Aldine Named Among Top School Districts in Texas Providing Students With Free Meals

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Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney (second in top row, l-r) and the Executive Director of Child Nutrition Services, Susan D’Amico (first in the third row), participate in the Children at Risk School Food Rankings panel on May 9, 2023.

The nonprofit Children at Risk recently released a new statewide ranking of school districts doing an excellent job of providing nutritious meals to students — Aldine ISD came out on top.

According to the list from Children at Risk, Aldine ISD placed first among districts with more than 50,000 students in the state.

“So far this year, we’ve served 3,623,377 breakfasts. We’ve served 6,620,513 lunches, and that doesn’t count all the other things,” said LaTonya Goffey, superintendent of Aldine ISD. “The district also supplies kids with after-school snacks and supper options.

“If a student is hungry, everything else becomes secondary,” said Goffey. “Learning won’t happen, and our carefully crafted mission statements will become meaningless.”

In Texas, 56% of students qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches. In Aldine, 92% of our students are economically disadvantaged, with approximately 85% qualifying for free lunch.

“We live in an area in the state of Texas where the majority of our children come from low-income households and have the potential to be coming from a food-insecure family,” said Bob Sanborn, president, and CEO of Children at Risk. “These free breakfasts and lunches are part of the equation to ensure kids are successful.”

Sanborn says each school district has the same potential for providing top-notch nutrition, and the ones that have seen the most success have proactively sought new options for getting food to kids. Schools are also working to reduce the stigma surrounding receiving free school meals for children who need them.

“School districts like Aldine are trying new things. For example, at a high school level, you’re seeing grab-and-go breakfast in between periods, where kids are grabbing breakfast tacos in the hall in-between classes,” said Sanborn. “At the elementary level, you might see breakfast delivered to the classroom.”

Chief Operations Officer Fred Washington and Executive Director Susan D’Amico lead the Child Nutrition Services Department. D’Amico, executive director of child nutrition services, stated that Aldine ISD serves after-school snacks at all elementary schools and suppers at all secondary campuses. She explained that the district can only do so if the campuses operate an educational program. There are “currently about 55 operating with tutorials or classes.”

The Aldine Child Nutrition Services Department has earned the right to be described as “exemplary.” Last summer, the Texas Association for School Nutrition Department recognized the AISD Child Nutrition Services with the Lifetime Achievement Award for their practices. Staff members work hard to ensure students start every day with a nutritious breakfast, followed by an equally healthy and delicious lunch. This summer, Aldine Child Nutrition Services will again partner with the Texas Department of Agriculture to provide students with healthy, no-cost summer meals so they are nourished over the summer break and ready to return to school in the fall.

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The Aldine child nutrition team also focuses on wellness. It has taken the initiative to educate our students about healthy eating by hosting elementary students in their garden to teach them about fruits and vegetables and how to cook healthy meals, led by our district chef.

Goffney also acknowledges “lunch ladies” as a considerable part of the district’s success. While the child nutrition staff has a few men, most are women. They are on the frontline of filling those bellies to ensure our students learn and are often one of the first faces students see when they enter school every day. They are active participants in students’ school experiences, connecting with our kids and remembering many of their names.

“They make our students feel special – like someone sees and cares about them. Kids deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. The relationship between cafeteria staff and students is very important. We want them to have positive experiences at all levels in our schools, and each cafeteria staff member contributes to these positive experiences every single day.”

Goffney also thanked our partners at Children at Risk for serving alongside AISD as advocates for children to provide them with a better quality of life, beginning with nutrition.

Visit AldineCafe.org for more information about the district’s Child Nutrition Services Department.