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This year is incredibly busy, but it is a great time to promote CN programs as a response to COVID-19, and highlight your new and creative approaches to feed kids during this time.
This year’s theme is Now Playing: School Lunch.
How to participate?
We Want to Celebrate YOU!
Send pictures and stories of your NSLW celebrations to Samantha Brueske!
On Friday, October 9, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a press release and multiple waivers to allow sponsors to operate Summer Meal Programs. We released a CNS Update on Friday afternoon outlining the waivers available.
OSPI CNS is awaiting USDA guidance and will release additional information as it becomes available. Please join us for our food services webinar on Wednesday at 2pm PT.
OSPI recently released two bulletins regarding program operations in Fall 2020.
Please review the bulletins for additional details.
Participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture school meal programs requires program operators to meet certain annual requirements. These include:
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Verification of Eligibility - Begins October 1 and ends November 15. The Verification Summary Report is due to Child Nutrition Services by February 1. The summary report will be submitted in WINS.
- Sponsors currently operating the NSLP and SBP who determine eligibility for meals using meal applications should move forward with the annual verification process for SY 20-21.
- Sponsors currently operating a Summer Meals Program through in SY20-21, should wait to conduct Verification until further guidance is received from the USDA.
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Afterschool Snack Program Reviews - Complete twice annually. The first review must occur within the first four weeks of program operation.
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CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meal Program Reviews - Complete twice annually. The first review must occur within the first four weeks the program is in operation. Use the At-Risk Review form.
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Onsite School Reviews of the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program. Complete by February 1.
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Food Storage Evaluation - Complete by February 1.
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Food Safety Inspections - Complete two food safety inspections for each site, each school year.
Completed forms are not required to be submitted, however, you must keep them on file for Administrative Reviews.
REMINDER
The school meal programs has other requirements that must be completed throughout the program year. Please use the School Meal Programs Requirements chart and School Meal Program Yearly Calendar to assist in understanding program requirements and finding resources.
For a complete list of the Nationwide Waivers in effect for SY 20-21, please visit OSPI’s COVID-19 Nutrition Meals & Guidance webpage. Instructions, forms, and tools are available on the Child Nutrition Services website.
Questions? Please contact your program specialist.
Federal regulations require Child Nutrition Services to gather enrollment data representative of the last operating day in October, documenting the number of children eligible for free, reduced-price, and paid meals.
Enrollment, for the purposes of the October Building Data (OBD) report, means children enrolled in the local education agency with access to meals in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and/or Special Milk Program (SMP).
Data is reported by site in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System on the October claim for reimbursement. This must be completed by December 30 each year.
October Building Data must be collected from all traditional NSLP/SBP/SMP sponsors, even if a summer meal program is currently being operated.
Prior to October 31
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Sponsors currently operating the NSLP/SBP should follow the steps outlined in the NSLP/SBP MDP Sponsor Checklist to ensure their renewal application is complete. OBD should be entered with the October claim for reimbursement. The applicable bulletins and addendums provide additional details on the renewal process.
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Sponsors currently operating the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or Seamless Summer Option (SSO) should anticipate that NSLP/SBP will be operate at some point during SY 2020-21 and submit SY 2020-21 NSLP/SBP applications and calendars for all school sites. When submitting the site calendar, sponsors should:
- Add a NSLP schedule for one day, October 31, 2020, including estimates of the Free, Reduced-Price, and Paid participation in the schedule.
- With the exception of October 31, ensure the start date for the NSLP schedule does not overlap with the SFSP/SSO schedule. NSLP schedules should not start prior to January 1, 2021.
- When submitting the October claim for reimbursement, zeroes (0) should be entered for the NSLP/SBP meal counts. An error message will populate in the claim – please disregard this error message.
- The applicable SFSP/SSO Renewal Checklist provides additional details on the renewal process.
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Sponsors currently operating the SMP should follow the steps outlined in the applicable bulletins and addendums to ensure their renewal application is complete. OBD should be entered with the October claim for reimbursement.
For more information on OBD please see the October Building Data Reference Sheet.
Step-by-step instructions on how to enter October Building Data in WINS are also available. The instructions include specific details for Provision 2 and CEP schools.
Questions about how to enter OBD in SY 20-21? Please contact your program specialist.
Our training contract is coming to an end, but there's still time for you to join!
OSPI and PrimeroEdge have worked together to offer Menu Planning Nutrient Analysis (MPNA) software and training at no cost to districts. There's still time to get this product at no cost!
