Last year we transitioned to weekly CNS Newsletters to keep the number of emails to a minimum.
These program updates help keep you up-to-date on changes in your programs and share important mandatory information, as well as good to know information at the bottom of the update.
Please note: if there are urgent updates, those will still come as soon as possible in a separate email and will not wait until the following week to be sent out. Please keep your eye out!
To help you navigate the CNS Newsletter format, here are a few helpful tips:
1. Use the Table of Contents at the Beginning of the Newsletter
At the top of every newsletter there is a table of contents to give you an overview of what you MUST look at and what is "good to know" (see details below).
2. See "Update" at the Beginning?
Articles with the word Update at the beginning indicates that there is an important update in regards to State or USDA requirements. These are the articles you must review to stay in the loop about requirements.
3. If you see "Reminder" at the Beginning of the Article
Reminders are previous "updates" that are still important, but were shared in previous newsletters.
4. How about "FYI"?
If you see an article starting with FYI, this is a good-to-know. These include resources, outside trainings and opportunities, grant opportunities from partner agencies, or other good-to-know type of items.
5. Highlights
CNS Highlights are articles highlighting good practices, Food, Body, and Mind Awardees, and other items.
6. Important Dates to Remember
You will find these at the bottom of every newsletter. They will include things like claim due dates, upcoming training and webinars, and other important dates.
We hope this is helpful! If you have any questions or comments about the format, please reach out to Samantha Brueske, Training and Communications Specialist.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released nationwide waivers.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #39 - Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for Sponsors in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- This waiver applies to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
- This waiver allows sponsors to complete reviews offsite.
- This waiver also extends Child Nutrition Response #27 and allows sponsors to:
- Conduct 2 facility reviews, instead of 3.
- Conduct 1 unannounced visit, instead of 2.
- Not observe a meal service.
- Have more than 6 months between reviews.
- Review new facilities as a desk review.
- Washington state will participate in this waiver.
- Sponsors must notify OSPI CNS if they intend to participate in this waiver. Please keep an eye out in the weekly updates for these instructions
- This waiver is effective until September 30, 2021.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #40 - Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for State Agencies in the Child and Adult Care Food Program – EXTENSION 2
- This waiver allows OSPI CNS to conduct Administrative Reviews as a desk audit and waives the requirement for on-site visits for reviews during the emergency.
- Washington state will participate in this waiver.
- This waiver is effective until September 30, 2021.
Questions? Please contact your program specialist.
The goal of the CACFP At-Risk program is to provide children a meal and or snack outside of their school day while they are in a structured and adult-led environment that provides educational support and/or enrichment activities.
Who can apply for At-Risk Meals in the Fall of 2020?
- At-Risk sites providing meals to children on-site in addition to in-person programming/activities.
- Sites offering non-congregate meals to children may be eligible, however, there still must be regularly scheduled enrichment or educational activities provided in a structured environment.
- Offered activities may be through a regularly scheduled virtual skype call, a zoom group call, or by a phone call from staff.
- This must be in addition to what is being required for “remote learning” and counting as school instruction/school work.
- Activities must go above and beyond what is offered to the general student population and include contact with or outreach to the child.
- Grab-n-go meals with a sent-home packet of work are not allowed. Sending a packet of materials for the week for the student to work on independently is not sufficient.
- Strictly providing grab-n-go meals is not allowed.
- Staff must directly connect with the students to provide support, homework help, and/or offer enrichment opportunities extending beyond what is being offered as part of the school day.
Next Steps
You must complete the At-Risk Pre-Qualification Survey. This survey will help interested organizations determine if they are eligible to participate in the CACFP At-Risk program in the upcoming year.
Questions? Please email your program specialist.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Operations During COVID Work group met last week to continue discussing best practices and guidance for re-opening and continuing care safely during the pandemic.
During our meeting we discussed Menu / Meal Patterns during COVID. If you have input for us to discuss email Mary Nagel, Community Nutrition Programs Supervisor.
Information about the topics discussed will be included in CNS Updates over the next several weeks.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working with state child nutrition agencies to provide safe and flexible meal service to children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, USDA released tip sheets with best practices:
We highly recommend reviewing these reference sheets for tips during the pandemic.
Have questions? Please contact your program specialist.
