HCPS Wins Nutrition Award
October 04, 2018
Division Celebrates Farm To School Week
By MEGAN WILLIAMS
Daily News-Record 10/4/18
HARRISONBURG — It’s Farm to School week in Harrisonburg City Public Schools and across Virginia, so it’s fitting that the school division would receive an award for its food services and efforts to serve students in and out of school.
The school nutrition staff received the Dorothy S. McAuliffe School Nutrition Award, given out annually to a school divisions in Virginia, and named after the state’s former first lady.
The award celebrates the Virginia school divisions that have gone above and beyond by operating all available federal child nutrition programs and achieving stellar participation in the school breakfast program. To qualify for the award, divisions must meet the following criteria:
Early gave a presentation about food services in Harrisonburg schools, as well as Farm to School week activities now underway.
During the 2017- 18 school year, the school division served 760,805 lunches, which is about 4,760 lunches a day, Early said. Around 80 percent of students who attend school eat a lunch.
The division makes an effort to locally source as much food as they can on a budget of $3 per meal. For example, lettuce served in the schools comes from a local farm that grows hydroponic lettuce, so it can be served year-round.
Farm to School week focuses on two areas, Early told board members — the procurement of locally grown and processed food for school menus, and agriculture education to help kids understand how food grows and where it comes from. It also focuses on the importance of keeping money in the community.
This week there is even more focus on creating menus with locally sourced food, which Early said is the “fun part” of her job.
There are various events taking place this week including farmer visits to schools, and a visit from the Virginia’s first lady, Pamela Northam. She will be visiting a number of locations on Friday, including Waterman Elementary School where she will eat lunch.
By MEGAN WILLIAMS
Daily News-Record 10/4/18
HARRISONBURG — It’s Farm to School week in Harrisonburg City Public Schools and across Virginia, so it’s fitting that the school division would receive an award for its food services and efforts to serve students in and out of school.
The school nutrition staff received the Dorothy S. McAuliffe School Nutrition Award, given out annually to a school divisions in Virginia, and named after the state’s former first lady.
The award celebrates the Virginia school divisions that have gone above and beyond by operating all available federal child nutrition programs and achieving stellar participation in the school breakfast program. To qualify for the award, divisions must meet the following criteria:
- Breakfast — At least 70 percent of students who qualify for free/ reduced meals and eat school lunch are also eating school breakfast.
- After-school meals — Division is sponsoring and serving meals/ snacks through the At-Risk Afterschool Child and Adult Care Food Program, if eligible.
- Summer meals — Division is sponsoring and serving summer meals through the Summer Food Service Program or National School Lunch Program or Seamless Summer Option.
Early gave a presentation about food services in Harrisonburg schools, as well as Farm to School week activities now underway.
During the 2017- 18 school year, the school division served 760,805 lunches, which is about 4,760 lunches a day, Early said. Around 80 percent of students who attend school eat a lunch.
The division makes an effort to locally source as much food as they can on a budget of $3 per meal. For example, lettuce served in the schools comes from a local farm that grows hydroponic lettuce, so it can be served year-round.
Farm to School week focuses on two areas, Early told board members — the procurement of locally grown and processed food for school menus, and agriculture education to help kids understand how food grows and where it comes from. It also focuses on the importance of keeping money in the community.
This week there is even more focus on creating menus with locally sourced food, which Early said is the “fun part” of her job.
There are various events taking place this week including farmer visits to schools, and a visit from the Virginia’s first lady, Pamela Northam. She will be visiting a number of locations on Friday, including Waterman Elementary School where she will eat lunch.
