With the new USDA waiver release, we are transitioning our webinars to focus on schools and community organizations that will start the year with the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
Districts offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) are encouraged to join as well.
Register Here Date: Wednesdays through November 4, 2020 Time: 2 - 3 pm PT
Please hold a space on your calendar on Wednesdays from 2 - 3 pm PT. Reminder emails with your link to log into the session are sent 1 hour before the session starts.
Weekly follow up emails with a copy of the slides are sent to everyone registered for the session, even if they did not attend. We will not be posting recordings to the CNS webpages due to rapidly changing information .
Please keep an eye out in your inbox for these emails, if you do not see them in your inbox please check your SPAM box.
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Last week, we shared the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcement to extend several Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) waivers. These waiver extensions allow SFSP operations to continue through December 31, 2020.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #48 - Nationwide Waiver to Allow Area Eligibility for Closed Enrolled Sites in the SFSP and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) - Extension
- This waives the requirement for closed enrolled sites operating under the SFSP or SSO to collect income eligibility applications.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #49 - Nationwide Waiver to Waive First Week Site Visits in the SFSP - Extension
- This waives the requirement to visit each SFSP site during the first week of operation.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #50 - Nationwide Waiver of Meal Service Time Restrictions in the SFSP and NSLP Seamless Summer Option - Extension
- This waives the required minimum time between meal service times and allow sponsors to serve more than one meal at a time.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #51 - Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Vs Serve Flexibilities in the SFSP - Extension
- Washington State will be participating in this waiver. Please join us for the weekly call for more details. Register Here.
- This waiver allows Offer vs Serve in SFSP operations.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #52 - Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers - EXTENSION 2
- This waiver applies to the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
- This waiver allows SFSP and SSO sponsors in good standing to operate open sites in areas consistent with the State plan, but not located in “Areas in which poor economic conditions exist”.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- FNS reserves the right to withdraw this approval subject to availability of funding.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #53 - Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the SFSP and NSLP Seamless Summer Option - EXTENSION 7
- This waiver allows sponsors to serve meals that do not meet the meal pattern requirements.
- Sponsors are approved on a case-by-case basis. If your organization is unable to locate a particular item, contact your program specialist.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
- As a reminder, Federal procurement regulations at 2 CFR 200.320(f) allow procurement by noncompetitive proposals when there is a public emergency.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #54 - Nationwide Waiver to Allow Non-Congregate Feeding in the Summer Food Service Program and NSLP Seamless Summer Option – EXTENSION 4
- This extended waiver allows meals to be served in a non-congregate meal setting.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #55 - Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children - EXTENSION 4
- This waiver allows parents and guardians to pick up meals for their children.
- Program operators must maintain program integrity and ensure duplicate meals are not distributed.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #56 - Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Operations through December 2020
- This allows program sponsors to operate the SFSP and Seamless Summer Option through December 31, 2020 for new and returning sponsors.
- Allowing these programs facilitates the safe provision of meals by eliminating the need to collect meal payments, including cash payments, at meal sites, which speeds up service of meals, thereby reducing contact and potential exposure to COVID–19.
- This waiver is in effect until December 31, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
Please read the linked policy memos for more details.
The deadline for families to apply for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is September 11, 2020, at 5 pm PT.
The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has until September 30, 2020, to process applications and administer the benefits to families. To meet this deadline, OSPI CNS needs sponsors to update their student logs via WINS or another secure method by 5 pm on September 15.
By completing this, you will be ensuring students receive these important benefits.
Please email child.nutrition@k12.wa.us when you have updated student logs in WINS.
Many sponsors have been asking about training requirements to operate the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) during the extension of SFSP through December 2020.
October 1, 2020, marks a new program year. Training is required for all sponsors who wish to operate SFSP this fall. Sponsor administrators must watch the recorded trainings and then train all sponsor staff.
We are utilizing trainings previously recorded. Some recordings listed below may reference a certification to get credit. Please note that OSPI CNS has updated this procedure so sponsors will now certify participation in trainings when submitting the Online Application Checklist. This checklist will be released in the coming weeks.
New SFSP Sponsors
Returning SFSP Sponsors
There are many different options when serving 3-5 year olds in the school district. But which program should you operate? What considerations are there?
New Resources Available!
We hope these help you when making decisions to serve children in your district settings.
Have Questions? Please contact your program specialist.
October Surplus orders will open Thursday, September 10, at 1pm for groups 1 - 3, and 2pm for all other groups. Surplus closes Friday, September 11, at 4pm.
For more information on your group number, please review the Order and Delivery Schedule.
Ordering
- To place an order - log-in to CNP Web.
- Your Food Distribution Application must be completed (including certified and submitted) before you can place an order.
- Ordering Instructions
- Reminder:
The Ordering and Receiving webpage has multiple resources to assist you in placing your ordering including; instructions, order and distribution schedule.
Delivery Changes
To update or change your delivery contact person, please complete the Delivery Updates Form.
Questions? Please email the Food Distribution Office or call 360-725-6204.
