Food and Nutrition Studies have shown that children who are not hungry perform better in school. By providing school meals to all children at no charge, we are hoping to create a better learning environment for our scholars. Contents Tower Grove South Menus Tower Grove East Menus Fox Park Menus The school breakfast and lunch that we serve follow U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for healthy school meals. The Free Breakfast and Lunch Program cannot succeed without your support. Please encourage your children to participate in the school meal programs. Momentum continues to operate the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Program under the United States Department of Agriculture Department (USDA) and Missouri Department of Elementary, and Secondary Education (DESE). The intent of the CEP Program is to improve access to free school meals in eligible high-poverty Learning Education Agency (LEA) and schools and to eliminate the collection of family applications. Through the CEP Program, Momentum provides all students the opportunity to receive a free breakfast and lunch meal and a fresh fruit or vegetable snack. Food and Nutrition Program Information Healthy Foods Policy School Breakfast and Lunch Program Free breakfast and lunch are provided to Momentum Academy scholars daily. As part of its participation in the Community Eligibility Provision of the School Nutrition Program (a federal program which subsidizes school meals) the school is able to provide free breakfast and lunch to all scholars daily. Families may send lunch to school with their scholar provided that it is contained in one bag or lunch box, labeled with the scholar’s name, and that it conforms to the School’s Healthy Food Policy. Scholars will not have access to a refrigerator or microwave. If you are sending lunch to school with your child, we ask that you send in nutritious foods that promote positive eating habits and learning. Scholars are not allowed to bring unhealthy drinks (e.g., sodas or juices containing high fructose corn syrup) or unhealthy snacks to school. Candy, gum, chips, fruit drinks, cakes, or other sugary foods are not allowed to be eaten at school. For additional guidance, please see the School Leadership Team. In order to maintain focus in the classroom, families may not send snacks or breakfast to school. This is permitted only in cases in which the scholar has a verified medical dietary restriction. The School Leadership Team reserves the right to prohibit any scholar from bringing a snack, breakfast, or lunch item which becomes a distraction to learning. Healthy Foods Policy Scholar nutrition and health is a focus at Momentum Academy. Poor eating habits can adversely affect scholar performance causing, among other things, a lack of focus, low stamina, and/or behavioral outbursts. For additional information or guidance, please see the district Wellness Policy, which can be found on our website. The school may prohibit the consumption of low nutritional value during lunch or designated snack periods. Food of low nutritional value consists of: ● Chewing gum and candy ● Food and drink containing high sugar or other sweeteners ● “Juice” or juice products containing little fruit or vegetable juice ● Foods with high fat/sugar serving ration (e.g. cookies, Cheetos, potato chips, foods fried in oil) ● Carbonated beverages ● Cakes/cupcakes (unless part of a birthday celebration) Birthday Celebrations To maintain the structure and consistency of the school day, parents/guardians wishing to celebrate a scholar’s birthday with a small treat, should coordinate with the classroom teacher a day in advance, so they can plan accordingly. Families should plan to provide treats during the agreed upon time. Treats must be provided for the entire class and must be a pre-packaged or commercially approved food item. Full policy available in the Family Handbook. Medical Statement for Special Meals Form Fill out this form if your child requires special meals for a medical reason: Download Form Here National School Lunch Program Momentum participates in the National School Lunch Program. Local Education Agencies shall ensure that participating schools provide nutritious and well balanced lunches to children. Smart Snacks at Momentum A guide to Smart Snacks on our campuses. School Breakfast Program Momentum participates in the School Breakfast Program. Make Breakfast First Class info. Nondiscrimination Statement Procedures for Receiving & Processing Child Nutrition Program Civil Rights Compliant A complainant may at any time avail themselves of their right to file a complaint via the School Nutrition Programs Civil Rights Procedure. An allegation will be determined to be a Civil Rights complaint in the Child Nutrition Program if it is alleged that the program is administered or operated in a manner that results in disparate treatment of services being provided to persons or groups of persons because of their protected class. The only protected classes for filing a discrimination complaint against a Child Nutrition Program are: Race, Age, Color, Sex, National Origin, or Disability Any person who believes they have been discriminated against based on protected classes has the right to file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory action. A Civil Rights complaint may be verbal, written, or observed. A complaint may also be anonymous and will be handled the same as any other complaint, as long as sufficient information is provided to proceed with an investigation. Any individual, including a person’s duly authorized representative or an interested third party, public agency, or organization, may file a complaint. If the complaint is verbal and the person alleging discrimination is not inclined to put the allegation in writing, the Momentum Academy Food Coordinator will obtain all pertinent information and develop a written complaint on behalf of the complainant. Momentum Academy School Nutrition Program Civil Rights Coordinator: Director of Food & Nutrition Services (314) 345-4519 All Civil Rights Complaints, whether verbal or written, will be documented in a Civil Rights Complaint Log maintained by Momentum Academy. The Momentum Academy Food Coordinator will attempt to collect the following information for insertion into the complaint log: The name, address, and telephone number or other means of contacting the complainant. The specific location and name of the entity delivering benefits. The nature of the complaint or action that led to the charges being filed. If the nature of the complaint appears discriminatory, the Civil Rights Coordinator will attempt to collect the following information: The basis on which the complainant feels the discrimination occurred. In order to be considered a Child Nutrition Civil Rights complaint, the complainant must feel discriminated against based on one or more of the protected classes. The names, titles, and addresses, if known, of persons who may have knowledge of the discriminatory action or situation. The dates that the alleged discrimination occurred, or the duration of such action. All complainants will be given a Civil Rights Complaint Form and/or the Civil Rights Coordinator will complete the complaint form with the complainant. The complainant may choose to mail the Civil Rights Complaint Form or return to the LEA’s Civil Rights Coordinator, who will then forward to the Child Nutrition Programs, Food And Nutrition Services Coordinator in Jefferson City or the USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights in Washington D.C. The complaint form will be forwarded within 3 working days to: Food and Nutrition Services Attn: Coordinator 205 Jefferson Street Jefferson City, Missouri 65101 573-751-3526 Or USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 800-795-3272 or 202-720-6382 (TTY) Fax 202-690-7442 E-mail program.intake@usda.gov If the complainant does not wish to provide information to the Momentum Academy Food Coordinator, they may file a complaint directly with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Food and Nutrition Services in Jefferson City, or the USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights in Washington D.C., at the contact information above. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). Persons wishing to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination may complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form: Found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, By calling (866) 632-9992, or Available on request from the Civil Rights Coordinator. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender Example of Recipes Used Gyros Tuscan Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup Bean Burger Additional Recipes Used