Field Trip Meals
Meal Pattern
Meals sent on field trips must meet the meal pattern requirements. Each component, including milk, must be provided in the daily minimum serving size. Field trip meals must be documented on the daily production record.
Meal Counting and Claiming
Meals must be counted at the point of service. Students can go through the line before the regular meal service time to pick up their meal and be counted. If students do not pick up the meal before leaving, complete meals must be sent and a meal count sheet must be completed by field trip staff.
- Field trip staff counting meals should be trained on correct meal count procedures including civil rights.
- If not operating Offer versus Serve (OVS), all components must be taken before the meal is counted for reimbursement.
Questions about field trip meal procedures should be directed to your assigned field specialist.
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Guidance from the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA)
Please see the updated website. Sharing this website with parents will reduce the number of questions and calls.
Homeschool and virtual students who qualify for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will be eligible for P-EBT this year. Schools play no part in the eligibility determination of this group. Please refer inquiries to the P-EBT website for further information.
The federal public health emergency is scheduled to end on Thursday, May 11. School year P-EBT (based on COVID related absences) will not be calculated after the end of the public health emergency. Benefit issuance may still occur, but days of eligibility will not continue to be counted. For example, if a student misses school Monday, May 15, through Thursday, May 18, due to COVID, they are not eligible for P-EBT for those dates.
Summer P-EBT for summer 2023 is a separate benefit not tied to COVID related absences. It is the last P-EBT benefit to be issued. It is imperative that all school year calculations are done correctly. There will not be time for late corrections.
Moodle Maintenance Scheduled for Thursday, March 30
IDOE's Moodle server will be down Thursday, March 30, from midnight to 6 a.m. ET for routine maintenance. All Moodle users will not have access at that time. Please do not plan to access Moodle during this timeframe.
USDA Foods Annual Pre-order (Forecast) Survey is Now Closed
The annual pre-order (forecast) survey closed on Friday, March 10. Watch this video for more information about what happens after the annual pre-order forecast survey has closed.
Save the Date: Introduction to School Nutrition Leadership (ISNL)
IDOE has requested three regional in-person ISNL training sessions for this summer. While we await final confirmation from The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), please keep these training dates in mind. Registration links coming soon.
- Monday, June 26, through Friday, June 30, in Fishers
- Monday, July 10, through Friday, July 14, in Jasper
- Monday, July 17, through Friday, July 21, in Warsaw
Dates are subject to change or cancellation based on ICN trainer availability.
National School Breakfast Week Scrapbook– Submit Photos Today!
IDOE is creating a virtual scrapbook commemorating School Breakfast Week 2023. Consider sharing photos* of local celebrations with IDOE. Photos can be submitted to Gretchen Huntzer through Friday, March 17. The scrapbook will be linked in next week’s newsletter.
*Please note that photos of children’s faces are not allowable unless permission for public use has been granted by the child’s guardian.
USDA Policy Memo SP 06-2023
On Friday, March 3, USDA released policy memo SP 06-2023. The policy memo addressed the following items:
- Crediting of starchy vegetables in School Breakfast Program
- Prohibition of the use of chicken from China
- Compliance with Paid Lunch Equity requirements
- Renaming of the Farm to School Program
- Establishment of a non congregate meal service option in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Guidance from IDOE will be coming soon.
- Establishment of a permanent Summer EBT program
- Changes to P-EBT
No Kid Hungry Level Up Roadshow- Registration Deadline is Friday, March 17
Join No Kid Hungry Indiana to discuss strategies on marketing, stakeholder buy-in, and culinary skills. During this day-long training, participants will learn how to:
- Market their program in a tech-savvy world;
- Obtain stakeholder buy-in;
- Involve students in school meals;
- Take visually-appealing school meal photos;
- Create an enticing serving line;
- Menu culturally responsive foods to reach your community; and
- Implement food theme days with a focus on the bottom line.
Training will be offered on Tuesday, April 4, at Carroll High School in Fort Wayne, as well as Thursday, April 6, at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis. Register here.
Medicaid Eligibility Changes
As many as 500,000 Hoosiers could be impacted by upcoming Medicaid eligibility changes required by federal law, which ends pandemic-related eligibility provisions on Friday, March 31. This means regular determinations for coverage will begin again, and actions to adjust, reduce, or eliminate coverage will be allowed beginning in April. FSSA sent communications to Medicaid-covered individuals explaining the actions they need to take to maintain their eligibility. Flyers, social media toolkits, and other resources to explain the change and next steps here. A poster with a QR code that can help individuals quickly update their contact information can be found here and is available in multiple languages. Contact FSSA with any questions.
Upcoming Dates |
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Friday, March 17
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Final Day to register for the Level Up Roadshow
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Thursday, March 30, midnight to 6 a.m.
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Scheduled Moodle maintenance
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Friday, March 31
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Deadline to submit October-December claim revisions due to Direct Certification Medicaid bug
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Friday, March 31
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End of pandemic-related Medicaid eligibility provisions
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Monday, April 3
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January Claim Deadline
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Tuesday, April 4
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No Kid Hungry Level Up Roadshow at Carroll High School in Fort Wayne
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Thursday, April 6
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No Kid Hungry Level Up Roadshow at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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