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USDA Resources:
The goal of the CACFP At-Risk program is to provide school age 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.
Updated USDA Guidance
Recent guidance has been released from USDA that current Summer Food Service Program sponsors (SFSP) may extend their summer feeding operation through December 2020.
If you are not a current SFSP sponsor or you are a current SFSP sponsor but you are choosing not to extend your SFSP operation, please consider operating CACFP At Risk this Fall.
If you are planning to operate CACFP in FY21 and claim meals for October, your program renewal is due October 1, 2020. If you do not plan to operate CACFP in October, your FY21 program renewal is due at least 30 days prior to your program operation start date.
If you are interested in operating At-Risk, 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.
At-Risk Recorded Webinar
If you were unable to join OSPI CNS for the CACFP Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic Weekly Call last Thursday, we discussed important information regarding At-Risk programs.
View the recording here
If you would like a copy of the slides, please contact your program specialist.
Questions? Please email your program specialist.
These W-code products aren’t new but are individually wrapped and may help you meet meal pattern while staying safe when serving children.
Here’s the list:
- W274 Omelet, cheese IW
- W281 French Toast IW
- W287 Breakfast SW IW
- W288 Tac Go IW
- W289 French Toast Sticks IW
- W461 Bean & Cheese Burrito IW
- W566 Breakfast Pizza Bagel IW
- W784 Marinara Dipping Cups
- W820 Applesauce, Cinnamon Cups
- W823 Applesauce, Strawberry – unsweetened cups
- W824 Applesauce, Mango-Peach – unsweetened cups
- W826 Applesauce, Wild Watermelon – reduced sugar cups
- W869 Pear Cups
- W883 Ketchup packets
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During August, the direct certification free lunch or direct certification Medicaid lists were not updating with nightly matches.
This issue has been resolved. You should now be able to access the lists and receive up-to-date information.
September 11, 2020, is the last date to apply for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT).
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Social and Health Services have teamed up to create a new program called Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT, for short. These benefits will help families most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis to continue to have access to nutritious meals.
P-EBT is available for students, including children of immigrant households, who were enrolled in a K-12 school that offered a school lunch program during the 2019-20 school year AND were eligible for free or reduced-price school meals; or attended a school where meals were free for all students.
There are two ways to apply:
- Online: www.WashingtonConnection.org (on the application, choose ‘Pandemic EBT — Emergency School Meals Program’ box in the Food Assistance section); or,
- Call: 877–501–2233 (DSHS Customer Service Contact Center — interpreter services are available)
Please use your social media to get the word out to the families you serve!
Additional information and translated documents are available on the OSPI Pandemic EBT Guidance for Schools webpage.
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) recently created a new marketing resource to help members promote school meals to families as students head back to school.
“Safe, Nutritious School Meals—Something You Can Count on for SY 2020-21” is a new sharable flyer that includes details and links to help reassure parents and the community that school meals continue to be a safe, nutritious choice to fuel student success during the 2020-2021 school year.
Share this flyer with stakeholders along with details on your program. Additional Tools from SNA:
What’s in the Bag or Box from Washington?
Taste Washington Day is going to look a bit different this year! But it will still be a fun day to serve and highlight fresh, locally grown foods in your school meals, and promote your meal program to the community and encourage participation. On October 7, schools will celebrate farm to school and agriculture by distributing school meals with fresh, local ingredients, and help students learn about growing food and farming. Taste Washington Day 2020 will also recognize school nutrition heroes, school gardeners, teachers, and farmers for their important, frontline work keeping students fed during the pandemic.
The event theme this year is “What’s in the Bag or Box from Washington?” So feature that one Washington grown vegetable, fruit, milk, dairy, grain, protein or other ingredient going into your bagged and boxed meals! You can also do a “Washington Apple Crunch” at noon on Oct. 7 with teachers and students.
Sign up, read more, and find resources below:
Taste Washington Day is an annual event coordinated by WSDA Farm to School, OSPI Child Nutrition, and WSNA.
The ICN’s September STAR webinar will be done in conjunction with the USDA Office of Food Safety in celebration of National Food Safety month. The webinar will highlight a bird’s eye view of your food safety plan from beginning to end, as we aim to mitigate risks throughout the flow of food from purchasing to serving to transporting and traceability.
Register Here Date: Thursday, September 17, 2020 Time: 12 - 1 pm PT
Learning Objectives
- Identify foodborne pathogens commonly associated with retail foodservice operations
- Describe three critical food safety practices used throughout the flow of food to mitigate foodborne disease
- Identify safe transporting methods and documentation procedures
- Apply recommended traceability systems necessary to conduct a product recall
- And explain answers to frequently asked questions from previous USDA Office of Food Safety webinars.
September 9
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SY20-21 Food Service Operations for NSLP and SFSP Sponsors Weekly Webinar - Register Here
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September 9
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FDP October Order Period Closes
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Sept. 10-11
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FDP Surplus Ordering Period
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September 30
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Public/ Private Schools Renewal Applications Due! Make sure to complete all the required steps!
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