The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program
In the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress renamed the Farm to School Program to The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program. The new name recognizes the longtime farm to school leadership of Patrick Leahy, the former U.S. Senator from Vermont.
While the name has changed, the program still functions the same. Interested in Farm to School (F2S) but unsure where to start? Check out information on IDOE’s Farm to School webpage, as well as the Indiana Grown for Schools website. Resources include F2S toolkits, school garden information, a buyer’s guide, including a map of available vendors, and a new recognition program!
USDA Announces Proposed Rule and Webinar: Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) - Increasing Options for Schools
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has published a proposed rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools. The rule proposes to expand access to CEP by lowering the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) participation threshold from 40 to 25 percent.
The proposed rule was published Thursday, March 23, on the Federal Register. Click here for more information, including the Summary of Proposed Rule, which highlights changes the proposed rule would have on CEP.
FNS is hosting a webinar for school food authority staff focused on the proposed rule on Thursday, March 30, at 3 p.m. ET. Please register for the Zoom webinar here.
Public Comment Period: USDA invites interested persons to submit written comments on the proposed rule through Monday, May 8. Comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at Regulations.gov, which has online instructions for submitting comments.
Updated USDA Foods Year-at-a-Glance Document
IDOE has updated the USDA Foods Year-at-a-Glance document. Click here for more information.
Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) March Star Webinar - Effective Strategies for Streamlining Procurement and Record Keeping
This webinar will discuss effective strategies for streamlining procurement and record-keeping processes in school nutrition programs. School nutrition professionals will share best practices for procuring food and supplies. The presentation will dive into the record-keeping process, types of records that need to be maintained, and the critical role in maintaining accountability and transparency in school nutrition programs.
One featured speaker is Indiana’s own Jill Riggs, Director of Food Service at Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation.
- Thursday, March 30, from 3 to 4 p.m ET
- Register here.
Introduction to School Nutrition Leadership (ISNL)
IDOE is excited to offer three regional in-person INSL training opportunities this year. INSL is intended for new and aspiring school nutrition program directors. The training is 30.5 hours in length, and the course content is divided over five days. Lessons provide an overview of school nutrition programs, define the role and responsibilities of a director, and review the relationship between local policies and state/federal regulations. Interested participants should only register for one session.
- Central - Fishers Junior High School
- Monday, June 26, through Friday, June 30
- Register here.
- Southern - Jasper
- Monday, July 10, through Friday July 14
- Register here.
- Northern - Warsaw Community Schools
- Monday July 17, through Friday July 21
- Register here.
School Breakfast Week Scrapbook
Thank you to all the schools that contributed photos for the Indiana School Breakfast Week 2023 scrapbook! Access the photo album here.
Application for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Indirect Cost Rates
The window to submit an application for FY 2024 Indirect Cost Rates is open through Monday, May 1. School corporations and charter schools that provided Form 9 financial information for FY 2022 are eligible to apply for a restricted and an unrestricted rate for FY 2024. New charter schools are eligible to apply but will be subject to the median rate. The following memo includes the application instructions. Contact icr@doe.in.gov with any questions.
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Eligibility
Families with children receiving free or reduced-price school meals are eligible to participate in the ACP. This includes children attending a school participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
The ACP provides eligible households a discount of up to $30 per month off their internet bills (or up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands), as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 off an eligible connected device, like a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. View this August 2022 letter from USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for more information, or click here to apply.
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. Moodle users will not have access at that time.
School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) Equipment Grants
Applications are now available for the 2023 SNF Equipment Grant Program. Eligible applicants have the opportunity to win equipment grants, each worth between $20,000 to $100,000 of equipment. Applications and photos must be submitted by the school nutrition director, and the deadline to apply is Friday, March 31, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Only the first 30 applications will be considered. Recipients will be announced in May. Learn more about this opportunity here.
Upcoming Dates |
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Thursday, March 30, midnight to 6 a.m.
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Scheduled Moodle maintenance
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Thursday, March 30, at 3 p.m. ET
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CEP Proposed Rule Webinar
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Thursday, March 30, from 3 to 4 p.m ET
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ICN March Star Webinar - Effective Strategies for Streamlining Procurement and Record Keeping
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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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Monday, May 1
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Deadline to apply for FY 2024 Indirect Cost Rates
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Monday, June 26 - Friday, June 30
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Introduction to School Nutrition Leadership (ISNL) Regional Training - Fishers
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Monday, July 10 - Friday July 14
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Introduction to School Nutrition Leadership (ISNL) Regional Training - Jasper
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Monday July 17 - Friday July 21
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Introduction to School Nutrition Leadership (ISNL) Regional Training - Warsaw
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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