Live Oak Elementary School's counseling department recently received national recognition from the American School Counselor Association in the form of Recognized ASCA Model Program. The recognition is given to departments that are committed to delivering a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program. Live Oak Elementary is one of only 350 schools in the United States to receive the recognition since the program's inception in 2004 and it is the first school in the Newton County School System to receive the honor. In other education news:

Middle Ridge and Newton High hold free tutoring meeting
Students at both Middle Ridge Elementary and Newton High are eligible to receive supplemental services under one of the provisions of the elementary and secondary education act. Because both schools are in Needs Improvement status and both are Title I schools, students are eligible for free tutoring from an outside provider. Each school is hosting a parent information meeting and a provider fair. Middle Ridge will hold their meeting/fair on Sept. 12 and Newton High will hold theirs on Sept. 13; both will be at 6:30 p.m. The deadline to request supplemental services is Sept. 30.

Georgia schools can apply for salad bars
Georgia schools interested in receiving salad bars for their cafeterias are invited to apply at www.saladbars2schools.org. Produce for Kids and Publix Super Markets are joining with Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools to support the donation of salad bars to schools in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina.

Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools is a public health initiative to donate salad bars to schools across the country in order to increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption and improve child nutrition. Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools supports First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative to end childhood obesity in a generation. In the past year, more than 800 salad bars have been donated to schools nationwide.

It's easy for schools or school districts in Georgia to apply for salad bars. Any K-12 school or school district participating in the National School Lunch Program is invited to apply. Schools can visit the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools website at www.saladbars2schools.org to learn more and submit an application. All applications must be submitted online and have the approval of the school's foodservice director, superintendent and principal. An individual school can apply for one salad bar or a district can apply for the total number of salad bars needed. Schools recognized as Healthier US Challenge Schools are given top priority.

To find out how your school can complete an application and request a salad bar, visit www.saladbars2schools.org today.