Character Education: Students enjoyed Subway lunch with Mrs. Mattson.

During the month of October, CTA focused on the character trait: RESPONSIBILITY. K-5th grade students received responsibility cards when they were caught being responsible. Each student that received a card, placed the card in an envelope and 6 students were randomly chosen to have a special lunch with the Principal, Mrs. Mattson! Congrats t o all our Chargers that were caught being RESPONSIBLE!

Elementary Breakfast—$1.40

Elementary Lunch—$2.35

Secondary Breakfast – $1.50

Secondary Lunch—$2.85 – $3.00

Milk—$.50

Online deposits are available through www.sendmoneytoschool.com where you will have the convenience of checking meal account balances, making deposits into those accounts and eventually depositing money into other department accounts.

We also offer the convenience of applying for the USDA Meal Program at www.lunchapp.com.  Forms are also available in the building offices.  If you have any questions, please contact Holly Haywood @ 616-696-0372 or e-mail Holly.Haywood@csredhawks.org.

Healthy food to fuel your summer. FREE!

Served at Red Hawk Elementary Monday through Thursday June 12—August 17

Breakfast Served: 8:00 am to 9:00 am

Lunch Served: 11:00 am to 12:45 pm

If you have any questions, please contact Holly Haywood, Director of Food Services 616-696-0372 or foodservice@csredhawks.org

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

(Family Features) Keeping lunch ideas inventive and exciting can become challenging over time. Lunchbox envy may start in grade school, but when you open yet another uninspired sack lunch, you may find yourself wishing you could trade with a friend or co-worker, if only for the change of pace.

Whether you’re packing lunch for the kids or looking for ways to boost the grownup lunches in your family, these ideas will help pull you out of your lunchtime rut.

Customized carrier: Get a customized lunch box that will make you and your kids excited about lunch. Add a monogram, showcase a favorite color or pick a favorite character or hobby to personalize your pack. Features like bento boxes and cooler compartments add a practical touch to the fun.

Menu collaboration: Talk to your kids about what they want to eat and come up with menus together. Involving them in the process helps them feel empowered and may give you some ideas to liven up your own routine.

Tasty treats: Kids and adults alike can appreciate new ways to enjoy their favorite flavors. For example, Dole Mixations are a one-of-a-kind fruit fusion that’s a simple and delicious twist on two snack time favorites: applesauce cups and cups of fruit. Available in four satisfying varieties, each serving includes a combination of smooth fruit sauce with juicy chunks of real fruit that kids and adults of all ages will love.

Words of encouragement: Whether you’re packing a lunch for your little loves or your big one, include a note or message that’s sure to bring a smile at lunch. Look for fun, inventive packaging features that you can customize with personal messages for a fun lunch-time surprise. You can also add a pen to your youngsters’ lunch boxes and encourage them to express their own creativity on the lid before they dive into the delicious fruit fusion.

Pack a punch: Balance basics like sandwiches with fruit and crunchy veggies to ensure the meal has a healthy, fulfilling variety to keep energy up throughout the day. An option such as Dole Mixations is an enjoyable mix to brighten any meal. They contain non-GMO fruit, no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors. Plus, they are naturally gluten free and rich in vitamin C.

Find more ideas to wipe out lunchtime boredom at dolesunshine.com.

Campus Directory

for a complete staff directory, please visit www.csredhawks.org

High School 696-1200

New Beginnings Alt. HS 696-1203

Middle School696-9100

District Office 696-1204

Red Hawk Elementary 696-7330

Transportation 696-1450

Cedar View Elementary696-9102

Campus Kids 696-1716

Beach Elementary696-0350

Food Service 696-0372

Cedar Trails Elementary 696-9884

Grades K-12 Start and Dismissal Times

Building/Program Start Dismissal

New Beginnings 7:22 2:22

High School 7:37 2:32

Middle School 7:25 2:20

Red Hawk 7:27 2:22

Cedar View 8:40 3:31

Beach 8:40 3:31

Cedar Trails 8:40 3:31

R1TS 7:37 2:32

Preschool program information is available by contacting Cedar Trails Elementary (616) 696-9884

2016 – 2017 Food Service Information

Elementary Breakfast—$1.40 Elementary Lunch—$2.35

Secondary Breakfast – $1.50 Secondary Lunch—$2.85 – $3.00         Milk—$.50

Online deposits are available through www.sendmoneytoschool.com where you will have the convenience of checking meal account balances, making deposits into those accounts and eventually depositing money into other department accounts.

We also offer the convenience of applying for the USDA Meal Program at www.lunchapp.com.  Forms are also available in the building offices.

If you have any questions, please contact Holly Haywood @ 616-696-0372 or e-mail Holly.Haywood@csredhawks.org.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

How much sodium is in your child’s lunchbox?

