Nutrition Services Department

4550 Florence Dr ● Loveland, CO 80538 ● Office (970) 679-9500● Kitchen (970) 679-9508

Welcome Back Ponderosa Pandas

To Ponderosa Kitchen

To Staff, Parents and Students,

Welcome Back!!!!! Miss Pam and I are very excited to start a new year. Our goal is to serve our students and staff a great product. We are a Production Kitchen which means all the food is cooked and prepared on site.

The Nutritional Services Department wants to provide your student with a variety of healthy entrées for breakfast and lunch. We have at least 5 different entrée options for lunch including salads and 5 different options for breakfast for students to choose from.

We currently have 1 dietitian and a Chef Coordinator on staff for the Nutrition Services Dept, who is working to create the most nutritious meals for our students. We have been and are continuing to be in compliance with the governments regulations regarding the obesity factor. Our district has removed all deep fryers from the kitchens. Our menus consist of food with whole grains, no Trans-fat. Fresh fruit and vegetables are served on a daily basis and our milk is a heart healthy skim or 1 % from local Colorado dairies. We have made our fruit and vegetable portion sizes larger and have cut back on our fats, and starches and desserts. If you would like to view our menu contents you can find it online at TSD website.

2015 - 2016 / BREAKFAST PRICES / LUNCH PRICES
Elementary Student / $1.50 / $2.75
Reduced Grades pre K-5 / FREE / FREE
Reduced Grades 6-12 / FREE / $0.40
Secondary Student / $1.75 / $3.00
Adult w/o milk / $2.35 / $3.35
Adult with Milk / $2.95 / $3.95

*Breakfast for children who are not enrolled in R2J is $2.95 w/ milk

*Lunch for children who are not enrolled in R2J is $3.95 w/ milk

Milk or small bottles of water are included in all meals

Ala Carte:

Milk: $.60 Ala Carte Water: $.25 - $.50 Fresh Fruit: $.75 Canned Fruit: $.75

***Items can be taken out of students accounts.

***Ala Carte Items are not included in the Free or Reduced program, so students must either put money in their account or pay cash for Ala Carte items.

Your student will have one account for breakfast and lunch. You can write a check or send cash daily, weekly or monthly. (Please put money into an envelope with the student’s first and last name on the front with their homeroom and ID number on it). Credit cards are not accepted at the school; however you are welcome to set up an online account at www.myschoolbucks.com which can be paid by credit card. This is a great way to keep track of what your student is eating and spending. You may also put a spending limit on there account or put a stop to buying Ala Carte items. To set up an account you will need your student’s ID # which you can obtain from either the school office or the kitchen.

This makes it easy for parents to use a charge card. There is a small fee for making deposits to the account, but to view it is free. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 970-679-9508

When your student is low or charging in his or her account:

§  We tell them verbally that their funds are getting low

§  In order to better communicate if funds are needed, we have a new system in place if your child is charging

o  On Sunday’s and Wednesday’s, you should receive a phone call from our automated computer telling you if your student is charging. This will eliminate the negative balance letters going home.

§  Our computer has a limit of $5.50 for charging.

o  At this time, your student will receive a basic sandwich and water for only 2 days.

o  After 2 days, the student must provide a lunch from home.

Free and Reduced applications are always available online at www.applyforschoollunch.com. USDA requires applicants to fill out new applications the beginning of the school year. Unless you recently received a letter saying you have already qualified for the 2015-2016 school year. YOU MUST fill out another application to be qualified for the 2015-2016 school year. You only need 1 application per household regardless of how many siblings or the different schools.

Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and siblings are welcome to join your students for lunch or breakfast. Please call the kitchen at 679-9508 before 9:00 am in the morning to let us know that you will be joining us so we can plan on enough food. Just bring money at lunch or breakfast. Adults or younger siblings not enrolled in the District do not qualify for the free and reduced program.

We do offer milk and bottled water and fresh fruit as ala carte items. Students may purchase extra milks or bottled water and have it charged to their account. If a student would like a second entrée, or if they would like any of the Ala Carte items, we charge the students account, regardless of qualification status. Ala Carte items such as these are doing not qualify for the Free and Reduced options. They must be paid with cash.

Children who are allergic to milk must have a current note from the parent, explaining why you are requesting a substitute. Please report all food allergies to the school nurse. If your student has a special diet, please inform the school nurse and the kitchen staff A.S.A.P. Please provide a list of the dietary restrictions as well as what they can eat.

It’s going to be a great year. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me.

Hope to see you soon,

Lisa Judkins

Ponderosa Elementary

Kitchen Manager

(970) 679-9508

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement In accordance, with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from, discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. USDA Nondiscrimination Statement to file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights,

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590-9410, or call 800-795-3272 (voice) or 202-720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

"Making the right food choices, together."