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    Dear OPUSD Preschool and Elementary Families,

    Welcome to the new school year! Our Student Nutrition and Wellness team is ready to provide your children with healthy, scratch-cooked meals each day, free of charge.

    Meals at OPUSD are prepared on-site using ingredients that are fresh and minimally processed. We offer Mary’s organic chicken, Straus 1% milk through bulk dispensers, and seasonal produce from local farms. Compostable serveware is used across all sites.

    Here’s what to know for the year ahead:

    FREE MEALS FOR ALL STUDENTS

    Thanks to California’s Universal Meals Program, all students may receive one free breakfast and one free lunch every school day. 

    WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR

    New Menu Items

    We’re adding exciting new dishes to our menus, including:

    • Fiesta Bowl (chicken or black beans with corn, salsa, and optional guac/sour cream over cilantro lime rice)
    • Chicken or Veggie Caesar Salad with a whole grain roll
    • Chicken or Tofu Tikka Masala (coming in September)

    We’ll also continue to serve popular items like our homemade chicken and veggie nuggets and Teriyaki bowls. Students will have a chance to give feedback through a survey this fall.

    Farm to School Program
    Students will take part in taste tests of local produce throughout the year, highlighting seasonal items from Ventura County farms. These activities teach kids about nutrition and where their food comes from.

    BREAKFAST AND LUNCH MENUS

    Menus are posted monthly on school websites and on our department webpage. Please note that menus may shift depending on ingredient availability. Click HERE to view the AUGUST MENU.
    All meals are free of peanuts, tree nuts, nut butters, and nut-containing ingredients.

    SECOND MEALS AND MEAL ACCOUNTS

    Students who want a second meal may buy one using their meal account:

    • $4.00 for a second breakfast
    • $6.00 for a second lunch

    The state’s free meal program does not cover these second meals. You can add money to your student’s account and check their balance through Q-Parent Connect.

    Our staff cannot provide second meals if there are not funds in the account.

    FREE/REDUCED-PRICE MEAL APPLICATIONS

    Even though meals are free, we still ask families to complete a Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application. These help OPUSD qualify for extra state funding and may make your family eligible for other benefits (internet discounts, P-EBT, utility assistance, etc.).

    Apply online through Q-Parent Connect or fill out an application HERE.

    FOOD ALLERGIES AND SPECIAL DIETS

    If your child needs special meal accommodations:

    1. Fill out a Medical Statement to Request Special Meals form.
    2. Email the completed form to schoolmeals@opusd.org.
      (If we already have your form on file, no need to submit again unless there are changes.)

    MEAL PICKUP PROCEDURES

    Preschool
    Classroom staff take a meal count and share it with the cafeteria.

    TK
    Parents will receive a lunch selection form each Friday for the following week. On school days, meals are picked up by staff and delivered to classrooms, where ID cards are collected.

    Grades K–5
    Students receive their ID cards before breakfast/lunch, scan them at the cafeteria, and drop them in a basket. IDs are returned after the meal.

    Minimum Days

    • TK: Meals are picked up by staff and eaten on campus with a parent/guardian or at Club.
    • K–5: Students take their ID card at dismissal and pick up their meal to eat in a designated area.

    Extended Care

    • TK: Lunch is delivered.
    • K–5: Students pick up lunch before heading to Club.

    👉 If a student forgets their ID card, they will still receive a meal. But bringing the card helps lines move faster and ensures accurate reporting.

    If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me at kadams@opusd.org.

    Wishing your family a great start to the year,

    Katherine Adams
    Director of Student Nutrition and Wellness
    Oak Park Unified School District