(Family Features) They need to be able to eat it in 20 minutes or less. They need to be able to open and close all of the containers themselves. And it can’t go bad before they eat it. What are we talking about? The lunch your kids take to school each day.

What you put in your child’s lunchbox might matter more than you realize. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a significant amount of sodium in the foods toddlers commonly eat. It’s feared that similar levels of sodium are also found in a number of the foods older kids eat at school every day. As concerns rise about the early onset of high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease, parents may want to re-examine those lunchbox choices.

Why does sodium matter? A 2012 study of children and adolescents found that higher sodium consumption was associated with increased blood pressure. This effect was even greater in overweight and obese participants compared to normal weight participants.

In addition, research suggests that children’s taste for salt develops as they are exposed to it. The less sodium children consume, the less they want it. Children’s taste for salt may be reduced if they are exposed to lower sodium diets at a young age. Eating less sodium can help lower blood pressure during childhood, which can help lower the risk of high blood pressure as an adult.

What’s a parent to do?

Here are some tips to help tackle high sodium in your child’s lunchbox:

—Read food labels and compare the sodium amount in different products, then choose the options with the lowest amounts of sodium. Some varieties of bread can vary from 80 to 230 mg of sodium per slice. That can make a big difference in lunchtime sandwiches.

—Pack fresh fruits and vegetables with lunch every day, like a small bag of baby carrots, snow peas, or grape tomatoes.

—For a healthy snack, make trail mix using unsalted nuts, dried fruits and whole grain cereal.

—When buying prepared meals, look for those with less than 600mg of sodium per serving.

By packing a lower sodium school lunch for your children, you are not only setting them up for success in the classroom, but also in life. With your help, your children can develop healthy, low sodium eating habits that will last throughout their lives and help improve their heart health. For additional information about children and sodium and more tips for parents to help lower their family’s sodium intake, visit www.cdc.gov/salt.

Where’s the sodium?

Understanding sodium in foods can be confusing, especially when food that otherwise seems healthy may have high levels of sodium. Most of the sodium we eat doesn’t come from the salt shaker, but is found in processed and restaurant foods. This chart shows the Top 10 Sodium Sources for children and adolescents. How many of these have made an appearance in your child’s lunchbox?

Make-Your-Own Snack Mix

Get your kids involved in making this healthy snack mix.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Serving size: 1/2 cup snack mix

1 cup toasted oat cereal

1/4 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts (or other unsalted nut)

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Combine all ingredients, and toss well.

Serve immediately, or store for later snacking.

Tip: Put snack mix in individual snack-sized bags for a great grab-and-go snack.

Recipe and photo from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health

Student Breakfast – $1.25
Elementary Lunch – $2.00
Secondary Lunch – $2.50
Milk – $0.40

Online deposits are available through www.sendmoneytoschool.com where you will have the convenience of checking meal account balances, making deposits into those accounts and eventually depositing money into other department accounts.
We also offer the convenience of applying for the USDA Meal Program at www.lunchapp.com.  Forms are also available in the building offices.
If you have questions, please contact Jane Webster at 616-696-0372 or email jane.webster@csredhawks.org

Cedar Springs Public Schools announces the sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program for Children.  Free meals will be made available to children 18 years of age and under or persons up to age 26 who are enrolled in an educational program for the mentally or physically disabled that is recognized by a State or local public educational agency.  The meals will be provided without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.  Meals will be provided at the site listed below:

Red Hawk Elementary School
204 E. Muskegon St, Cedar Springs, MI 49319

Monday through Friday – June 13th to August 24th, 2011

Breakfast served 7:45 to 8:45 • Lunch served 11:00 to 12:30

Cedar Springs Public Schools Campus will be closed July 4th – July 8th 2011

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In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice).  Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).   USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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Is the winter weather making you feel trapped in your home? You now have a reason to get out and socialize with your neighbors. Senior Citizen/Retirees are getting together on the third Thursday of every month for a luncheon through the organization of the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation Department. These luncheons begin in the fall and rotate each month to one of the partner orgnaizations of the department. The department features partnerships with Algoma, Courtland, Nelson and Solon townships, the City of Cedar Springs and the Cedar Springs Public School District.
The February luncheon will take place at the Courtland Township hall on Thursday, February 17th at 11:30am. The cost is only $5 per person and includes a catered lunch and guest speaker. Kevin Pike, funeral director at Bliss-Wittes and Pike Funeral Home, will be the speaker and discussing pre-arranged funerals, cremation and some interesting myths vs. facts. He is an engaging speaker and will be very informative on a varitey of topics.
If you are interested in registering for this program, reservations can be made by calling the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation Department at 616-696-7320. Reservations must be received by the end of the day Monday, February 14th.  For any other questions, please call the department at 616-696-7320 or email director@csaparksandrec.com.