New Menu Items
We have used hot dogs from Kessler's for several years. In 2022, keep your eyes open for our new items from Kessler's Sausage Sandwich and Cheesesteaks are coming to a secondary school near you. As we continue to work through supply chain challenges, we are looking to enhance our high school menu offerings with some additional new products on a trial basis. High school students should keep their eyes open for details about opportunities to try new premade sandwiches and pizza kits near the end of January.
Food Service Employment Opportunities
If you are looking for part time school year work opportunities (generally 4-5 hours per day), the Food Service Department might just be the place for you. Please complete our
online application and begin working on getting your
background checks for employment.
Menu Changes
Like many other companies across the nation, the manufacturers and distributors West Shore School District uses to supply our school cafeterias are having challenges related to supply chain and staffing levels. As a result, many of our ordered and expected items are unavailable are out-of-stock, causing last-minute changes. This is a widespread problem impacting school districts throughout the area.
We understand the importance of sharing with our families a daily menu so that you can plan for your children, and we are doing our best to provide all menu choices listed daily. However, due to these supplier issues, please know that menu items are subject to change based on availability.
Students with dietary concerns should contact the school nurse for guidance or possibly consider bringing a prepared lunch from home if the uncertainty of the menu is a significant issue.
Free Meals in 2021-2022
We are pleased to inform you that all West Shore School District students are eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no charge during the 2021-2022 school year. While breakfast and lunch are free, we are unable to provide milk for free, unless the student takes the free meal. This is a result of the District's participation in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) federal program.
While not required to receive meals for free this year, we are still requesting families who believe they would have been eligible to receive free/reduced priced meals complete and return the standard application that will be sent home on the first day of school. Or, you may apply online by going to the COMPASS website at www.compass.state.pa.us.
Submitting the application will help establish continued eligibility, may be used to qualify newly eligible children for P-EBT benefits, and will assist the District in its efforts to receive supplemental funding from the federal government.
What does a meal look like?
We are providing “offer vs. serve” this year. This means that food service will offer fruit, vegetable, milk, grain, and meat or meat alternative for lunch, but students only need to take three of these components. One must be a fruit or a vegetable. For instance, a chicken patty on a bun with sliced apples would count as a meal. Milk is not a requirement. Students may have two fruits and two vegetables as part of their free meal.
Allergies
Parents of students who have a medical necessity for variations to the meal requirements are encouraged to have their student's medical provider complete and return the
Medical Plan of Care for School Food Service to your school's office.
Physical Activity and Nutrition Advisory Council Seeks Members
The District’s Physical Activity and Nutrition Advisory Council (PANAC) serves as an advisory committee regarding student health issues, periodically reviewing and recommending changes to the District’s Student Physical Activity and Nutrition Policy. PANAC also serves as a Food Services Advisory Council providing students, parents/guardians, and staff the opportunity to provide feedback on the District’s Food Services Program.
PANAC continues currently looking for students, parents, and staff who may be interested in participating on the council this year. This year's remaining meetings are scheduled at 3:30 PM on 2/9/22 and 2:00 PM 4/20/22 at the Administration Center for Education. Each building is encouraged to have a staff member, a parent, and/or a student participate. Please contact Dr. Argot
[email protected] if you are interested in volunteering.
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), helps families cover the cost of breakfasts and lunches their children would have been eligible to receive for free or at reduced price through the National School Lunch Program last school year. The P-EBT program was re-authorized last year to cover the entire 2020-21 school year and has been approved for Pennsylvania by the USDA. Families who are eligible for this program should not need to do anything. The state issued new payments starting last spring on a rolling basis. This information and more can be found on the state’s
website.
Here is a short FAQ with Guidance and Resources for P-EBT questions.
Q: How can families check card balances?
Q: How can a family request a replacement card due to a lost or damaged card?
A: Parent should complete the P-EBT Inquiry Form at https://www.emergencymealsurvey.com/
Q: Who can assist parents that are having issues with the card’s PIN?
Q: Where does one obtain additional information on P-EBT (How much will the household
receive, information for pinning P-EBT cards, and much more)?
Student Meal Accounts
Meals this year are free. So, if your child has funds in their student meal account, that money may be used to purchase a la carte items when they are available. If a positive balance remains in June for students in grades K-11, we will automatically carry those funds over to next school year. Refunds from student meal accounts will be granted when a student graduates, leaves the District, or a special circumstance necessitates. In order to request a refund, the completed refund request
form must be returned to the food service office (PO Box 803, New Cumberland, PA 17070) by June 20.