The Watson Institute is committed to providing students with an enriching and nourishing environment in which to learn. When students are well-fed, learning and growth can occur.
At the Education Centers in Sewickley and Bridgeville, and Friendship Academy, school lunch and breakfast programs are integral to supporting students by providing nourishing meals.
Lunch Program Guidelines
Your child is welcome to purchase or bring lunch with them to school. If your child chooses to buy a drink to accompany their packed lunch, white or chocolate milk, and fruit juices are available to purchase. Students who bring food to school must send any heated food in a thermos. We are unable to heat student foods for safety reasons.
At this time, the Watson Institute programs participate in the National School Lunch Program and are able to provide a free grab-and-go breakfast and free lunch to all students.
A menu will be provided by your child’s teacher and can also be requested from the office. The menu will show a main entree and an alternate entree each day. You and your child should select one entree per day. We offer a gluten-free choice if the student has a medical need for one. A form, which our office can provide, will need to be signed by your child’s doctor.
Free or reduced lunch applications are available beginning July 1st of the new school year. Parents may request a hard copy if needed, but all are encouraged to apply online via School Cafe.
If you choose to purchase a lunch for your child, a menu for the month’s lunch options is sent home before the beginning of each month. The menu will show a main entree and an alternate entree each day. You and your child should select one entree per day. We offer a gluten-free choice if the student has a medical need for one. A form, which our office can provide, will need to be signed by your child’s doctor.
Students who bring food to school must send the heated food in a thermos. We are unable to heat student foods for safety reasons.
The Watson Institute is a nut-free facility. Many of the students have severe peanut and other nut allergies, so there is a potential for serious medical consequences if they are exposed to or have contact with nut products.
Please avoid bringing nuts or nut products (peanut butter, almond milk, etc.) into the school. Parents who pack their child’s meals and snacks must send food to the school ready to be served. It must come cut up, pureed, and/or mixed together as necessary for your child.
The Watson Institute’s Education Center Sewickley, Education Center South, and Friendship Academy offer free breakfast at school every day for all students. Studies show the importance of a healthy breakfast for children.
Summer Food Programs
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is funded by the USDA and was established in 1968 to respond to growing research that correlated a child’s nutrition with academic success and concerns about the lack of nutrition resources for children during the summer months.
Nutritious meals are available for children and teens 18 years old and younger at many locations throughout the nation throughout the summer while school is out of session.
Schools or families may use any of the following methods to locate sites that serve free meals to children during the summer:
- Call 211
- Call 1-866-3HUNGRY or 1-877-8HAMBRE
- Text “Food” or “Comida” to 877877 during the summer months
- Text “Summer Meals” or “Verano” to 97779
- Search for Summer Meals online at the USDA
- Use the Range App site locator
- Access the Summer EBT / Sun Bucks Food Program & Sun Bucks Youth Program
- Community Food Bank Drive-Up Locations
- Find a Community Food Bank Summer Program in your area
- Find a Summer Youth Cafe in your area for children ages 18 and under
Food Assistance is also available by County. For Allegheny County, access the Pittsburgh CitiParks Food Program or the Allegheny County Food Assistance program.
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
(1) Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
(2) Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: [email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.