Nutrition Program Information

We're proud of our cafeteria staff.  They are very dedicated to serving the children of Marengo County Schools nutritious meals in a clean and safe environment.  They not only prepare and serve daily meals, but they are also involved in providing some fun and special activities throughout the school year.

Some of these activities are:

National School Breakfast Week
National School Lunch Week
After-School snacks at schools offering tutoring or other after-school learning activities
Dr. Suess Day
Holiday Celebrations
Parents/Grandparents Day for Lunch
Special Lunches at Thanksgiving and Christmas

Studies have shown that nutrition plays a Big Role in your child's performance in school, both in academics and extra-curricular activities.

Nutritious foods give the child more energy, improves his or her ability to concentrate and improves behavior in the classroom.  

Encourage your child to eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal in the school cafeteria. 

Special Dietary Needs & Food Allergies

The Marengo County Schools Child Nutrition Program is happy to accommodate students with special dietary needs and food allergies within our abilities. 

Students must provide written medical documentation from the treating physician in order to provide for this accommodation.  This documentation must include, but is not limited to:

A statement of what the allergy is:

What dietary changes from the traditional school meal are necessary

What specific foods must be omitted or substituted and what dietary items can be used to replace them with

 

This documentation should be given to the school nurse.  A copy should also be provided to the CNP Manager in the school cafeteria. Handwritten notes written by the parents will not be accepted.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rita Wright, CNP Director at 334-295-2234.

 

Other Important Information

Alternate Meal Availability and Assistance:

USDA National Hunger Hotline

1-866-3-HUNGRY OR 1-877-8-HAMBRE (FOR SPANISH)

Monday - Friday 8am - 8pm EST

NHH, operated by Why Hunger, is a toll-free phone number available to people in need of food assistance.

Marengo County Health Department

303 Industrial Park

Linden, AL 36748

Phone#: 334.295.4205

Other Local Support Services:

Marengo County Department of Human Resources

609 S. Shiloh Street

Linden, AL 36748

Phone#: 334.295.2000

Neighborhood Community Action Service

101 E. Coats Avenue

Linden, AL 36748

Phone#: 334.295.2244

My School Bucks

The Marengo County Schools Child Nutrition Program is proud to announce the introduction of MySchoolBucks, an online breakfast/lunch payment program.  This new technology will permit parents to go online to deposit money into their student's lunchroom account using a credit/debit card or electronic check.  

Pay for Meals on the go!
Make payments anytime, anywhere!
Check balances whenever!
Get low balance notifications!
View punches & more!
Available 24/7 on the web

To access MySchoolBucks, click here or simply click on the following link and follow the instructions to set up an account:
https://www.myschoolbucks.com

or from your cell phone,

Download the APP from Google Play Store (Android)
or the App Store (iOS)

**A program fee of $2.49 will apply with each deposit.
(If you pay once a year, $2.49 will apply)
(If you pay once per month, $2.49 will apply)
(If you pay once per week, $2.49 will apply)
(If you pay once per day, $2.49 will apply)

***You will have the opportunity to review any fees and cancel if you choose before you are charged.

If you have any questions, contact MySchoolBucks directly:

Email:     support@myschoolbucks.com
Phone:    855-832-5226
Website:  myschoolbucks.com and click on Help

Wellness Policy

WELLNESS POLICY ON NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

 

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Marengo County School Board of Education’s Wellness Policy is to provide each student with the opportunities and skills necessary to make nutritious food and physical activity choices for a lifetime.  All staff is encouraged to serve as role models for healthy eating and physical activity.

 

POLICY OUTLINE 

I.       Nutrition Education

II.      Physical Activity

III.     Nutrition Guidelines for Food on Campus

IV.     Other School-Based Activities

V.       Monitoring, Assessment and Policy Review

 

ADDENDUMS

A)   Alabama Healthy Snack Standards

B)   Alabama Department of Education Nutrition Policies

 

I.    Nutrition Education will involve sharing information with school staff, students and families to positively impact students and their health. 

 a)   Nutrition education will include age-appropriate objectives required in the Alabama Course of Study for Health Education.

 b)   Local school faculties shall be adequately prepared and participate annually in professional development activities provided by the local school to deliver the nutrition education program as planned.

 c)   Nutrition Education will be integrated into other areas of the curriculum such as math, science, language arts, social studies, health, physical education and Family and Consumer Science.

 d)   Students are encouraged to participate in the child nutrition program for breakfast and lunch.

 e)   Nutritional Information on school meals will be provided on request.

