05 Dec 2024 Feeding curiosity: Student nutrition in PCSSD
By Jessica Duff
The dedicated student nutrition staff of Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) is focused on serving nutritious, tasty and affordable breakfast and lunch options in each of the district’s 25 school cafés. This school year, 19 out of 25 PCSSD schools are participating in Provision 2 of the National School Lunch Act, which provides meals at no charge for all students on campus. For the Maumelle Feeder, this means students at Pine Forest Elementary, Crystal Hill Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary and Maumelle Middle can all receive free meals, regardless of eligibility category.
Even with Provision 2 in place, Student Nutrition Director Regena English urges each family to fill out the free and reduced lunch applications. “There are several benefits to getting approved for free and reduced lunches,” she said. “First, of course, it eliminates breakfast and lunch costs for families approved for both free and reduced lunches. But the benefits go beyond meals at school. It also allows students to take the ACT test at no cost.” Other provisions include Title I funding for students, reduced internet costs and a $120 EBT card sent to each student who qualifies for summer meals.
To provide both nutritious meals and enriching educational programs, the district partners with Chartwells K12, a food management service. Chartwells K12 District Manager Brady Martin shared PCSSD’s most recent Student Nutrition Events and what’s coming next. Throughout the fall, PCSSD secondary students all had the chance to cast a vote for menu items they’d like added to their cafeteria menu during Chartwells Student Choice events. Students had the choice between Asian chicken hoagie with Thai slaw and a Hawaiian flatbread. For elementary students, Martin’s team introduced new foods through a program called Discovery Kitchen.
Designed to introduce secondary students to a new authentic dish from a different culinary culture, Global Eats is one of Chartwells’ newest initiatives. “Global Eats encourages students to taste new foods and flavors while learning about different cultures around the world, highlighting unique ingredients and flavors from India, Korea, the Caribbean, Mexico, China and Italy and more. Recipes for Global Eats are developed by the Chartwells K12 Culinary Innovation Council in partnership with a series of celebrity chefs who specialize in global cuisines,” said Martin. In the spring, during an elementary program called Mood Boost, students will learn about ingredients aimed to help fuel specific moods or feelings, such as alert, calm, confident, happy, smart and strong.
PCSSD school cafes also participate in National School Breakfast Week (NSBW). “This is a time to celebrate the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. This special observance during the first week of March celebrates the National School Breakfast Program and the many ways it gives kids a great start every day,” said English.
Both English and Martin agree that student nutrition is an integral ingredient for success in the classroom. “Scholars need fuel to learn and they get that by eating a well-rounded breakfast and lunch. Our menus are carefully put into place to add the nutrients students need to learn and grow while at school,” said English.
“The better our students are fueled and focused, the better they will perform academically,” Martin said. “And students who are performing better are more likely to have fewer absences and be more enthusiastic about their education. And beyond the scholastic element, it is important to instill healthy eating habits into our youth as early as possible to help set them up for a healthier and more successful life after they walk out of our doors for the final time.”
