School Nutrition

Whitney Thornton, School Nutrition Director

Nutrition Information

We know that well fed children are able to focus in class and ultimately perform better in school –“You cannot teach a hungry child” is the age old saying!

Remember! Encourage your child to receive a breakfast and a lunch meal this year!

Crockett County Schools cafeterias offer:

Lower salt and fat recipes
Steams vegetables
100% whole wheat and grain items
Rainbow of fresh fruit and vegetables daily
Butter replacement (no transfat items)
Choice of fresh salads
Choice of sandwiches
Hot entree daily
Healthy snack program that meets the State and Federal guidelines

The Director of Food Services & Nutrition assumes leadership in improving the nutrition program within the school system following standards developed by federal, state, and local agencies. Her office is responsible for training and supervising lunchroom personnel as they plan, prepare, and serve breakfast and lunch each school day. In addition, the director plans the menus and supervises the purchasing of all foods and food service equipment that will ensure an efficiently operating cafeteria program.

The director's office prepares and submits an annual budget that includes food and equipment purchases that meet or exceed local, state, and federal guidelines. This department oversees the Free & Reduced Meal Program, Summer Feeding, and the After-School snacks program The school nutrition program is a federally operated program and is self-sufficient with meal prices covering the cost to operate the program.

Whitney Thornton, MS, RD, LDN, Director of Nutrition. Phone: 731-696-2116

Healthy Diet Eating Food Nutrition - Transparent Nutrition Clip ...

Cafeteria Managers, under the direction of the Director of Nutrition, are expected to operate a food service program in an effective and efficient manner. If you ever have a question about your cafeteria, you can talk with the School cafeteria Manager or the Nutrition Director.

Darlene Baker, Crockett County High School Manager. Phone: 731.696.4525
Sandy Laws, Crockett County Middle School Manager. Phone: 731-696-5583
Linda Lipford, Friendship Elementary Manager. Phone. 731-677-2718
Charlotte Crocker, Gadsden Elementary Manager. Phone: 731-663-2453
Keri Perez, Maury City Elementary Manager. Phone: 731-656-2244

School Cafe

SchoolCafe - Online Meal Payment System

Parents have the ability to pay online and manage their child’s account, including spending history, low-balance notification, and spending limit settings. There is no fee to enroll or to view cafeteria account balances/statements. A $2.25 convenience fee is charged for each online payment made via www.schoolcafe.com. Fees can be avoided by sending payment (cash or checks made payable to your schools cafeteria) to the school to be deposited in the student’s account.

For those who are unable to access www.schoolcafe.com, balance inquiries and account statements are available by contacting Whitney Thornton at whitney.thornton@crockettcavs.net or calling 731-696-2116.

SchoolCafe- Online Free and Reduced Meal Applications

Our preferred method of application is via this online process, but if you still require a paper application, please contact the cafeteria manager, child nutrition office, or school office for a paper application.

Applications may take up to 5 business days to be reviewed, but experience tells us that most applications are reviewed within 2 business days. A letter will be sent home with your child confirming the determination status of your application. You may check in School Café to check for your application status.

Wellness

A local school wellness policy is a written document of official policies that guide a local educational agency (LEA) or school district’s efforts to establish a school environment that promotes students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.

The Local School Wellness Policy requirement was established by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, and further strengthened by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. It requires each local LEA participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program to develop a local school wellness policy that promotes the health of students and addresses the growing problem of childhood obesity. The responsibility for developing a local school wellness policy is placed at the local level so the unique needs of each school under the jurisdiction of the LEA can be addressed. (***Taken from https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/local-school-wellness-policy)

If you would like to be involved with the Crockett County School District's Wellness Policy and/or committee, please contact Misty Bailey, Coordinated School Health Director at 731-696-2604.

FFVP

FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM

One of our elementary schools received a very generous USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Grant. We are very proud that Friendship Elementary was chosen for this grant and students will be able to learn about and taste a variety of new fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the 2025-26 school year.

The goals of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) are to:

Create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices.
Expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience.
Increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption.
Make a difference in children's diets to impact their present and future health

2025-2026 Friendship Elementary FFVP Letter

FFVP Parent Letter- August 2025

*The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program encourages consumption of fruits and vegetables by making fruit and vegetable snacks available at no cost to all children in participating schools. The Nutrition Programs Title of the 2002 Farm Act provided $6 million for USDA to award to schools through a Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program (FVPP) for the 2002-03 school year. The program has since become a permanent program that was expanded to cover selected schools in all 50 States, as part of the 2008 Farm Bill.

**Copied from USDA website

Summer Feeding

All Crockett County Schools will continue to receive breakfast and lunch at not cost for the 2025-2026 school year due to all schools qualifying to participate in the Community Eligibility Program (CEP).

Payments to student's accounts for a la cart sales can be made in the child's school cafeteria or can also be made online at www.schoolcafe.com/crockettcs.

Crockett County School Nutrition remains committed to providing safe, healthy, and enjoyable meals to our students. We thank you for the support that you have given to us over the last several years, and we look forward to continuing to do what we love most- feeding our children!

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Civil Rights Complaints

The Crockett County Schools Nutrition Program’s vision is to serve nutritious meals at breakfast and lunch, keeping our students healthy and ready to learn.

Documents

If your child needs a dietary modification please click on link below to print. Please complete form by a licensed medical professional and submit to the cafeteria manager at your child's school.

Mornings can be really crazy…the alarm doesn’t go off…the kids don’t want to get up…there’s no time to eat breakfast before the bus comes…or they’re just not ready to eat. Or maybe your teenager grabs a can of soda and a candy bar on the way to school. If this sounds like your house, we have good news for you.

Breakfast is served at school! School breakfast will energize your child’s day and provide them with a healthy start. A nutritious breakfast helps students be more alert so they can learn more in class, and has plenty of vitamins and nutrients for a strong and healthy body.

Breakfast at school is affordable, too. Did you know that all Crockett County School District school offer FREE breakfast to ALL students! You can’t find a healthy breakfast at such a low cost anywhere else.

So help your child start the day right with school breakfast!

Harvest of the Month:

January- Honey
February- Leafy Greens
March- Herbs
April- Asparagus
May- Strawberries
June- Blueberries & Blackberries
July- Tomato
August-Watermelon
September- Apple
October- Pumpkins
November- Sweet Potatoes
December- Winter Greens

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School Nutrition

Whitney Thornton, School Nutrition Director

Breakfast & Lunch Menus

Nutrition Information