WPUSD Newsroom

June 9 - School Offices Close for Summer

June 12 - August 10: District Office Moves to Summer Hours, M-F 9am-1pm

June 19 - Juneteenth, District Office Closed

July 3 - Independence Day (Observed), District Office Closed

August 10 - District Office Resumes Regular Hours, 7:30am-4pm

August 11 - First Day School Offices are Open for 2026-2027

Western Placer Unified School District is excited to offer free summer meal packages for children 18 and under through our Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meals Program in Sheridan.

Each week, participating children will receive a meal bag containing 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches (14 meals total) to help ensure they have access to nutritious meals throughout the summer. Meals will feature a variety of kid-friendly options, including fresh, locally sourced ingredients, organic ingredients whenever possible, and scratch-made menu items prepared by the WPUSD Nutrition Services team.

Who Can Participate?

• All children 18 and under
• No income requirements
• Children do not need to attend a WPUSD school
• Children do not need to live within WPUSD boundaries

Meal Distribution
📍 Townview Court, Sheridan (cross street: Commercial Place)
📅 Tuesdays, June 16th through August 11th
⏰ 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Weekly menus can be viewed here. Cooking/Heating Instructions can be viewed here.

To help us plan meal quantities and communicate important program updates, families are encouraged to complete our Summer Meals Sign-Up Form.

Please help us spread the word! Share this opportunity with friends, neighbors, and family members who may benefit from free summer meals for their children.

Together, we can help ensure children have access to healthy, nutritious meals all summer long.

Please read the back-to-school newsletter for important information, parent action items and more!

We are thrilled to announce that this fall, our Food and Nutrition Services department is Eat Real certified at the green tier. This achievement demonstrates our unwavering commitment to serving nutritious, fresh and high-quality  meals that support the health and well-being of our students. 

During the certification process, Eat Real evaluated our program against their ten standards, which go well beyond federal and state child nutrition program regulations. These standards assess the nutrition and the sustainability of the food we serve, such as procuring local ingredients, minimizing processing of the foods we serve, and managing food waste. We are proud to have met and exceeded these standards. 

Here are some examples of the impact on student meals:

• Local sourcing: 78% of our fresh produce comes from small to midsize farms (thanks in large part to our partnership with Spork Foodhub), 24% is from local area farmers. 16% of this sourcing is from certified organic producers such as Homegrown and Tomatero. This helps to support sustainable agriculture and provide fresher options for students.
• Minimal Processing: On average, 44% of breakfast and lunch menu components across primary and secondary menus are made using minimally processed ingredients, supporting healthier choices for students. We are proud of the ingredients we use and the effort we put into the Plateful Made dishes, including, but not limited to, Bean and Cheese Nachos, Blueberry Coffee Cake, Grilled Cheese, and Elote Salad.
• Menu Variety - An average of 12 unique entree choices are offered on the primary lunch menus and an average of 17 unique entree choices are offered on the secondary lunch menus across a week, giving students ample opportunities to enjoy nutritious meals.

We are committed to continually improving our nutrition program and providing healthy and delicious meals to our students. Read more about our Eat Real certification and Eat Real’s mission to nourish the future by increasing school kids’ access to the delicious, nutritious, planet-sustaining food they need to thrive. For more information about WPUSD’s Eat Real certification, visit the Eat Real blog.

 

California is making big changes to school meals, and our district is proud to support this direction. CapRadio recently featured our work on NPR, highlighting how the new law will reduce ultra-processed foods. Our efforts at Lincoln Crossing Elementary and across the district show what fresh, scratch-cooked meals can look like. We know there’s more to do, and we’re excited to keep improving food for our students.

Want to see what the future of school food looks like? Read the full article here

January 2026
STATEMENT FOLLOWING CASE DISMISSAL

The Western Placer Unified School District was recently informed that the court has dismissed the District’s case related to TGI's proposed homeless shelter facility on Third Street in Lincoln. 

Although the District’s case has concluded, related legal action brought by the City of Lincoln will continue in part, and we remain supportive of the City as that process moves forward.

At every stage, the District’s involvement in this matter has been guided by a single priority: student safety. Regardless of the outcome of any legal proceedings or the future operation of the facility, the District remains committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students during the school day and as they travel to and from school.

