Highline School Board members were told on Oct. 10 that the district should serve better food to its students.

High school student Ifrah Ahmed encouraged the district to offer more food choices, especially vegetarian and ethnic.

She noted that the district does features an ethnically diverse menu once a week, but said, "Every day would be awesome."

Ahmed, a vegetarian, said meatless items should also be more varied.

"I've talked to my peers and they say they want a salad bar," Ahmed added. "Who would have thought that?"

She suggested district officials form a food service panel and survey students on their food preferences.

Board member Phyllis Byers said the district encourages high school students to eat on campus during the 30-minute lunch break.

"It's not good if our meals don't taste good," Byers added.

Board members also heard about plans to bolster math education in district schools.

Board members already have upped the math graduation requirement for high school students from two to three years.

Deputy Superintendent Carla Jackson reported new state math standards will be announced in January.

Highline will then develop its kindergarten through grade 12 math framework between February and the summer, according to Jackson.

"We want students to succeed in math at a high level at every step," she declared "We want our students to leave high school ready for college and a strong (college) math class.

District staffers have voiced concerns about the number of Highline graduates who are required to take remedial math when they begin college.

All district middle schools have at least a half-time math coach on campus, according to Vicki Fisher, a Sylvester Middle School teacher.

She told board members a Microsoft math grant involves the four middle schools with Sylvester and Chinook taking the lead.

The grant funds professional development for teachers, math coaches and principals. It also pays to assess teacher content knowledge as well as student perceptions and skills.

Sharon Hegewald from Highline High said her school has added a "Senior Math" class for students who have taken advanced algebra and want to continue taking college preparatory math other than calculus or pre-calculus.