Alamo Heights ISD clarifies nutrition guidelines, keeps high school off federal meal program

Alamo Heights ISD staff told parent advisory members on Feb. 1 that the district will finalize clarified nutrition guidelines for classrooms and extracurricular fundraisers and confirmed the new high school cafeteria remains outside the federal school lunch program to allow a different retail menu.

The presenter said the district’s School Health Advisory Council must provide input on cafeteria menus under federal program rules and distributed a short questionnaire for parents to complete as part of that required review. The presenter described the exercise as a compliance step tied to the district’s National School Lunch Program participation at some campuses.

Officials said the district previously chose to come off the federal meal program for the high school when the new cafeteria was built, allowing the campus to offer items outside the stricter federal meal requirements. The district said the high school’s “Mule Stall” and other retail options are intentionally broader to encourage students to use the cafeteria and to provide offerings that align with student preferences.

The presentation also described a proposed rewrite of existing classroom and fundraising rules to provide clearer language for teachers and new administrators; presenters said the revisions do not relax current standards and are intended to remove ambiguity about how to apply the guidelines at the high school level. The presenter noted the state’s historical rules on foods of minimal nutritional value and said the district chose to retain many local limits even when state guidance loosened.

Staff explained the state and federal rules allow a limited number of fundraisers that do not meet the meal pattern (commonly called "six exception days"). Those exceptions remain limited in number and are intended for occasional fundraising rather than ongoing sales, the presenter said. The district also noted that when student groups sell snacks for fundraisers, the food service department works with groups to ensure items meet nutrition guidelines where required.

The presenter invited parents to complete the brief advisory questionnaire, which can be submitted anonymously, and said the district will compile parent and student advisory council feedback for the food services team.

Ending — District staff said the clarified guidelines are intended to make routine decisions clearer for teachers and new administrators, preserve the high school cafeteria’s alternative menu model and comply with federal and state nutrition rules while continuing limited fundraising exceptions.