Centennial School District's dining services received a national recognition for innovating school meals and showcased the award-winning menu items at the board meeting.

Superintendent Owens introduced Director Kim Burns and Nutrition and Wellness Coordinator Piawatsik to present the district's healthy meals incentive recognition from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in partnership with Action for Healthy Kids for "innovation in preparation of school meals." The award recognizes menu items prepared from scratch that use local agricultural products and USDA food to elevate student engagement.

Kim Burns said the chicken shawarma sample served at the meeting came from the knowledge of a staff member and that students already receive these meals in cafeterias. "This is what I had for lunch today," Burns quoted a student as saying when describing the meal's acceptance. Piawatsik described the three dishes that won the award as chicken shawarma, meaty pasta bake (using USDA beef crumbles) and a beef gyro using a sliced beef product from a local producer; she emphasized they are scratch or semi-scratch made in district kitchens.

Burns and Piawatsik said a planned in-person trip tied to the award was converted to a virtual conference because of federal cuts, but the district will still participate in a virtual exchange with other award-winning districts from around the country and share and receive recipes and practices.

The board congratulated the dining services team and noted National School Lunch Week in October, encouraging board members to visit schools during the week to experience meals firsthand.