MCSD Students Can Now “Spice Up” Their Meals
Students in the Merced City School District are enjoying a new addition to their cafeterias. All four middle schools (Cruickshank, Hoover, Rivera, and Tenaya) have added “flavor stations” where students can shake a variety of spices onto their food. All of the district’s 14 elementary schools will also have their own flavor stations by the end of September.
The current options are: cinnamon sugar, low-sodium Tajin, salt-free lemon pepper, and garlic jalapeno. MCSD will introduce different flavors throughout the year to expand the selections and provide ethnically diverse choices. Students will have a chance to vote on their favorites.
These stations are a way to add more flavor to school meals while still meeting strict nutrition guidelines. In 2010, the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act was signed into law. In 2012, as required by this legislation, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a final rule to overhaul the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs and promote the health of America’s schoolchildren. It increased the availability of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy while also requiring less sugar, no trans fats, and grade-specific limits on calories and sodium. While these changes were made to support good nutrition, they have made it more challenging for districts to provide meals that are appealing to children. That’s why MCSD is getting creative.
MCSD Nutrition Services Supervisor Mary Williams says, “Our flavor stations are an area where students can self-select low-to-no sodium spices and sauces to add pizzazz to their food. Students love having the ability to personalize their meals, and the stations also actively encourage them to eat more fruits and vegetables.”
The Merced City School District serves an average of 8,000 lunches, 4,600 breakfasts, and 1,100 after school “Super Snacks” each day. Breakfast is free for all children and always includes fresh fruit. Lunch options always include fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and the company that provides all of the district’s produce uses dozens of Central Valley farms.
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The Merced City School District is getting ready to launch a new electronic flyer communication tool called “Peachjar” on September 27. Digital flyers will be sent via email to parents/guardians, and they can also be viewed by clicking the Peachjar button that will be added to each school’s website.
This “green” initiative can save our schools tons of paper and reduce copy costs by thousands of dollars. On top of that, posting school flyers in this “electronic backpack” will make it easier for parents to find them at any time so they can stay updated on events, programs, and other opportunities for our students.
Information for parents/guardians:
No action is required on your part if your email is currently registered in our Aeries system. If it is not, please make sure to provide your email address to your child's school office staff. You will receive a welcome email from Peachjar that includes a username and password. This is provided to give you the opportunity to manage your account and flyer delivery preferences. You do not need to login to receive or view school digital flyers.
To ensure smooth delivery of this communication, we suggest you add school@peachjar.com to your email contacts. When you receive your first eflyer, be sure to click “always display images.”
This system is used exclusively for distribution of school-approved flyers. Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure parents are well informed about school programs, activities, and events.
Students and staff in the Merced City School District enjoyed celebrating International Literacy Day one day early on September 7. Many dressed up as their favorite book characters, and special guests read to students in several classrooms. The visitors included representatives from UC Merced, Merced College, Merced Police Department, Merced Fire Department, Merced County Sheriff's Office, Merced County Board of Supervisors, Barnes & Noble, and other local businesses as well as current and former MCSD staff members.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped inspire our students to keep reading and to all of the staff members who organized this event!
These are photos of just some of the readers. You can find many more on our MCSD Facebook page.
The MCSD team is looking forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming Back to School Nights! Here is the complete schedule:
All preschool sites will also hold their Back to School Night on Thursday, September 6. Here is a list of the times:
Burbank- 4:30-5:30 pm
Clark- 4:00-5:00 pm
Chenoweth- 4:30-5:30 pm
Franklin- 4:00-5:00 pm
Fremont- 5:00-6:00 pm
Givens- 4:00-5:00 pm
Gracey- 4:00-5:00 pm
Muir- 5:30-6:30 pm
Peterson- 4:00-5:00 pm
Reyes- 4:30-5:30 pm
Rivera- 4:30-5:30 pm
Sheehy- 4:00-5:00 pm
Wright- 6:00-7:00 pm
The Merced City School District is excited to be expanding our "Ask a Scientist or Engineer" nights this year. We have added even more dates and will now hold these events at three different locations. This is a great opportunity for students in 5th through 8th grades to get free help on their science fair projects from local experts.
Please see the flyer below for more details.
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