• Dear OPUSD Middle and High School families,

    I am truly honored to welcome you to the start of another exciting school year at Oak Park Unified School District! As the Director of Student Nutrition and Wellness, I am dedicated to ensuring our students have access to high-quality, sustainable, and delicious scratch-cooked meals. We are excited to fuel their minds and bodies with nutritious meals that will support their learning and growth throughout the 2024-25 school year.

    At OPUSD, we understand the importance of a fresh and healthy meal in the overall well-being and academic success of our students. A nourishing meal not only provides essential nutrients but also enhances focus, energy levels, and overall cognitive function, enabling our students to reach their fullest potential in the classroom and beyond.

    Our team has been hard at work preparing for the return of our students, and we are eager to serve your children with care and dedication. We take great pride in continuing our mission of providing healthy and tasty breakfast and lunch options for all students. Your feedback is essential to us, and we always welcome your suggestions and comments as we strive to improve our meals and services. 

    I am delighted to share that, once again, this year, all OPUSD students can enjoy free meals as part of the California Universal Meals program. Each student is eligible for one free breakfast and one free lunch daily. This program allows us to ensure that every child has access to nutritious meals without any financial barriers.

    Please take a moment to read through it carefully as the information is very important and we believe will be helpful to you and your family.

    NEW THIS YEAR

    • Breakfast and Lunch Items: In addition to our extensive menu options, we are excited to announce some new additions this year! We are thrilled to introduce new items to our lunch menu that we believe the students will love: scratch-made “Chicken/Veggie Chicken Strips”, “Chicken/Chickpea Caesar Salad”, and a delicious new variation of “Grilled Cheese”, with tomato, spinach, and herbs. We will continue to offer our popular scratch-made “Peruvian Chicken/Tofu”, “Turkey/Black Bean Nachos”, and “Chili Cheese Fries”, among others, made with Mary’s pasture-raised chicken and turkey, organic tofu, and hearty vegan chili. 

    We're constantly looking for ways to improve our offerings and will be conducting taste tests with our students to gather their feedback on potential new items. We look forward to hearing our students’ feedback and making our meal program even better!

    • Snack Bar Items: This is always an option for students in addition to the free meals provided. 

    We are expanding our snack bar options at MCMS and OPHS, offering a greater selection of snacks and drinks for students to purchase. These include Horizon chocolate milk, Bavarian pretzel bites with an optional jalapeño cheese dip, and cinnamon churros.

    In response to requests and feedback from our high school students, we will also offer a simplified "Grab and Go" option for purchase at OPHS. This option includes more substantial items in addition to the other snack bar offerings and is designed to help reduce lunch line wait times. The "Grab and Go" options will feature salads, snack packs, and wraps.

    This initiative is currently only available for high school students. If there is demand at the middle school level, we will consider expanding this offering. We will review the program throughout the year to assess its effectiveness and make improvements as needed. 

    • Reusable Serveware: We are excited to announce that we are bringing back the use of reusable lunch trays and silverware at MCMS and OPHS this year! Now that the mandates of the pandemic are behind us and with the installation of a new commercial dishwasher at OPHS, we are pleased to be able to reintroduce this environmentally-friendly practice. Our aim is to decrease the use of disposable items and further our efforts toward sustainability.

    The trays are currently on backorder, so we anticipate implementing this initiative in late fall. Look for signage guiding students on picking up trays and silverware in the cafeteria line and leaving them in the designated carts in the lunch area when they are finished. Student participation in following the signage of leaving their dirty dishes in the designated areas will help us implement this.  

    • Farm to School activities: We are committed to promoting healthy eating habits and supporting local agriculture through our Farm to School program. Last year, we piloted regular taste testing of seasonal fruits and vegetables from local Ventura County farms at our elementary sites, and it was very well received. This year, we are excited to expand these activities further.

    Students will have the opportunity to sample and enjoy fresh, locally-sourced produce, highlighting the Harvest of the Month item. By incorporating farm-to-school practices, we aim to educate our students about the benefits of eating fresh, seasonal foods and support our local farmers. 

