School Nutrition
“Providing nutritious meals for a healthy diet, body, and
mind.”
Good nutrition is a key component of student success and achievement
in the classroom. Consequently, the goal of the School Nutrition Department
is to provide appealing, nutritious, healthy, and well-balanced meals to our
students daily. Our customers may choose from a variety of entrees, whole
grain-rich foods, fruits, vegetables, and one-percent or skim milk. This
variety is essential to properly supply our body’s many nutrient needs. Fresh
fruit is available daily, and seasonal purchases of locally grown produce are
coordinated through the N.C. Department of Agriculture and GAP certified
farmers. Nutritional information for all menu items is available from the
Cafeteria Manager, School Nurse, or School Nutrition office.
Breakfast and lunch programs are offered at all schools. During the 20152016 school year, we served more than 22,000 lunches and 9,000 breakfasts
each day in our school cafeterias. Collectively, that equals more than 3.9
million lunches and 1.6 million breakfasts annually. Meals served in school
cafeterias must meet menu patterns and rigorous nutritional specifications
established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, if your child has
been determined by a physician to be handicapped, and the handicap would
prevent your child from eating the regular school meal, then School Nutrition
will make any substitutions prescribed by your doctor. If a substitution is
needed, there will be no extra charge for the meal. However substitutions and
modifications to the menu are not available for personal, cultural, or religious
preferences. Please contact the School Nutrition Office at (704) 836-9110 for
further information.
School Lunch Prices
Breakfast
Elementary
$1.20
Elementary Reduced
-
Middle School
$1.20
Middle School Reduced
-
High School
$1.20
High School Reduced
-
School Staff
$1.50
Adult Guest
$1.50
Lunch
$2.70
$0.40
$2.80
$0.40
$2.80
$0.40
$3.75
$3.75
Students with Special Diet Needs
Students with medical conditions such as allergies and diabetes may
request modification to school meals by completing a Diet Order form.
Parents may obtain a Diet Order application from the cafeteria manager,
school nurse or School Nutrition office. The form must be signed by a
physician and returned to the cafeteria manager or sent to the GCS School
Nutrition Office, 500 Reid Street, Lowell, NC 28098. For more information,
contact your school principal or call the GCS School Nutrition Office at (704)
824-8423.
Free and Reduced Lunches
All students enrolled in the Gaston County Schools are given an
opportunity to apply for free or reduced price breakfast and lunch. To apply,
a parent or guardian must complete and sign a Free and Reduced Price
Meal application form. The form must be submitted each year. Only one
application per household is necessary. Eligibility for free and reduced price
meals is based on household income and number of people in the household.
Applications are available from the cafeteria manager, school office and the
School Nutrition office.
8 • September/October 2016 • Parent Teacher News
Students enjoy summer program experience
at Bit of Hope horse ranch
For a few weeks this
summer, students had horses
for teachers and a ranch for
a classroom. Gaston County
Schools partnered with Bit
of Hope Ranch to offer the
“Trailblazers” camp, an
educational program designed
to help prepare students for
the year ahead.
Groups of students spent
two weeks at Bit of Hope
where the daily program
included time working
with and riding the horses,
teamwork challenges on an
obstacle course, hikes on
the nature trail, and other
educational activities.
The camp was coordinated through the district’s LEAP (Leading, Educating
and Planning Program) initiative with the goal of developing students’
communication and problem-solving skills.
“I’m so proud of these students,” said LEAP coordinator Robin Leach,
adding that the rising fifth and seventh graders developed confidence and
teamwork as they learned how to interact with, groom, and ride the horses.
Meg Vanderbilt, executive director at Bit of Hope Ranch, explained
the goals of the camp curriculum: “They are learning how to protect their
boundaries and navigate through different obstacles. They’re learning
communication skills as well as what happens when you face obstacles
because they are going to face challenges in school this year.”
The daily schedule started with the horses. Students learned how to put a
saddle and halter on the horse, groom it, lead it through an obstacle course,
and of course, how to ride.
For some students, it was their first time encountering a horse. Den