Newport News Public Schools awarded for student meal service
Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) has been named a winner of the 2019 Dorothy S. McAuliffe School Nutrition Award, presented by No Kid Hungry Virginia, for expanding meal service and ensuring students have the nutrition needed to fuel their bodies and minds.
The award celebrates Virginia school divisions that have gone above and beyond by operating all available federal child nutrition programs and achieving exceptional participation in the school breakfast program. Originally launched in 2017, the award is named in honor of former First Lady of Virginia Dorothy McAuliffe, in recognition of her efforts to end childhood hunger in the Commonwealth.
Newport News Public Schools’ Child Nutrition Services Department serves a nutritious breakfast and lunch to all students free of charge through a special provision of the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program. The department also serves after-school meals or snacks for after-school program participants and athletes; and during the summer, three meals are served to students in SPARK and other programs, with free lunch provided for youth at sites throughout the city. Thirteen elementary schools were awarded a fresh fruit and vegetable grant. Students at these schools receive fresh fruit and vegetables every day as a snack to encourage healthy eating.
“Virginia has become a national model for ending childhood hunger because of the hard work and innovative approaches of this year’s School Nutrition Award recipients,” said Mrs. McAuliffe. “We’re thrilled to celebrate these school districts for their ongoing commitment to making sure students can access the meals and other resources they need to succeed.”
Only 15 school divisions in the state earned this recognition for 2019, and Newport News Public Schools was the only division on the Virginia Peninsula to earn this award.
NNPS recognized for award-winning budget
Newport News Public Schools has earned an award for financial management practices and transparency from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO). The Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) was presented to the school division for excellence in preparation, presentation and distribution for the 2019–2020 budget document. The MBA promotes and recognizes excellence in school budget presentation and is conferred only to school districts whose budgets have undergone a rigorous review by financial professionals and have met or exceeded the program’s stringent criteria.
“Districts that apply to the MBA or Pathway to the MBA programs recognize the importance of presenting a quality, easy-to-understand budget internally and to the community,” ASBO International Executive Director David J. Lewis said. “Participating in the MBA and Pathway programs provides districts with important tools and resources they need to communicate the district’s goals and objectives clearly and illustrates their commitment to adhering to nationally recognized budget presentation standards.”
This is the 10th consecutive year that the school division has earned this award.
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