F.C. Schools Apply for National Award For Model ‘Healthy Meals’ Program

The City of Falls Church’s School Board announced today it has submitted the Falls Church system’s “Access to Healthy Meals” program for consideration to receive a Magna Award from the National School Boards Association. “Falls Church stands as a national leader in providing healthy meals every day to our students, regardless of their economic situation,” stated School Board Chair Jane Wodiska “We believe our program could serve as a model for school districts, demonstrating the strength of a united community and the importance and impact of healthy eating.”

Beginning in 2006, the Falls Church program began with regulating vending machines on campuses to improve nutritional quality. In 2008, the School Board adopted a free lunch program to every student eligible for reduced-price meals. By allowing for confidentiality, the number of reduced price meals offered increased by 49 percent between 2007 and 2010, with an overall increase in the number of such meals by 33 percent.

The Falls Church Schools’ “Access to Healthy Meals” program includes the following: elimination of all fried foods, use of whole grains, salad bars at the high school, making 75 percent of all meals in elementary schools made from scratch, ensuring that 95 percent of fruits and vegetables are fresh, providing “to go” meals for student athletes according to coach specifications, establishing partnerships with area culinary schools to test foods, demonstrate cooking and promote wellness, conducting poster and video contests and student cooking competitions, identifying vendors that meet policy expectations, identifying safe walking routes to schools, and integrating physical education and health curricula into the overall effort.

 

Recent News

House Democrats Seek Immediate Termination of DOGE's Unauthorized Use of AI Systems, Call Out Security Risks and Potential Criminal Liability

House Democrats Seek Immediate Termination of DOGE's Unauthorized Use of AI Systems, Call Out Security Risks and Potential Criminal Liability

April 17, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Mike Levin (D-CA), and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) were joined by 45 additional…
Our Man In Arlington 4-17-2025

Our Man In Arlington 4-17-2025

National Volunteer Week runs from April 20 to April 26 this year, which provides an opportunity to celebrate the importance of the role of volunteers in our community. Let me highlight one story, which seems simple on its face: it starts…
Beyer Warns of Trump Policy Impacts on Region, U.S. & World

Beyer Warns of Trump Policy Impacts on Region, U.S. & World

U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., came before the group that he was president of 45 years ago as a…
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
On Key

Stories that may interest you

Our Man In Arlington 4-17-2025

National Volunteer Week runs from April 20 to April 26 this year, which provides an opportunity to celebrate the importance of the role of volunteers in our community. Let me highlight one story, which seems simple on its face: it starts with a high school student who volunteered with a reading

A Penny for Your Thoughts 4-17-2025

Donald Trump finally told the truth! In one of his rambling “lectures” – you know, the kind where he starts out focused on the topic and ends up terming Joe

Support Local News!

For Information on Advertising:

Legitimate news organizations need grass roots support like never before, and that includes your Falls Church News-Press. For more than 33 years, your News-Press has kept its readers informed and enlightened. We can’t continue without the support of our readers. This means YOU! Please step up in these challenging times to support the news source you are reading right now!