Kansas City, obviously, but anytime you throw something up for auction on ebay, 40 million people get to see it.”

“The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same”

The music industry has traditionally embraced the idea of making certain songs popular, and cajoling people into purchasing full albums. Their obstacle now is to continue to fill a need when consumers have turned off the radio and turned on the computer. As local music stores and national retail giants have both fallen to the wayside in steadily increasing numbers, the trend gives Wilson cause to pause. “Will there be a place for what we call ‘record stores’ in 40 years? Maybe not.”

For Steve Wilson and other local music stores, it isn’t that their business has changed. It’s that the old model of doing business is gradually slipping away. The challenge is how to respond to the customer’s ever-changing needs. Being an independent merchant certainly makes things easier, said Wilson “You’re always more limber when you’re independent. You’re freer to respond to the changes of the marketplace. It comes down to knowing your customers, taking care of them and getting your name out there to the larger public as cost-effectively as you can.”

The old way of doing business – waiting for the customer to enter the storefront – may be past its prime, but as long as local music stores give people a reason to come back, they may still maintain a steady base of loyal customers. For Wilson, it still comes back to a familiar formula: “The success of the local music store…is going to be completely dependent on how well we maintain relationships with customers. In addition to doing your job for the brick and mortar customer, little things like having the online presence help to keep you around.”

Posted by Nathan Rodriguez at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)