 

II.   Physical Activity will be integrated across the curricula and throughout the school day. Students will be encouraged to balance food intake and physical activity.

 a)    Physical Education will be provided for all students in accordance with the Code of Alabama.

 b)    Physical Education includes the instruction of individual activities, as well as competitive and non-competitive team sports to encourage like-long physical activity.

 c)    Time allotted for physical education activities will be consistent with state standards.

 d)     The Board encourages Physical Education course to be conducted in an environment where students can learn, practice and be assessed on developmentally appropriate skills and also recommends Student/Teacher ratios reflect SDE guidelines as closely as possible.

 e)     Parent/Teacher organizations will be encouraged to promote and provide information to families in order to help them incorporate physical activity into their children’s lives.

 

 III.   Nutrition Guidelines for all Foods on Campus will comply with current USDA Dietary Guidelines and Alabama Department of Education Nutrition Policies.

 a)   Foods sold through the vending machines, cafeteria, fund, raisers, and school canteens will follow the Alabama’s Action for Healthy Kids Guidelines for Snack Foods and Alabama Department of Education Nutrition Policies.

 b)   Fundraisers during the school day must comply with the Alabama Action for Healthy Kids Guidelines and the SDE policy on sale of competitive foods.  For all fundraisers not meeting these standards, principals must submit an Alabama’s Implementation of USDA Smart Snacks in School and Exempt Fundraiser Form to the Child Nutrition Director.

 c)   Student reward initiatives will be regulated by the school principal.  This process must comply with the SDE policy on sale of competitive foods and must follow the Alabama Action for Healthy Kids Guidelines.

 d)   Advertising of foods or beverages in the areas assessable to students during the school day must reinforce the objectives of the educational and nutrition environment goals of the school and be consistent with established nutrition environment standards.

 e)   Students may bring their breakfast or lunch from home to consume in the cafeteria.  Parents are encouraged to pack healthy nutritious breakfasts and lunches. 

 

IV.  Other School-Based Activities.  The system recognizes the importance of creating a School environment that sends consistent wellness messages.

 a)    Concession stands open for extra-curricular activities after the school day ends, will not be required to comply with snack guidelines.

 b)    Fundraisers after the school day ends will not be required to comply with these guidelines according to the Alabama Department of Education Nutrition Policies dated July 2005. 

c}    Guidelines for class parties/special snacks will be at the discretion of the school principal.  Healthy snacks are encouraged and should be recommended.  All class parties must be after mealtime. 

d)    Schools are encouraged to comply with USDA standards for meals when taking off-campus field trips but are not required to comply.

e)    Health and nutrition efforts will be coordinated through the combined efforts of the system administrators, teachers, nurses, and child nutrition workers.

f)     The system promotes coordinated efforts with local agencies such as the Marengo County Health Department and insurance providers to offer wellness checkups for faculty and staff within the school setting.  Additional staff wellness activities may be implemented at the local level.

g)    System leaders, teachers, parents, and community members are encouraged to take advantage of additional resources to support good nutrition and physical activity.

 

I.     Monitoring, Assessment and Policy Review

 Monitoring:  The superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with established district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.  The principal will ensure compliance in his/her school and will report on the school’s compliance with the superintendent or designee.

 

School Food Service Staff:  School food service staff at the local district level, will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within school food service areas and will report findings to the local school principal.  In addition, the local school principal will report findings to the superintendent or designee. 

 

Policy Review:  An annual revision may be made as a result of continued monitoring of the Wellness Policy.  Triennial Assessments must be conducted to determine:

 1.      Compliance with the wellness policy

 2.      How the wellness policy compares to model wellness policies; and

 3.      Progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy

 

Assessment:  Assessment will be conducted annually to review compliance, assess compliance, assess progress and determine areas in need of adjustment.