Food Service

 

Breakfast and Lunch Service

Breakfast service at both buildings begins at 7:40 am and ends at 8:00 am
Lunch at Elementary is served from 11:30 am - 12:45 pm
Middle/High School is served from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Breakfast & Lunch Menus Here

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Wellness Policy

8510 – WELLNESS for Morrice Area Schools
As required by law, the Board of Education establishes the following wellness policy for the Morrice Area Schools.
The Board recognizes that good nutrition and regular physical activity affect the health and well-being of the District's students. Furthermore, research concludes that there is a positive correlation between a student's health and well-being and his/her ability to learn. Moreover, schools can play an important role in the developmental process by which students establish their health and nutrition habits by providing nutritious meals and snacks through the schools' meal programs, by supporting the development of good eating habits, and by promoting increased physical activity both in and out of school.
The Board, however, believes this effort to support the students' development of healthy behaviors and habits with regard to eating and exercise cannot be accomplished by the schools alone. It will be necessary for not only the staff, but also parents and the public at large to be involved in a community-wide effort to promote, support, and model such healthy behaviors and habits.
The Board sets the following goals in an effort to enable students to establish good health and nutrition habits:

	A.	With regard to nutrition education, the District shall:
		1.	Nutrition education shall be included in the Health curriculum so that instruction is sequential and standards-based and provides students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to lead healthy lives.
		2.	Nutrition education standards and benchmarks shall be age-appropriate and culturally relevant.
		3.	Nutrition education shall include opportunities for appropriate student projects related to nutrition, involving, when possible, community agencies and organizations.
		4.	Nutrition education shall extend beyond the classroom by engaging and involving the school's food service staff.
		5.	Nutrition education shall reinforce lifelong balance by emphasizing the link between caloric intake (eating) and exercise in ways that are age-appropriate.

 

		6.	Nutrition education standards and benchmarks promote the benefits of a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and low-fat and fat-free dairy products.
		7.	Staff responsible for providing instruction in nutrition education shall regularly participate in professional development activities designed to better enable them to teach the benchmarks and standards.
	B.	With regard to physical activity, the District shall:
		1.	Physical Education
			a.	A sequential, comprehensive physical education program shall be provided for students in K-12 in accordance with the standards and benchmarks established by the State.
			b.	The sequential, comprehensive physical education curriculum shall stress the importance of remaining physically active for life.
			c.	Planned instruction in physical education shall meet the needs of all students, including those who are not athletically gifted.
			d.	Planned instruction in physical education shall promote participation in physical activity outside the regular school day.
		2.	Physical Activity
			a.	Physical activity and movement shall be integrated, when possible, across the curricula and throughout the school day.
			b.	All students in grades K-12 shall have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities and intramural programs that emphasize physical activity.
			c.	Schools shall offer a wide range of physical activities outside the regular school day that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including males, females, students with disabilities, and students with special healthcare needs.

 

	C.	With regard to other school-based activities the District shall:
		1.	The schools shall schedule mealtimes so there is minimum disruption by bus schedules, recess, and other special programs or events.
		2.	Students at Elementary/Jr/Sr high schools are permitted to have bottled water only in the classroom.
		3.	Students, parents, and other community members shall have access to, and be encouraged to use, the school's outdoor physical activity facilities outside the normal school day.
		4.	The schools may provide opportunities for staff, parents, and other community members to model healthy eating habits by dining with students in the school dining areas.
		5.	Schools in our system utilize electronic identification and payment systems, therefore, eliminating any stigma or identification of students eligible to receive free and/or reduced meals.
	D.	With regard to nutrition promotion, the District shall encourage students to increase their consumption of healthful foods during the school day.

Furthermore, with the objectives of enhancing student health and well being, and reducing childhood obesity, the following guidelines are established:

	A.	In accordance with Policy 8500, entitled Food Service, the food service program shall comply with Federal and State regulations pertaining to the selection, preparation, consumption, and disposal of food and beverages, including but not limited to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, as well as to the fiscal management of the program.
	B.	As set forth in Policy 8531, entitled Free and Reduced Price Meals, the guidelines for reimbursable school meals are not less restrictive than the guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
		The sale of foods of minimal nutritional value in the food service area during the lunch period is prohibited.

