A Thomas County School System school has earned a new statewide award for excellence in school nutrition.
Thomas County Central High School is among the inaugural class of winners of the School Nutrition Cafeteria of Excellence Award presented by the Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition division. TCCHS is one of only thirteen winners of the Cafeteria of Excellence Award and the only winner named from this region of Georgia.
The award, according to the state, “recognizes school nutrition professionals for exceptional attention to serving quality school meals and providing excellent customer service while maintaining program integrity.”
“The applicant pool for this award was strong, and the application evaluators carefully reviewed each submission. It is an honor to announce that Thomas County Central High School is the recipient of this prestigious award,” State School Nutrition Director Dr. Linette Dodson said. “Thank you for your commitment and dedication to ‘Fueling Georgia’s Future.”
Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams said, “The dedication and hard work of the TCCHS School Nutrition Program team cannot be overstated. They consistently provide excellent service and quality meals to students, fostering a healthy and positive school environment.”
Schools selected for this honor must meet high standards for health inspection scores, quality and variety of menus, use of Georgia Grown produce and ingredients, promotion of school nutrition programs and have high student meal participation. TCCHS sources local foods to serve in the cafeteria throughout the school year.
Along with other Georgia Grown foods, TCCHS proudly serves locally grown blueberries from Burton Brambles in Coolidge, strawberries from Ochlocknee Ridge Farms in Moultrie, and Grassroots Coffee here in Thomasville.
TCCHS scored 100 on both of its health inspections during the past year. In addition, Thomas County Central High School has above average breakfast and lunch participation rates, indicating that students enjoy eating in the cafeteria. The award was formally presented to TCCHS and the other honorees at the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s annual fall luncheon in Macon.
Thomas County Schools Nutrition Director Jeana Smith praised the work for her school nutrition team.
“The school nutrition team at Thomas County Central High School truly deserves recognition as a Cafeteria of Excellence,” Smith said. “The team works hard to keep their kitchen clean, serve quality school meals, and create a welcoming environment for the students at TCCHS. I am so proud of Marie Ragan, our TCCHS cafeteria manager, and her staff for the hard work and dedication they bring day in and day out. This award is truly a reflection of great teamwork.”
The Thomas County School Board and Superintendent Dr.Lisa Williams will recognize the high school’s nutrition team at the school board’s October meeting.
Smith added, “A scroll through the Thomas County School Nutrition Facebook page will give you a glimpse of the great things happening in school nutrition at TCCHS and all Thomas County Schools.”
