Weekly School Nutrition Newsletter

Indiana Department of Education sent this bulletin at 01/05/2018 08:18 AM EST

1/5/2018

Dear Food Service Contact,

This email provides the most up-to-date news for schools about the Child Nutrition Programs from USDA and the State. If you are the food service contact for your school or corporation, it is your responsibility to relay important information provided to you about the Child Nutrition Programs to other staff members.

New! Winter Coffee Break Webinars

  • The IDOE School Nutrition team will be offering a series of coffee break-length webinars all taking place at 1:30 pm ET. 
  • Learn about hot topics in school nutrition and earn Professional Standard Training Hours. 
  • Topics include: 
    • Onsite Review (Wednesday, January 10) 
    • Understanding Professional Standards (Wednesday, January 17)
    • Non-Program Revenue Review (Thursday, January 18)
    • Unpaid Meals Refresher: Charging Procedures and Bad Debt Policie (Wednesday, January 24)
    • Food Distribution Program Pre-Order Survey (Wednesday, January 31)
  • Click here for links to the webinars - no pre-registration is necessary! 

2018 School Food Service Employee of the Year

  • We are now accepting nominations through February 23, 2018, for the 2018 School Food Service Employee of the Year. 
  • You have the opportunity to publicly recognize employees who make outstanding contributions to school food service. 
  • For information on how to nominate a deserving school food service employee, click here.                             
  • For further information contact Suzette Hartmann at shartman@doe.in.gov or at 317-232-0868.  

Breakfast and Lunch On-Site Reviews

  • Sponsors with more than one site (building) are required to conduct on-site reviews every year.
  • Single site sponsors (those with only one building) are highly encouraged to conduct an annual on-site review to ensure integrity and accountability of the Child Nutrition Programs.
  • While a review must be conducted for every site at lunch, only 50% of the breakfast sites must be reviewed in a year. In the following year, the other 50% of breakfast sites must be reviewed.
  • The review should be conducted by a person who does not regularly work in the reviewed building.
  • The reviewer should stay for the entire meal service, make notes of their observations during the meal service, and may not conduct two or more lunch evaluations or two or more breakfast evaluations on the same day.
  • If breakfast in the classroom is implemented, schools will need to complete the breakfast section of the review by observing a few classrooms.
  • Your State Agency Field Specialist will check the completed review forms during an Administrative Review.
  • Keep completed on-site reviews on file at the school for three years plus the current operating year.
  • To access the form and instructions, click here.
  • The on-site reviews are due by February 1, 2018. 
  • If you have questions or concerns, please contact your Field Specialist.

Missed a Weekly School Nutrition Newsletter? Click here to access previous newsletters!

Please do not reply directly to this email. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this email, please contact Allie Caito-Sipe at acaito@doe.in.gov, call (317)232-0849 or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20849. Or, contact Sarah Kenworthy at skenworthy@doe.in.gov, call (317)232-0857 or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20857.