    We will update the upcoming month's menu before the beginning of each month to help you plan ahead. Please note that because we source the majority of our ingredients from local suppliers, our menu items might occasionally change due to supply issues. We appreciate your understanding that these changes may sometimes occur without prior notice. For the monthly menu, please look at the menu tab on the left. 

    Note: Our menus are carefully crafted to be free of peanuts, tree nuts, nut butters, and nut-containing ingredients.

    LUNCHES OFFERED ON MINIMUM DAYS

    Just like last year, we will be offering lunches on minimum days and early release days to all grade levels (Preschool - 12th) at all sites. 

    For information on Minimum Day meal pick-up procedures, please refer to the section “CAFETERIA PROCEDURES FOR NEW FAMILIES” at the end of this message.

    FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE MEAL APPLICATIONS

    As part of the state's requirements, we will still be distributing and collecting free/reduced meal applications, even though all meals are free for our students. Completing these applications allows us to gather essential data to qualify for additional school funding, supporting academic programs for your child. Additionally, free/reduced eligibility can qualify households for discounted internet services, P-EBT benefits, discounted energy rates, and more. We encourage households to apply using the link provided HERE.

    FOOD ALLERGIES

    If your child has allergies or needs special meal accommodations, please fill out our Medical Statement to Request Special Meals form and email us at schoolmeals@opusd.org, indicating the desired dates and meals (Breakfast/Lunch). If we already have a form on file for your child, you do not need to fill it out again unless there are changes to their specific dietary restrictions or schedule.

    We sincerely hope our students will enjoy the nutritionally rich and freshly prepared meals we offer. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly at kadams@opusd.org.

    Wishing you all a fantastic start to the new school year filled with growth, learning, and wonderful memories.

    Warm regards,

     

    Katherine Adams

    Director of Student Nutrition and Wellness

    Oak Park Unified School District



    CAFETERIA PROCEDURES FOR NEW FAMILIES

    If you are new to the district or would like a reminder of our procedures, please read the following information. 


    To obtain a meal, students may show up at the cafeteria and request a meal to be provided. The menu is provided as a guide to help you make the decision if you want to bring a meal from home or if you would like to eat a meal prepared by our staff. 


    Due to a combination of federal and state funding sources that depend on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, all student meals must be tracked, and an accurate count of meals served needs to be reported to the state.  


    MEAL TRACKING PROCESS 


    Regular Schedule Days:

    • At MCMS and OPHS, we will be scanning student IDs. Students should carry their ID card with them and scan it as they go through the cafeteria line. 

    • At OVHS, students should order meals through Elinor Wight, the Student Services Assistant. Students may pick up their meal during the scheduled break at the OVHS Snack Shack window. Students will be scanned based on the sign-up list.

    • For OPIS, any students interested in receiving meals should contact the Office Manager, Jennifer Burstein. 


    Minimum Days: 

    • Meal pick-up on minimum days is the same as on regular schedule days. Minimum day lunches are provided “to go” style, in a convenient paper bag. Students may consume the lunch in a designated area on-site.


    Please note: All students who request a meal will be provided one, even if they don’t have their student ID. However, we greatly appreciate students bringing their ID every day. It ensures an accurate count and helps the lines move faster, allowing students more time to eat and socialize.


    SECOND LUNCHES and SNACK BAR ITEMS

    • Second meals and prepackaged snacks are not part of the free meals for students and are an OPTIONAL purchase. The CA Universal Meals program provides funding for only one free breakfast and one free lunch per day for each student. 

    • All students will have the option to purchase a second meal using funds in their meal accounts. Snacks and drinks are available at our snack bars at MCMS and OPHS. Money may be added to your student's account through Q-Parent Connect, where you can also check your child’s existing cafeteria fund balance. Please make sure that funds are available in your student's meal account to facilitate purchase. Our cafeteria staff are unable to assist students with second meals or snack purchases if there are insufficient funds in a student’s meal account.