Our last training sessions will be:
- October 20 & 21
- November 19 & 20
- The first quarter of 2021 (date TBD)
How to Sign Up
Visit our PrimeroEdge MPNA software website to request a demo to sign up for training. We will then get you signed up for the 2-day training session of your choice! But you might want to hurry - class space is limited to 25 participants!
More Information
This software is USDA-approved for nutrient analysis to meet the school meal program requirements and will help you manage ingredients, create recipes, create cycle menus, and more!
With this software you’ll be able to:
- Manage ingredients and link to stock items
- Create recipes and add them to your menus
- Create custom menus and cycle menus
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Verification Process
Verification is the process of confirming free and reduced-price meal eligibility based on an application. The verification process begins each year on October 1 and concludes November 15. Results of the verification process (Verification Summary Report) must be submitted to Child Nutrition Services by February 1, 2021.
Sponsors currently operating the NSLP and SBP who determine eligibility for meals using meal applications should move forward with the annual verification process for SY 20-21. We are waiting for further guidance from USDA on sponsors operating summer meal programs in SY20-21.
Please review last week's Verification update for more resources and details about completing this process.
Updated Materials Now Available!
Updated materials are located under the 'Verification of Applications' dropdown on the NSLP Meal Applications and Verification webpage. Materials include:
- Reference Sheets
- Timeline and Instruction Sheets
- Tools to help you complete Verification
- Letters for households in English and Spanish on the OSPI webpages. Additional languages are available on USDA's website.
Questions about the verification process? Please contact your program specialist.
Districts offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/ School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) this fall are encouraged to join us for weekly webinars.
Register Here
Date: Wednesdays through November 4, 2020
Time: 2 - 3 pm PT
Please hold a space on your calendar. A reminder email with your link to log into the webinar is 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.
Miss last week? You can review last week's recording at this link.
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As communities continue to respond to the impacts of COVID-19, schools and community sponsors across the country are working hard to ensure access to the child nutrition programs by utilizing USDA waivers, fostering new partnerships, and implementing best practices.
FRAC wants to hear from you! They have put together this quick survey to learn how COVID-19 has impacted your operations. The survey should only take five minutes or less.
How have you changed meal service operations to meet the need? What barriers remain? How does your participation compare to this time last year? This information and additional feedback from you will help FRAC inform new resources, support, and future advocacy, as well as shine a light on the work being done across the country.
Last Wednesday was Taste Washington Day and over 40 school districts participated by featuring a Washington grown food, buying ingredients directly from local farmers, sending home educational activities, handouts, or recipes, or doing a virtual Washington Apple Crunch.
If you weren’t able to participate in Taste Washington Day last week, it’s not too late to do participate in a Farm to School Activity to celebrate Farm to School Month. For more information and ideas visit the WSDA Taste WA Day webpage.
Pullman Public Schools Celebrates Taste WA Day!
Jessie Campbell, Nutrition Services Supervisor at Pullman School District, shared some great Taste Washington Day celebrations!
Local Food Menu Features
- Palouse Harvest Chili with Pardina Lentils from Palouse Brand
- Roasted tomatoes from Frisson Farms
- Whitestone Mountain Orchard apple
Apple Crunch
Nutrition staff served apples for apple crunch outside the high school. Apples were donated by a local orchard Bishops’ Orchard. Stephen Bishop with Empire apples donated for the event (see middle picture above).
Way to go, Pullman! Thank you for sending us your celebration!
If you would like to be highlighted in a future CNS Newsletter, email Samantha Brueske with your pictures.
November orders open Wednesday, October 7, and will close Wednesday, October 14, at 4pm.
Surplus orders will open Thursday, October 15, at 1pm for groups 1 - 3, and 2pm for all other groups. Surplus closes Friday, October 16, 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.
Important Reminders
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Possible Shift in Delivery Days for October
Due to recent delays with distributors accepting USDA foods, your delivery time period will shift to October 6 - 27. This may effect on which day you receive your USDA Foods. Please continue to confirm appointment times with your carrier.
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Confirmation of USDA Foods
If you’re scheduled to receive a USDA Foods Delivery, you should receive an appointment confirmation from the carrier. Please remember to reply to the carrier confirming receipt of appointment.
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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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October 14
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SY20-21 Food Service Operations for NSLP and SFSP Sponsors Weekly Webinar - Register Here
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October 14
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November Food Distribution Order Period Closes
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October 15
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September claims due in WINS
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October 15-16
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November FDP Surplus Order Period
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October 31
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Due Date for SY20-21 SFSP/ SSO Applications
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October 31
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NSLP/SBP Public/ Private Schools Renewal Applications Due! Make sure to complete all the required steps!
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