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Golden Radish Award

TCCHS receives Cafeteria Award of Excellence

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.” As part of the nomination process, the award committee requested a letter of support for the cafeteria from a school or district-level administrator or a community partner that describes how the school’s cafeteria team provides exceptional customer service and student engagement. 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.”

“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.”

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 student meal program 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 Ochlockonee Ridge Farms in Moultrie, and Grassroots Coffee from right here in Thomasville. According to the Thomas County School Nutrition office, TCCHS scored 100 on both of their health inspections during the past year. On top of all this, 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 of her school nutrition team. “The school nutrition team at Thomas County Central High School truly deserves recognition as a Cafeteria of Excellence. 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.” Way to go TCCHS.

Local Food For Schools

Thomas County is proud to participate in the Local Food for Schools Pilot Program to offer more Georgia Grown foods to our students. To learn more about the Local Food for Schools Program click here. If you are a local farmer interested in participating in the Local Food for Schools program, please email or call Jeana Smith (School Nutrition Director) at jeana.smith@tcjackets.net or 229-584-9154. 

Notice for Language and Disability Assistance and Non-Discrimination for the School Nutrition Program

If you have difficulty communicating with us or understanding this information because you do not speak English or have a disability, please let us know. Contact Director of School Nutrition, Dr. Lauren Duplantis, at Thomas County Board of Education, 200 North Pinetree Blvd. Thomasville, GA or by phone at 299-225-4380.  Free language assistance or other aids and services are available upon request.

Nondiscrimination Statement:

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

​​1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. email:

    program.intake@usda.gov​

​​This institution is an equal opportunity provider.​​