Food Services

The best school day starts with good nutrition, which is why our district provides an exceptional food services program. The food services staff takes pride in what they do, serving our students well-balanced meals that fuel the brain. A fueled brain means higher test scores—and we can all get on board with that!

Earned Income Tax Credit Information Act Communication

Notice: The California Revenue and Taxation Code (RTC) Section 19853(b) requires local educational agencies (LEA) that operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to annually notify households about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Information Act.

Based on your annual earnings, you may be eligible to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit from the Federal Government (Federal EITC). The Federal EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. The Federal EITC has no effect on certain welfare benefits. In most cases, Federal EITC payments will not be used to determine eligibility for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, low-income housing, or most Temporary Assistance For Needy Families payments. Even if you do not owe federal taxes, you must file a federal tax return to receive the Federal EITC. Be sure to fill out the Federal EITC form in the Federal Income Tax Return Booklet. For information regarding your eligibility to receive the Federal EITC, including information on how to obtain the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Notice 797 or any other necessary forms and instructions, contact the IRS by calling 1-800-829-3676 or through its website.

You may also be eligible to receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit (California EITC) starting with the calendar year 2015 tax year. The California EITC is a refundable state income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. The California EITC is treated in the same manner as the Federal EITC and generally will not be used to determine eligibility for welfare benefits under California law. To claim the California EITC, even if you do not owe California taxes, you must file a California income tax return and complete and attach the California EITC Form (FTB 3514). For information on the availability of the credit eligibility requirements and how to obtain the necessary California forms and get help filing, contact the Franchise Tax Board at 1-800-852-5711 or through its website.

There are many options for notifying households about the EITC which may include in-person, electronic, mail, flyers, or by phone.

For additional information, refer to the IRS EITC web page or the California EITC web page.

Find Summer Meals in Your Community

Nutritious, free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout the nation during the summer while school is out of session. Find a site near you using the USDA Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder.

Good nutrition is essential for learning in school. Continuing healthy eating habits is also important during the long, hot summer months. Eating nutritious foods helps ensure students retain their hard learned knowledge and helps them to keep learning throughout the summer. For many of these children, summer vacation can bring the temptation of eating empty calorie snacks and foods that are high in sugar, fats, and sodium. For many others, summer exposes students to an increased risk of hunger and developmental decline. Make seasonal fruits and vegetables a high priority for your snacks, meals, and anytime.

Summertime is a time to play hard, but it is also a time to remember to eat right. Make sure good nutrition remains a priority all summer long, and students will return to school in the fall healthy, sharp, and ready to learn.

Healthy Snacking

Check out these healthy snacking ideas to help increase the nutritional value of after-school refreshments without a lot of extra effort.

Prepare convenience packs of healthy snacks. Most often, children want what they can grab quickly. A bag of baby carrots or sliced apples in the refrigerator is an easy fix. You can offer low-fat dressing, yogurt, or peanut butter for their dipping pleasure. Small bags of pretzels make good alternatives to chips. Satisfy a sweet tooth with a fruit and yogurt parfait. Chocolate lovers can enjoy a cold glass of fat-free chocolate milk instead of a chocolate cookie or candy bar.

Save dinner leftovers. When making dinner, especially family favorites, intentionally cook for an extra person or two. A piece of grilled chicken chopped and tossed over a green salad makes for a delicious and nutritious snack. Even a small serving of last-night’s lasagna has a perfect balance of complex carbohydrates (whole-grain pasta) and protein (ricotta and mozzarella cheeses) can give your child an instant pick-me-up. Plus, it has the staying power to get him or her through after-school activities.

Does dinner have to wait until six o’clock? While you may not have as much flexibility when breakfast and lunch are served, you can swap the snack with dinner. If your child is on the brink of starvation when he comes through the door and an apple just isn’t going to cut it, serve dinner extra early, and have a lighter, much smaller meal later.

Raid the lunchbox. If you put an icepack in an insulated lunchbox, chances are the food your child was too busy to eat at school is still cold and fresh. Encourage your children to open their lunchboxes and enjoy all of the wonderfully nutritious things you packed only hours ago.

Healthy snacking need not be labor intensive, but a little creativity and preparation will give your children the nutrients they need to boost brain power and the energy they need to master the playing field.

For additional nutrition tips and recipe ideas, explore the USDA My Plate website.

Food Services Staff