La Center Food Service

Students and/or parents can put money into their InTouch Food Service account directly by either depositing money from home or by taking money to the relevant school office for deposit PRIOR to the beginning of their lunch period.

In addition to increases in accounting efficiency, this system allows parents to see deposits made into food service and, more importantly, to see a full history of your student’s food purchases. 

Each student has a 4-digit Food Service Number, even students that have not purchased lunch in the past. For most students, this will be the same 4-digit number it has always been. For some students who have always paid cash (Or didn’t use the lunch program), this will be a new ID number. In grades 5-12, we’ll list the food service number on the student’s schedule that’s handed out at the beginning of the year. For grades K-4, your student’s teacher will have their ID number and will distribute them at the beginning of the year.

The La Center School District supports healthy eating and physical activity as important components to promote the health and well-being of its students. Good nutrition and physical activity help contribute to improved academic performance, attendance rates, behavior, and lifelong health and well-being.

As part of the efforts, La Center School District supports the Farm to School Program to connect its schools and local farms so that cafeterias are able to serve fresher and more nutritious meals using locally produced food. This policy is created to:

1. Help students eat more nutritious foods and develop healthier lifelong eating patterns.
2. Support the local economy and local farmers.
3. Integrate food-related education into the classroom curriculum.
4. Improve the quality of foods served in the cafeteria.

Goals of the Farm to School Program:

1. Staff members are encouraged to utilize food from local farms in classroom kitchens and cafeterias.
2. Staff members are encouraged to establish relationships with local farms.
3. Food service and teaching staff will work together to integrate experiences in cafeterias, kitchens and classrooms.
4. School food services will coordinate its menus with seasonal production of local farms so that school meals will reflect seasonality and local agriculture.

The La Center School District seeks to serve Washington State grown products to its students. Cafeteria staff will seek quotes for locally-produced, grown or processed items (within 200 miles) to serve to its students. A number scale from 1 to 5 will be used to determine vendor preference and location. All vendors or farmers will use good food handling practices to ensure safety of the products provided.
References: USDA, Farm to School Program
https://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school-grant-program
WSDA, Washington State Department of Agriculture
http://www.wafarmtoschool.org/Page/2/about-farm-to-school

La Center School District
Adopted: October 24, 2017

Wellness Policy / Procedure

LCSD Food Services Procurement and Code of Conduct

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant may complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. Complaints of discrimination must be filed within 180 days of the alleged discrimination.   The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   [email protected]

 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

 

 

 

Procedure for Handling Complaints of Discrimination and Form

 

 

English
If you need this information in another language, please call 360-263-2131.

Russian
Если вам нужна эта информация на другом языке, позвоните по телефону 360-263-2131.

Spanish
Si necesita esta información en otro idioma, llame al 360-263-2131.

 

La Center schools lunches have to meet national nutritional standards, so you can be confident that your child is having a balanced meal.

La Center schools provide:

• At least one portion of fruit or one portion of vegetables with every meal.
• High-quality meat, poultry or fish regularly.
• Whole grain bread, other cereals and potatoes regularly.
• Low sodium food choices.
• La Center schools students have an unlimited fruit and vegetable bar.
• Friendly cafeteria staff to help your child make the best school lunch.

You may find that your previously fussy eater is open to trying new foods if they have school meals. Their friends will be having the same or similar foods, enticing them to try something different. Above all, school meals will save time. The only thing you’ll have to remember is to pay for your child’s meals. La Center schools has a smooth-running payment system that makes it easy for you!

Wishing you good nutritional health!

–The La Center Schools Nutritional Staff