School Nutrition Program

VISION

The Charlotte County Public School Nutrition Program will ensure that each students readiness to learn will not be impaired by nutritional inadequacies.

MISSION

The mission of the Charlotte County Nutrition Program is to remove the nutritional barriers to learning and ensure that students are capable of making healthy food choices by providing appetizing and nutritious meals to all students, in a courteous, respectful, and stress-free environment, while supporting a district-wide nutrition education program and remaining fiscally responsible.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Parent involvement has always been an important part of the program. When a parent or the child's primary caregiver takes on an active role in the child's education, it makes a difference in the academic and health behaviors of children.  Parents
are encouraged to eat with their children on special days, make suggestions in menu planning and purchasing, advise the school of children who medically require dietary modifications, participate in the breakfast and lunch program.  Good nutrition education in the classroom and the cafeteria allows students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and motivation needed to make wise choices about foods. They learn that healthy foods are connected to physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Employees of the school nutrition program, teachers, and parents are clearly crucial members of the team.

DIETARY NEEDS

Children with special dietary needs, including food and latex allergies may be accommodated by the School Nutrition
Program. Parents of children with special needs are required to bring to their child's school, a physician's statement
completed on the proper form. This form is entitled Physicians Statement for Students with Special Dietary Needs
and is distributed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Parents are reminded that this form must be updated annually.

HEALTH INSPECTIONS

All food establishments including public school cafeterias are subject to health inspections by the Virginia Department of Health. Results of these inspections are public information and may be viewed at the Virginia Department of Health web site.

NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in more than 96,000 public and
nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to nearly 27 million children each
school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture through its Food and Nutrition Service, administers the program at the federal level.
At the state level, the NSLP is administered by the Virginia Department of Education, which operates the program
through agreements with school divisions.

Charlotte County Public Schools has chosen to participate and therefore gets cash subsidies and donated commodities from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture for each meal served. In return, the program must serve breakfast and lunches that meet
federal requirements, and must offer free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch to eligible children.

Cafe' Terminal: Computerized School Breakfast/Lunch

How the system works:
Every student has been assigned a 5-digit personal identification number referred to as a PIN number. On the serving
line, students type their number on a numeric keypad. When the student arrives at the cashier's station, the student's
account is displayed on the computer screen. The student account screen includes a picture of the student and other
information. The student's meal is deducted from the balance of prepaid meals or the screen indicates that cash
payment is needed.  When pre-payments are made, the students can move through the line quickly. This gives the students
more time to eat. It also minimizes lost or misused money. For our younger students, a play sheet has been created to
help them learn their PIN number.

PIN Pad Play: This sheet has been created to help younger students learn their PIN number. Print out PIN Pad Play }
for your child to practice their PIN number.

How to get started with Cafe' Terminal:
Just send in cash or check payment made out to the (Charlotte County Public Schools), for any amount you want, $5, $10, $20, etc. This amount will be placed in your child's personal account. The system will know the meal status of the student (full-pay, free, or reduced) and will deduct the correct amount from the account. When the account gets low we will give your child a reminder to bring home to you.

The sale of ice cream is not part of the cafeteria program at the elementary level. Please do not send ice cream money
to the cafeteria or combine lunch money and ice cream in the cafeteria pre-pay envelope.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

The Charlotte County Public School Nutritional Program employs thirty people both full and part time. Substitute employees
are needed on a regular basis. Applications for employment may be obtained at the School Board Office in Charlotte Court
House, VA.

Charlotte County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender, national origin, age military services or disability. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for persons with disabilities if requested. As of July 1 2000, school division employees are required to undergo a criminal records check via fingerprint submission (Code of Virginia 22.1-296.2).

LINKS

USDA - United States Department of Agriculture

Virginia Department of Education

Southeast United Dairy Industry

Dole 5 A Day

Food and Nutrition Information Center

Food and Drug Administration