ARPS Food Services has New Director and New Website

The PGO would like to thank Mr. Ryan Harb for presenting at the Coffee on Friday, October 27th. Mr. Harb, the new Director of Food Services for Amherst Regional Public Schools, spoke about the district’s new in-house food services and answered multiple questions from parents. The switch to an in-house program provides much more flexibility and there are many exciting changes in the works. Students at ARHS and ARMS have been enjoying weekly visits from Chef Sam including samples of future menu items. Chef Sam will be visiting some elementary schools soon.

Mr. Harb has established a new website dedicated to the food served in the schools and even blogs about the latest develpments. Read about the science initiatives that led to Garden Soup Day here. Get the latest menus, pay for My School Bucks, stay up to date, or simply admire the beautiful food photography at http://www.amherstfood.com/.

Fort River Garden Soup Day on October 26

This Thursday, October 26th, the Fort River cafeteria will be serving vegetable soup made with the veggies that students harvested from our very own Fort River School garden a few weeks ago. All students will have the opportunity to taste the soup, as this is an important part of the learning cycle for them--to eat the produce that they planted, tended, and harvested. Fort River's kitchen staff will prepare small taster cups of soup for students that day. As always, no student is required to try the soup.

We need volunteers to get the trays of taster cups from the kitchen staff and to walk around the cafeteria, offering/encouraging students to give the soup a try. The volunteers will also be responsible for ensuring that used taster cups make their way to the trash bins.

Click http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/vwwIeUGeTzY to sign up for a shift or email Stacey Beganny at stacey.fortriver@gmail.com if you have any questions! Thanks, and don't forget that you must have CORI certification to volunteer at school.

ARPS Forming Food Services Visioning Group - Looking for Parent & Community Participants

ARPS is seeking a couple of parents from each school to serve on a Food Services Visioning Group. The group will begin meeting this summer. See details and contact information below.

From the ARPS Finance Director, Sean Mangano

March 31st, 2016

Good afternoon,

Food services are more complex than ever with various trends/movements rising to the surface: organic, buying local, nutritional standards, GMOs, service delivery... The district is forming a visioning group to identify goals and priorities and set a clear direction for the food service program. 

The group will include parents, School Committee members, community members, Wellness Committee members, and teachers.

I envision four or five meetings during the summer and fall with a recommendation to school committee in the winter.

Please email me if you would like to participate.
Thank You.
Sean Mangano
manganos@arps.org