School
lunches have a new look again this year with healthy choices for your child
every day! The federal government has continued the new nutrition standards for
meals served to America’s school children, based on the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. For more information on the Dietary Guidelines, see http://wTw.ChooseMyPlate.gov.
The
changes will again be seen in our cafeteria this year. The requirements include
strict limits on the calories, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium in school
meals. We are meeting these nutrition standards by offering students a
selection of low-fat and fat-free milk, larger portions of colorful fruits and
vegetables, and a variety of whole grains and lean protein choices. All lunches include five meal components:
· a meat or meat alternate such as yogurt, lean beef, chicken or
low-fat cheese;
· a grain such as whole-wheat bread or brown rice;
· a fresh or canned fruit selection;
· raw or cooked vegetables in a variety of colors; and
· low-fat or fat-free milk selections.
Each
child must select at least three of these five components on their tray to make
a meal, including a fruit or vegetable. Children MUST select a fruit or a vegetable with their lunch
every day. Without a vegetable or fruit, students will be charged the a la
carte price instead of the meal price.
Our school district will again be encouraging
students to try the new foods being offered.
We
are also asking for your help. Please explain the program to your child
before they arrive at school. Every student needs to be prepared to select at
least one fruit or vegetable with their breakfast and lunch every day. We are
planning our menus to include selections we know students like, as well as many
different foods they may not have tried before. Please encourage your child to
try these new foods. They just might find a new favorite!
Summer Lunches
The USDA’s Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder helps families find nearby summer meal sites for two types of summer meal sites: Eat On-Site and Meals To-Go. Both types of sites offer free meals and snacks to children 18 and younger.
Daily Offerings:
Breakfast: Assorted Fruit, Carrots, Milk and 100%
Juice
(Students
MUST take a fruit with breakfast)
Reduced Sugar Whole Grain Cereal,
Whole
Grain: Goldfish Grahams,
Muffin, Bread, Bagel, Cinnamon Bun
Lunch: Cold Vegetable Choices:
Cucumbers, Carrots, Green Pepper slices or Tomatoes
Fresh Fruit Choices: Apples, Oranges
Hummus or Black Beans
Tuesdays & Thursdays Only
Juice: all
juice drinks are 100% Juice
Milk is 1% Low Fat, Fat
Free Chocolate or Fat Free Strawberry.
Hall
Memorial School Daily Alternate Breakfast Choices:
- Whole Grain
Cereal, Goldfish Grahams
Hall
Memorial School Daily Alternate Lunch Choices:
- PB & J or PB
& Fluff Sandwiches
- Bagel, Yogurt or
Cereal Lunch
Center
School Daily Alternate Breakfast Choice:
- Whole Grain
Cereal, Goldfish Grahams
CES
Lunch Options- children choose A, B, C, or D lunch each day. Each option comes
with Milk.
A:
Hot Lunch of the day.
B:
Yogurt Tray: yogurt, cheese stick, muffin, WG goldfish crackers, vegetable
& fruit choice.
C:
Peanut Butter & Jelly: PB&J sandwich, cheese stick, goldfish crackers,
vegetable & fruit choice.
D:
Cereal, Variety Sandwich or Bagel Lunch:
Monday: Cereal Lunch: cereal, 1/2 peanut butter
sandwich, cheese stick, vegetable & fruit choice.
Tuesday and Wednesday: Variety Sandwich Lunch: the sandwich of the day,
vegetable & fruit choice.
Thursday: Bagel Lunch: bagel, peanut butter or cheese stick, vegetable &
fruit choice.
.
We
appreciate your support of the Willington School Meals Program and look forward
to serving delicious & nutritious meals to your students. The price for a
student breakfast is $0, the price for a student lunch is $2.85
(which includes milk), and milk only is $0.65
cents. Prices are for both Center Elementary School and Hall Memorial
School. (If a student is approved for free or reduced lunch they are
automatically eligible for free or reduced breakfast.)
Please
review our policies for purchasing meals:
Meal Account:
Students
in all Willington schools are assigned a meal account. Parents are encouraged
to put money on these accounts so students do not have to remember to bring
cash daily.
