Madison County food-service director outlines menu tools, program participation and meal counts

Amy Carmichael, Madison County Schools food service director, presented an update on menu tools and program participation in the district's school nutrition program. She described new online features that allow parents and nurses to view monthly menus, print menus, use a "build a meal" function that reports carbohydrate/fat/calorie counts, filter menu items by allergens, and select dietary preferences and language versions.

Carmichael said the district remains a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) district for two more years, which provides breakfast and lunch at no cost to enrolled students; she urged parents to complete household income forms so the district can sustain and increase participation. The district also participates in USDA-guided National School Lunch Program requirements, the CACFP after-school dinner/snack program (optional at the school level), and summer feeding programs open to any Madison County resident.

Carmichael reported meal counts for the current school year: about 329,201 breakfasts and 528,839 lunches served since August, and summer feeding totals of 12,657 breakfasts, 15,096 lunches and 2,775 suppers. She said the district is working to increase participation in the after-school dinner program (3,731 January-May; 3,201 August-November) and highlighted a backpack program that distributes approximately 5,000 food packs per month. A board member noted positive recognition from Kentucky officials about the district's farm-to-school efforts.

Board members thanked Carmichael for the presentation; questions clarified eligibility for after-school dinner service (must be enrolled and on campus during the educational program) and that participation for non-educational extracurricular groups (e.g., sports) is allowed where school chooses to participate.