Cafeteria, Food, and Snack

Cafeteria
The cafeteria offers breakfast and lunch for students and adults daily. Please let your child’s teacher know if he/she/they will eat school lunch or will bring lunch to school. School lunch for students is $3.75. More information about meal prices HERE. Family members are allowed to eat with their child at school on certain days. We ask that you reserve these lunch visits for special occasions. Students are not allowed to invite classmates to join them during a family member’s lunch. The family member may be asked to sit at another table with their child.

Free or Reduced Lunch/Breakfast
Free or reduced-price lunch is available for those who qualify. Applications are available HERE. Child Nutrition Services mails forms to all families during the summer. Approval may take up to 10 days. Please provide lunch for your child until you are notified of your approval status. Free Breakfast is no longer available to all students at Poe. 

Lunches from Home
All food should be sent to school ready for the child to eat - precut, mixed, peeled, etc. Do not send glass containers or jars. Please use containers your child can open independently. Do not send food to be heated or refrigerated. Staff members are not allowed to heat food for students or store food in a refrigerator. 

Healthy Food Guidelines for Shared Snack and Learning Experiences
Please use the following guidelines when serving shared snacks or learning experience food items with students.

· Should be individually wrapped items or individual packets.

· Must be of high nutritional value and low in sugar.

· Must be commercially prepared with the ingredient list and nutrition information intact.

· Cannot be homegrown vegetables and fruits.

You may be asked to provide a snack for your child’s class. In such cases, a snack calendar is created and sent home to all parents. If there is a problem with your assigned day, please notify the teacher ahead of time. Please provide enough napkins, cups, 100% juice drinks or water and prepared snacks for the entire class.

Suggested snacks and drinks lower in fat and sugar content:

• 100% fruit juice 

• Goldfish crackers 

• Granola bars

• Water 

• Muffins - reduced fat/sugar 

• Popcorn

• Graham crackers 

• Baked chips and crackers 

• Pretzels

• Animal crackers 

• Chex Mix 

• Fresh or canned fruit

• Non-sugary cereal 

• Raisins, dried fruit 

• Cheese and crackers

Examples of unacceptable snacks and drinks include candy, sugary pastries, sodas, etc.
These expectations do not dictate the food selections you make when sending lunch for your own child. These expectations are in place to promote the selection of healthy choices offered in our schools for students.

*Please do not send in cupcakes, cake, or cookies for
student birthdays. 

These items do not meet current WCPSS food guidelines. If you would like to send in a healthy birthday snack, individually wrapped, please discuss your plans with the teacher in advance to ensure that food guidelines are followed.

Cupcakes, cakes, and/or cookies will be returned to the student’s family and not shared with classmates.

Birthdays
Birthday parties are not permitted by district policy. If your child’s class has a snack time, we suggest you contact your child’s teacher prior to the birthday to arrange for that day to be your assigned snack day. Please do NOT deliver cupcakes, balloons, presents, or flowers to school for your child’s birthday. These items are not allowed on school transportation or in classrooms.  

Invitations to parties outside of school times may go home with children if an invitation is given to every child in the class. We highly discourage giving out invitations at school. Parents/guardians will not be permitted to place invitations in bookbags. Poe staff cannot give out confidential information such as family telephone numbers or addresses, per School Board policy.