To the editor: CAES Food Service looks forward to healthful year

I would like to welcome everyone back to Chester-Andover Elementary for another school year of healthy eating. I would also like to welcome all new staff and students here for the first time. My Food Services staff and I are looking forward to seeing everyone in the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch.

All staff from last year is returning. Mary Spaulding, our cook, is back as is Allan Farrar, our kitchen assistant. Linda Carroll will be facilitating our very popular Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

We are once again involved in a great Farm to School Program. We not only purchase from Windham Farm and Food, we also purchase from Black River Meats and Reinhart Foods and local farm market right here in Chester. As budget allows, I plan on purchasing all local beef this school year. All three of the vendors I mentioned are great sources of local products from local farmers. Items like Vermont Bread, Cabot cheese, Hood milk, local ground beef. We even purchase French bread here in town from Baba a Louis Bakery to use for our garlic bread on spaghetti day.

Once a month we will offer the Harvest of the Month taste test during lunch, where children will be introduced to a new and different fruit or vegetable. Our great Fruit and Vegetable Bar will be offered with all meals again this year.

I encourage all families to apply for free or reduced meal benefits. Even if you believe you may not qualify please apply, you may be surprised. If you qualify, benefits include breakfast and lunch. Right now, 1 in every 7 Vermont children are living in households that experience food insecurity. School meal programs are the best tools we have to protect children in our communities from hunger and malnutrition.

The Title 1 funding your school receives is based on the number of students who are enrolled in our free and reduced program. Title 1 funding pays for many of the academic programs all students use. We offer a great lunch account system for your children. Each child has an account and account number we have them punch in at lunch time.

Parents can also access their children’s account on line by going to mymealtime.com and set up a profile. Payments can be made on line also. We encourage you to maintain a positive balance in the account. We do not allow any charging of meals. For more information please contact me anytime at 802-952-9133 or jack.carroll@trsu.org.

Sincerely,
Jack Carroll
Chester-Andover Elementary School
Food Services