Weekly School Nutrition Newsletter

09/19/2018

Dear Food Service Contact,

This email provides news for schools concerning 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.

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Direct Certification (DC)

• SFAs are required to run DC multiple times throughout the year.  We highly recommend that SFAs run their list at least once a month.
• Beginning October 1st, schools should start their annual verification process.
• Conduct a DC match before verification. 
• This will help identify more students that automatically qualify because of Food Stamps, TANF, Medicaid, or Foster Status. 
• If a student was found eligible for free meals through DC, disregard the application that they submitted. This application can be removed from the verification count.
• If a student was found eligible for reduced meals through DC, disregard the application if the application indicates a reduced status. This application can be removed from the verification count.
• If the application indicates a free status, but the students are found reduced in DC, keep the application and disregard the DC match. The application will be counted for verification. 
• As a reminder, if a student was DC because of Food Stamps, TANF, or Medicaid (free or reduced), that DC status extends to everyone else in the household. If the student was DC because of Foster status, the DC status only applies to the student.
• Please remember, the DC system is based on information from the previous month, and the DC system will reflect the previous month's date when updated.  
• For more information on the Direct Certification process, click here.
• Check out our recorded Indiana Important Direct Certification Updates Coffee Break Webinar conducted in May 2018.

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Reminder! 30 Day Carryover Notification

• Eligibility benefits from the previous school year should carryover for the first 30 operating days into the new school year.
• Important change - if a household submits a new application within the 30 day carryover schools must immediately process the new application and apply the new eligibility, even if the new eligibility is lower than the previous school year (i.e. free to reduced, free to paid, or reduced to paid). 
• Previously we instructed schools to send households a notice of adverse action and wait for 10 calendar days to reduce the eligibility. 
• Schools are still supposed to notify households, but the change in eligibility should immediately be made. 
• Notification letter templates can be found here.
• By the 20th operating day, schools are highly recommended to contact any households that have not reapplied for Free and Reduced benefits.
• This is a way to prevent a lapse in benefits or excess meal charging.
• On the 31st operating day, households that have not reapplied for free or reduced benefits must be changed to paid status. 
• Click here for the 30 Day Carryover Fact Sheet. 

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Special Dietary Needs Resources

• *NEW* The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) has released Indiana's Handbook for Managing Special Dietary Needs in School Food Service. This resource provides guidance for schools on various topics as well as common questions and concerns regarding special dietary needs. 
  • Click here to access the handbook. 
• Did you know that IDOE has a page full of resources for special dietary needs?
  • Resources include a fillable medical statement form and parent letter, a fillable milk substitution form, fact sheets on accommodating students with special dietary needs, and more!
  • Click here to access the Special Dietary Needs webpage.
• IDOE is also hosting three Special Dietary Needs trainings covering topics such as dietary needs within and outside the meal pattern, milk accommodations, religious and lifestyle accommodations, school implementation, and resources.
  • Click here to register.
• Questions? Contact Ashley Heller at aheller@doe.in.gov.

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Indiana School Nutrition Association (ISNA) Annual Conference

• Mark your calendars! ISNA's 65th Annual Conference is November 8-10. 
• The theme this year is "In the Moment: Interact, Connect, Grow." 
• Highlights include the Industry Exhibit Fair, Innovation Stations, and Culinary Trainings. 
• Click here for more details and registration information. 

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Culinary Skills for A+ School Meals

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CNPweb Program Year (PY) 2019 Approvals

• In order to begin claiming reimbursement for School Year 2018-2019, Sponsor and Site Applications must be completed and approved in the CNPweb PY 2019.
• If your application status says "Pending Approval," then your School Nutrition Program application has been submitted and is on the list for review.
• The approval team reviews the applications in the order they were submitted and are working to approve everyone as quickly as possible.
• To help:
  • Make sure your application is in “Pending Approval,” not “Pending Submission.”
  • Make sure you have submitted all starred offline forms on the packet tab.
    • Schools approved for the PLE Exemption do not need to raise their paid lunch prices but are still required to submit a completed PLE Tool.
    • All sponsors operating the After School Snack Program in PY 2019 are required to take the After School Snack Program online course in inTEAM’s Blackboard before PY 2019 will be approved in CNPweb.
    • Newly hired Food Service Director (FSD) must be submitted to the Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE) New School Nutrition Programs Director Hiring Form for verification with the professional standards set by the USDA.
• If something is missing from your application or if there are questions, a member of the approval team will contact you when they reach your application.
• Questions? Contact Sarah Kenworthy at skenworthy@doe.in.gov or 317-232-0857.

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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 Ashley Heller at aheller@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0544, or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20544 or contact Sarah Kenworthy at skenworthy@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0857, or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20857.