 

	C.	The sale of foods and beverages to students that do not meet the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards to be consumed on the school campus during the school day is prohibited.
	D.	All food items and beverages available for sale to students for consumption on the school campus (any area of property under the jurisdiction of the school that is accessible to students during the school day) between midnight and thirty (30) minutes after the close of the regular school day shall comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, including, but not limited to, competitive foods that are available to students a la carte or as entrees in the dining area (except entree items that were offered on the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) menu on the day of and the day after they are offered on the NSLP or SBP menu), as well as food items and beverages from vending machines, from school stores, or as fund-raisers, including those operated by student clubs and organizations, parent groups, or boosters clubs.
	E.	The food service program will provide all students affordable access to the varied and nutritious foods they need to be healthy and to learn well.
	F.	The food service program shall be administered by a director who is properly qualified, certificated, licensed, or credentialed, according to current professional standards.

The Board designates the Superintendent as the individual(s) charged with operational responsibility for verifying that the District meets the goals established in this policy.
The Superintendent shall appoint a District wellness committee that includes parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, educational staff (including physical education teachers), school health professionals, members of the public and school administrators to oversee development, implementation, evaluation and periodic update of the wellness policy. The Wellness Committee shall be an ad hoc committee with members recruited and chosen annually.
The Wellness Committee shall be responsible for:

	A.	assessment of the current school environment;
	B.	review of the District’s wellness policy;
	C.	presentation of the wellness policy to the school board for approval;
	D.	measurement of the implementation of the policy;
	E.	recommendation for the revision of the policy, as necessary.

Before the end of each school year the Wellness Committee shall recommend to the Superintendent any revisions to the policy it deems necessary.
The Superintendent shall report annually to the Board on the progress of the Wellness Committee and on its evaluation of policy implementation and areas for improvement, including status of compliance by individual schools and progress made in attaining goals of policy.
The Superintendent is also responsible for informing the public, including parents, students and community members, on the content and implementation of this policy. In order to inform the public, the Superintendent shall distribute information at the beginning of the school year to families of school children and post the policy on the District’s website, including the Wellness Committee's assessment of the implementation of the policy.
42 U.S.C. 1751, Sec. 204
42 U.S.C. 1771
7 C.F.R. Parts 210 and 220

1. Adopted 6/14/06
   Revised 12/11/13
   Revised 1/14/15

© Neola 2015

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Non Discrimination Statement

Non-discrimination Statement: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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During the 2023-2024 school year the wellness committee has been working hard to meet the requirements of the wellness policy. The first item on the policy that was met was the school shall provide attractive, clean environments in which the students eat, the cafeteria was given a facelift over the summer starting the school year with a new floor and tables at the elementary.  Dietary staff has been working hard on providing education in the cafeteria on healthy food choices with having posters hung on the food pyramid, and my plate. Taste testing has been explored this year in the elementary school with seasonal foods. The dietary staff worked hard to celebrate things like national grilled cheese day, pb&j day, pasta day, pumpkin day and many more. A variety of healthy choices were offered daily on the salad bar, ranging from fresh fruits and vegetables meeting the wellness policy requirements. 

Another focus this year was on physical activity, all students at the elementary level participated in physical education class this year up to two times a week. Aside from PE, Morrice elementary students were given the option to participate in the mileage club during lunch recess with a large turn out. At the secondary PE is also offered to students, along with health class. 

At the secondary level the pop machines are turned off during school hours to meet the USDA Dietary Guidelines. Fundraisers were limited to less than two fundraisers with unhealthy choices, and fundraisers were approved by the building principal upon reviewing the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. 

At the start of the school year the wellness committee met to make goals for the upcoming year, some of the goals that were made, and met include serving farm fresh food from local farms, healthy eating lesson plans were provided in the elementary for the younger kids, reducing the amount of sweet treats being offered in the district as fundraisers, and monitoring/encouraging the food being brought in for those special occasion parties were healthy options. 

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Contact Information

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Janet Killingsworth, Director Dining Services
email: maskitchen@morrice.k12.mi.us
office 517-625-0064