POLICY 4-5.1                SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM                                                         

 

Generally

 

The Montgomery County School Board participates in the National School Breakfast and School Lunch Programs at all schools, and operates an a la carte meal program at the middle and high school levels. The division superintendent is authorized to develop and implement an efficient and effective School Nutrition Program for the students and employees of the school division in accordance with state and federal laws and administrative procedures.

 

Purposes

 

The School Board recognizes the School Nutrition Program as an integral part of the educational program. The School Nutrition Program shall provide a practical form of education in nutrition and sanitation. It shall assist in safeguarding the health and well-being of students and aid in the development of good food habits. The School Nutrition Program shall provide nutritional lunches on a daily basis and shall be available to all students, adult staff members and employees as required by law.

 

Financial Operation

 

The School Nutrition Program shall be operated as a separate fund.  An annual budget will be developed and approved by the Montgomery County School Board.  The School Nutrition Program will comply with other policies adopted by the School Board.

 

The School Nutrition Program shall be operated on a nonprofit, self-supporting basis with lunches being furnished to students and school personnel at a reasonable charge. The school lunch program shall be financed by federal and state funds, local funds and monies received from students, adult staff members and employees.

 

                Free and Reduced Price School Nutrition Program Services

 

                An adequate nutrition program is essential to a child’s growth and development and influences higher achievement in school.  In the belief that every school age child should have an adequate lunch, the Montgomery County School Board will serve free or reduced price lunches to those eligible children.

 

                The School Board shall enter into an annual agreement with the Virginia Department of Education for the operation of the school lunch program, which obligates the Montgomery County Public Schools to observe the standards and minimum operating requirements established under the National School Lunch Act.

 

                In accordance with federal law, including the revised Administrative Procedures of the National School Lunch and the Child Nutrition Acts, the School Board will carry out all statutory requirements, and accepts responsibility for providing free and reduced price meals to children in the schools.

 

                The privacy of individuals and families in this program will be protected in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations.

 

                School Nutrition Program Records and Reports

 

                The division superintendent shall report quarterly to the School Board on the financial status of the division’s School Nutrition Program operations.  The Supervisor for the School Nutrition Program will supervise the storage and distribution of all donated foods allocated by the U.S.D.A. for the school lunch program in such a manner as will ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the agreement.

 

LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-24, 22.1-70, 22.1-78, 22.1-89.1, 22.1-115, 22.1-207.3; Virginia Board of Education Regulations Governing School Lunch – Sale of Food Items, 8 VAC 20-290-10, et. seq, and Governing School Breakfast Programs, 8 VAC 20-580-10, et. seq.; National School Lunch Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751-1760; Child Nutrition Act of 1966, P.L. 89-612, 80 STAT 885, as amended.

 

Adopted:  April 2004