The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has recognized several Carroll County Schools for reaching a high level of student participation in the School Nutrition Program. During the 2011-2012 school year 74.4 percent of students in attendance in Georgia schools ate lunch each day and 36.2 percent ate breakfast. This participation is amongst the highest in the nation. Schools that earned this distinction generally share two common characteristics: (1) administrators, faculty, and staff who support and participate in the program and who see the program as enhancing the learning process; and (2) many of these schools offer a wide variety of menu choices daily, allowing students a greater opportunity to select a nutritionally complete meal that they enjoy.

The following Carroll County Schools were awarded a certificate of accomplishment from GaDOE to
acknowledge the school’s success:

Bowdon Elementary School 86% lunch
Bowdon Middle School 46% breakfast and 93% lunch
Bowdon High School 73% lunch
Mt. Zion Elementary School 86% lunch
Mt. Zion Middle School 49% breakfast and 90% lunch
Mt. Zion High School 49% breakfast and 81% lunch
Sharp Creek Elementary School 85% lunch
Temple Elementary School 87% lunch
Temple Middle School 92% lunch
Temple High School 36% breakfast and 81% lunch
Villa Rica Elementary School 85% lunch
Villa Rica Middle School 91% lunch
Villa Rica High School 80% lunch
Whitesburg Elementary School 60% breakfast

“We are very proud of the fact 14 of our 23 schools had a high participation in their school nutrition programs. It is our goal to continue to increase our numbers and to reach this same plateau in all ourschools,” said Bridgett Cross, Director of School Nutrition. “We believe implementing the Offer Versus Serve in our elementary schools will create a desire in more students of this age group to eat a school meal each day. We strive very hard to offer students nutritious meal choices everyday.”