We will continue to work closely with school staff, local partners, and public safety agencies to take appropriate steps to protect students and maintain safe learning environments for our school community.

 

---

JUNE 2025
STATEMENT FOLLOWING TENATIVE RULING

The Western Placer Unified School District remains firmly committed to the safety and wellbeing of the students and families we serve.
Our position, with regard to recent legal action against The Gathering Inn, reflects our legal obligation to maintain a safe and secure learning environment for students and to ensure that any development near our school campuses—especially one of this scale and impact—undergoes proper public review and honors the voices of local stakeholders.

Our concerns are rooted in facts. The Gathering Inn acquired a property within close proximity to several District schools where they intend to operate a medical respite center for unhoused individuals. Without advance notice or engagement with the District, TGI secured a $6.45 million state grant through a process that bypassed critical safeguards for the community. These actions raise serious and well-founded concerns about student safety and procedural integrity.

There is no price tag that justifies compromising the safety of our students. No matter the outcome of this case, we are committed to protecting students not only on campus but also as they travel to and from school each day. We fully intend to hold The Gathering Inn accountable for any actions that may jeopardize that responsibility.

Despite public statements to the contrary, we have yet to experience meaningful transparency or good-faith collaboration from The Gathering Inn. Nonetheless, we will continue to pursue every appropriate avenue to uphold student safety and protect the integrity of our educational mission.

 

---

 

OCTOBER 2024 
WPUSD FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST THE GATHERING INN (TGI)
 

The Western Placer Unified School District has filed a complaint in Placer County Superior Court in response to The Gathering Inn’s (TGI) acquisition of property within close proximity to several District schools, where TGI intends to operate a medical respite center for unhoused individuals. WPUSD takes its responsibility to protect and ensure a safe educational environment for its students, staff, and community with the upmost seriousness. TGI’s failure to engage with the District and community during the planning process for this facility has created a situation the District believes poses imminent safety risks to students and the potential to disrupt school operations. Additionally, the lawsuit names the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) which granted TGI $6.45 million through a Community Care Expansion (CCE) Grant based on a process that bypassed critical safeguards for the community. 

Click here to read the complaint. 

 

 

---

 

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WPUSD Pursues Legal Action Regarding The Gathering Inn Respite Facility

Lincoln, CA, September 6, 2024 — The Western Placer Unified School District (WPUSD) has taken legal action in response to the recent establishment of a medical respite center by The Gathering Inn (TGI) at 1660 Third Street, Lincoln. The facility, intended to house up to 100 individuals experiencing homelessness, is located within 400 yards of Glen Edwards Middle School, 600 yards of First Street Elementary School, and less than a mile from Creekside Oaks Elementary School and Lincoln High School.

WPUSD has significant concerns regarding the proximity of the center to its schools and the potential health and safety risks it poses to students, especially during school hours. The district is also troubled by the lack of communication and transparency from TGI, as the district and City of Lincoln were only made aware of the project location after the property sale was finalized on August 14, 2024.

"WPUSD believes that community engagement and transparency are essential when projects of this nature are proposed near schools. Unfortunately, we were not given any opportunity to provide input or voice our concerns," stated Board President Jason Price. "Our decision to pursue legal action is driven by our responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff."
While WPUSD acknowledges the importance of supporting unhoused individuals in the region, the district emphasizes that its legal action is not a reflection of a lack of compassion. Instead, it represents a commitment to safeguarding students and ensuring transparency in decisions that impact the school community.

Concerns Regarding the Respite Facility:

• Proximity to school campuses
• Increased potential for unsafe situations during school hours
• Lack of transparency and community outreach in the project’s planning

WPUSD reiterates its dedication to the safety of students and staff while remaining committed to upholding transparency in community projects. The district seeks a collaborative approach to ensure all concerns are addressed.

___________________________

Statement for print/download located HERE.

We received close to a 1000 responses in our SY 23-24 Student, Parent and Staff Survey! We appreciate all the feedback and are excited to do even better in SY 24-25. Check out the survey results and our planned changes to address our communities concerns below!

English Here

Spanish Here

Want to learn more about our WPUSD Food Service program and the efforts we are making to improve school food for our students? Check out our video from School Food Pros HERE