How
do I put money on my child's meal account?
Parents
currently have three options to pay for their child’s meal account:
· Online – Here is the link to access our school lunch payment system as well as directions to create an account: https://linqconnect.com/
Directions:
Click "Register."
Fill out your information.
Read the Terms and Conditions, then Click "Acknowledge."
Click next through all the set up information.
Click "Get Started."
Click "Add" under Add Accounts.
Click "Student."
District is Willington School District (Willington, CT)."
First & Last Name and Date of Birth are required.
Add all of your enrolled students to your profile.
From here you can add funds to your student's account and fill out the free/reduced form.
· Check – Write check to Willington
School Food Service and send or bring the check to the school kitchen.
· Cash – Cash may be brought to the
kitchen for deposit on the student’s account, or students may pay cash on a
daily basis.
How to
Buy School Meals
Center Elementary School: Students may pre-pay for meals daily if
they do not have money on their account. All transactions should be made in
person by either the student or their parent/guardian. All meals are pre-paid
and recorded on a computerized point-of-sale system which is a debit based accounting system. Students and
their family should plan to pre-pay for meals they intend to purchase.
Hall Memorial School: Students can pre-pay anytime. The
pre-payment method is a point-of-sale debit system that allows students to
pre-pay for any number of meals. A la cart option is available at an additional
cost. Students are also welcome to use cash to pay for their meal as they go
through the line. Students must have a positive account balance to be able
to purchase a la carte items.
Questions
about account use and balances should be directed to the Food Service Director
at HMS and the Food Service Manager at CES:
Center
School: Ms. Rosalie Gorman:
860-429-9367 ext. 1217
Hall
School: Mrs. Stephanie Knight:
860-429-9391 ext. 2318 or e-mail [email protected]
Meal
Charging Policy: Willington
Food Services does not have an alternate meal policy for students with meal
debt. All student balances need to be at $0.00 or in the positive at the end of
the school year. Policy is subject to change.
How do I know when my child’s account is running low on
money? Parents can monitor
the account balance in PowerSchool and have a low balance alert emailed to
them. Parents are also welcome to contact the food services director
or kitchen manager to inquire about their child’s account balance.
Account Balance: Unpaid balances are not the responsibility of the Food
Services Department. Unpaid meal charges must be resolved to a zero
balance by the last day of school. If a student has a positive
balance at the close of the school year, it will automatically be credited to
their meal account for the next school year at Willington Public Schools. Negative
balances do not carry forward to the next school year. Please see above Meal
Charging Policy. If your student is not continuing in Willington Public Schools
you may request a refund of the account or donate the balance to the food
services program.
Breakfast Program
Prices:
Breakfast costs $0.00
Students approved for Free and Reduced lunch are automatically eligible for Free Breakfast and Free Lunch.
Willington Public School is pleased to inform you that Pursuant to Public Act No. 23-204 (Connecticut State Budget), $16 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (2021) funds has been allocated for “Free Meals for Students” to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) for the 2023-2024 school year. The funds are referred to as State Transition Assistance for Breakfast and Lunch Expenses (STABLE). STABLE funds will support households by allowing all students at Center and Hall Memorial School the following:
• A Breakfast meal at no cost, regardless of their free/reduced lunch status.
Menus:
Variety of whole grain options daily i.e. muffins. Smoothies and Yogurt Parfaits will be available select days.
All choices come with Fruit, 100% Juice and Milk.
Whole Grain Cereal will be available every day
PLEASE
NOTE
HMS:
On 2 Hour Delayed Opening Days – No breakfast
will be served.
On Minimum Days - Breakfast and Lunch will be
served.
CES:
On 2 Hour Delayed Opening Days - No Breakfast
will be served.
On Minimum Days - Breakfast and Lunch will be
served.
Summer Food Service
Programs
Healthy meals aren't only offered during
the school year, but are available during the summer as well!
All children under the age of 18 are welcome to get a FREE meal - No questions
asked!
CSDE Summer Food Service Program Website
Click
here to find a Summer Site near you!