OSPI Child Nutrition Services is collaborating with Washington Department of Health and Washington State Department of Agriculture to provide a virtual training for early learning providers on Farm to Early Learning. Participants in this training will learn the ins and outs of planning and implementing Farm to Early Learning practices into their care settings. More details to come!
If you are interested in this training opportunity, we want to know what day works best for you for this six-hour (approximately) training.
Give us your input by completing this survey.
OSPI Child Nutrition Services has formed a Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Team to assess our policies and procedures in Child Nutrition Services to identify any areas of racial or ethnic inequity. Following this investigatory process, we will develop and implement an action plan to address issues identified.
We invite Child Nutrition Program sponsoring organization administrators and operators and other organizations that support child nutrition and/or advocate for social justice to participate in a virtual focus group with us on August 25, 2020, from 2 – 4pm PT.
If you would like to participate, register here.
Can’t participate, but still want to provide input to this process? Complete this survey.
Annual training is required for continued participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). At a minimum, the person responsible for oversight of the CACFP must attend. This training is intended for directors and administrators. Monitors are encouraged to attend.
Child Care and Family Day Care Home Sponsors
Required Live Webinar
During this webinar we will cover USDA program updates, hot topics, Civil Rights, and more! STARS credits are available to those who attend the LIVE session.
There is a maximum of 2 registrants from each organization.
Register Here Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2020 Time: 1 - 3 pm PT
This session will be recorded and posted to the CNS website after training has occurred. STARS credits are NOT available for those who watch the recorded session.
We look forward to 'seeing' you there!
Supplemental Recorded Sessions
In addition to this live session, we will also be providing recorded sessions. These sessions are meant to enhance CACFP knowledge and are not part of the required training. More information about these recorded sessions will be released soon.
At-Risk Sponsors
Community Organization sponsors must attend the CACFP Childcare Annual Training. During this webinar we will cover USDA program updates, hot topics, Civil Rights, and more! STARS credits are available to those who attend the LIVE session. This session will be recorded and posted to the CNS website after training has occurred. STARS credits are NOT available for those who watch the recorded session.
Register Here Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2020 Time: 1 - 3 pm PT
School District At-Risk sponsors must attend a recorded training to meet Annual Training requirements. This recorded session will be released later this week
Adult Care Sponsors
Training for Adult Care Centers will be offered as a recorded online training. We will release the recording the week of August 17, 2020.
Keep an eye out for future CNS Updates.
In the spring of 2020 during the initial pandemic outbreak, schools were required to close. This unexpected school closure allowed for the operation of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) under the Emergency School Closure Guidelines. Operation of SFSP, along with multiple USDA nationwide waivers, allowed schools to provide meals to all children ages 0 to 18 years at all sites distributing meals.
For SY 2020-21, although the typical school day model may look significantly different, schools will be “open”. Therefore, USDA is requiring schools to operate School Meal Programs, which provides meals for enrolled students only. This will result in a change to meal access for children from birth to 5. Please consider this change and the needs of your families when planning for times when a center is not operating.
If you have questions, please reach out to your program specialist.
School’s Out Washington’s annual Bridge Conference is a multi-day regional convening focused on exploring, celebrating, and influencing our collective field(s) through the act of solidarity and unified learning.
Register and Learn More Here!
The 2020 Bridge Conference will take place from Tuesday, October 27 – Friday, October 30 with the following components offered throughout the 4-day experience.
- Dynamic keynote speakers
- Interactive and engaging workshops
- Story telling hour
- Intentional community building sessions
- NEW THIS YEAR! Regional Bridge after-parties in-person or virtually, to be determined closer to the date
- Access to recorded sessions for a limited time after Bridge concludes for continued learning
The National CACFP Sponsors Association is hosting a Virtual Summit in August!
Registration is $149 and includes access to 20 training sessions.
Register Here
Some sessions included in your registration:
- CACFP and Head Start Food Service Regulations
- Flawless Audits: Managing Your CACFP Sponsorship
- Procurement in the CACFP
- Food Allergies & Special Diets
- Developing a CACFP Budget
- Summit Welcome & Policy Update
Discover more sessions and speaker information in the Virtual Summit Flyer.
August 15
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July Claims Due in WINS
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August 19
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Annual Updates Training for Child Care Centers, FDCH Sponsors, and At-Risk Sponsors - Register Here
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