FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE N.R. #140, 3/16/00

 Date: March 16, 2000
Contact: Irene Cromer - 703/791-8720
Serena Suthers, Director of Food Services
703/791-7314

Prince William County Public Schools Food Service will receive two Best Practices Awards in a program sponsored by The Mid-Atlantic Region of the Food and Nutrition Service for the United States Department of Agriculture to recognize excellence in school food programs.  The school division will receive a First Place Best Practice Award for Creative Implementation of the School Meals Initiative and a Second Place Award for Increasing Nutrition Awareness.  The awards will be presented to the school division on April 5, 2000 at a 5 p.m. reception.

Robert J. Freiler, USDA Regional Director for Special Nutrition Programs and Barbara Martin, Chief of School Programs for Special Nutrition Programs, will present the awards.  Also in attendance will be Catherine Digilio Grimes, Principal Specialist for School Nutrition Programs of the Virginia Department of Education.

The First Place Award for Creative Implementation of the School Meals Initiative recognizes the school division for the County’s high school menu implemented in the Fall of 1999.  Using an enhanced menu design and improving communications through videos and a new printed menu format have resulted in a marked increase in school lunch participation.  The new menu design featured additional serving lines offering fresh school made pizza and salad bars, in addition to many other popular entrees and side dishes.

 The Second Place Award for Increasing Nutrition Awareness was for the school division’s efforts to acquaint elementary students with the Food Pyramid and the variety of food choices available through school meals.
USDA award categories emphasize the importance of providing quality service to customers and to the community.  They are: Creative Implementation of the School Meals Initiative, Innovative Food Service Practices, Community Involvement, Increasing Nutrition Awareness; and Training and Professional Development.  Schools eligible for these awards would be those in the Mid Atlantic Region which includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.  For more information, contact the Food Services Department at (703) 791-7314.