From
the Director of School Dining & Nutrition Services: Dianne Houlihan
Dear
Parents and Families:
FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR THE SCHOOL
YEAR
GOOD NEWS: On October 9, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture announced a waiver
that allows us to continue providing free meals to children for the entire
2020/21 school year!
Whether your child
is in the school building or learning from home! We know that the
children are working hard, and we are ready to provide them with the fuel they
need! These services are also making it easier for parents who are
juggling obligations of work and parenting in a new way. We encourage all
children to enjoy the selections our kitchens are putting together. Meals are
available Monday-Friday when school is in session. Please check the website
menu for pickup day changes due to holidays or no school. We are providing one breakfast and lunch per
child per day.
Since the start of school, we have been providing five days’ worth of
breakfast and lunch packages to families who are using the Distance Learning
model. NEW! Families no longer are required to complete an online form to
obtain the meals. They can drive through our Clark Lane distribution
site on Wednesday mornings to pick up meals from 10 am -12pm. To maintain
social distancing, please stay in your vehicle and we will place the meals in
your trunk.
Providing meals to children when their school building has temporarily
closed has been a process and we continue to learn how to do this more
effectively each time. Should Clark Lane ever have to close our alternate site
to pick up meals would be Oswegatchie. You would be notified by email should
this occur. Please check the website or
emails periodically for any new information or updates.
Location of Meal Pickup:
Clark Lane Middle School, 105 Clark Lane - Follow meal pick-up signs, stay in your cars, roll down window. Give student name, masks required, pop your trunk and staff will put meals in for you
Time of Meal Pickup:
Wednesdays between 10am and 12pm
Check out the School Dining and Nutrition Services Newsletter for more information.
SAFETY IS OUR
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
CDC and USDA Safety Protocols are practiced by our entire staff including the
following:
• Masks worn at all
times
• Gloves and hair
restraints in place
• All paper takeout
containers
• Wrapped plastic ware
• Deep sanitizing of
all kitchens, carts, and equipment after each shift
In school meals are delivered to the
classrooms in the elementary and middle schools. WHS students come to the
cafeteria, grab & go style and eat socially distanced.
Take-Home Meals
for Distance Learners and for Hybrid Learners’ School-at-Home Days
All meals are packaged as both breakfast and
lunch and are free of charge. They are for all children in the household
age 18 years or younger. All takeāhome meals meet Connecticut Healthy
Food Certification standards containing breakfast and lunch entrees and
assorted side dishes, featuring healthy whole grains and quality proteins. A
variety of fruits and vegetables, juices and milk are also provided.
Menus each week are subject to
change and are determined not only by the layout and staffing of the school
kitchens but also by the availability of products from our vendors, who also
face challenges due to the pandemic.
*Look for the food safety, storage,
and reheating guidelines flyer provided in your meal bag.
*Waterford School
Dining and Nutrition Services participate in the National School Lunch Program
by offering a choice of healthy meals each school day. All meals served must
meet nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
Connecticut State Child Nutrition Department. Our staff is committed to serving
your children with healthy well balanced breakfast and lunch. This institution
is an equal opportunity provider.