All 28 St. Mary’s County Public Schools have been recognized with the Gold Star Achievement Awards for their exceptional performance in maintaining superior food safety standards, according to an announcement made by the St. Mary’s County Health Department. The awards are given annually to food service facilities that achieve outstanding levels of safety and hygiene in food handling and preparation.
To qualify for the Gold Star, food service facilities must meet several requirements, including having no critical violations, no temperature violations cited during monitoring inspections, correcting all violations noted by an inspector within 30 days of follow-up inspections, and no confirmed unsafe food handling complaints. Additionally, at least one food service worker must have completed a recognized and approved “Food Service Sanitarian and Safety Class” within the last two years.
The award ceremony for the 2022 Gold Star recipients will take place on April 3, 2023, at the Chesapeake Room in the Chesapeake Building located at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown, Maryland. The ceremony will commence at 3:00 p.m.
The 28 St. Mary’s County Public Schools that received the Gold Star Achievement Awards for 2022 are as follows:
- Banneker Elementary
- Banneker Early Childhood Center
- Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary
- Chesapeake Public Charter School
- Chopticon High
- Dynard Elementary
- Esperanza Middle
- Evergreen Elementary
- Fairlead Academy
- George Washington Carver Elementary
- Great Mills High
- Green Holly Elementary
- Greenview Knolls Elementary
- Hollywood Elementary
- Leonardtown Elementary
- Leonardtown Middle
- Leonardtown High
- Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary
- Lexington Park Elementary
- Margaret Brent Middle
- Mechanicsville Elementary
- Oakville Elementary
- Park Hall Elementary
- Piney Point Elementary
- Ridge Elementary
- Spring Ridge Elementary
- Town Creek Elementary
- White Marsh Elementary
The Gold Star Achievement Awards recognize the schools’ commitment to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and sanitation. By ensuring that food is prepared and served safely, schools can protect the health and well-being of their students and staff. The St. Mary’s County Health Department commended the efforts of all 28 schools in achieving this prestigious award.
The Gold Star Achievement Awards are a part of the St. Mary’s County Health Department’s ongoing efforts to promote food safety and hygiene in the community. By recognizing and rewarding food service facilities that meet and exceed the standards, the department aims to encourage others to follow suit and maintain the highest levels of safety and hygiene in food handling and preparation.