School Nutrition Programs

This weekly newsletter from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is dedicated to providing education, training, and technical assistance opportunities to school nutrition professionals, helping to ensure seamless operations for those participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA's) Child Nutrition Programs. If you are the food service contact for your school or facility, please be certain that everyone on your team has access to this important information.

Tip of the Week

Online Application Check

IDOE and USDA do not approve online application software and compliance assurance should be done at the local level. Now is a great time to check your online free and reduced application for compliance in both application, approval, and verification functions as applicable. Issues in software functionality should be submitted to your local software vendor. Review IDOE's Online Application Checklist for a complete list of required functions. 

Important Updates

School Breakfast Week National School Breakfast Week will take place Monday, March 4, through Friday, March 8. Celebrate at your school with these helpful ideas and resources.

Farm to School

Farm to School Symposium

IDOE and the Indiana Grown for Schools Network are hosting a Farm to School and Early Childcare Education (ECE) Symposium at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, June 18, and Wednesday, June 19. Participants will learn about gardening, local procurement, and agriculture education. Educators, food service staff, and school administrators are invited to attend. Submit proposals for presentations and panel discussions here and submit vendor applications here. Contact Sophie Lindley with any questions.

USDA Foods

Annual Pre-Order Forecast Survey

The Annual Pre-Order Forecast Survey closes at 4 p.m. ET next Friday, March 1. This survey is mandatory for all schools that will receive USDA Foods for the 2024-2025 school year. The recording of the Annual Pre-Order Forecast Survey Training is available in case you missed it or would like to view it again. 

USDA Foods Recipes Use your USDA peanut butter, raisins, and canned fruit and celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover's Day with a Peanut Butter Cereal Bar or a Peanut Butter ‘n Fruit-wich. These recipes need to be adjusted to meet serving sizes and meal patterns.

Training and Webinar Opportunities

School Breakfast Webinar

IDOE and the American Dairy Association Indiana (ADAI) will present Breakfast Best Practices tomorrow, Thursday, February 22, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. Register here.

National Nutrition Month Webinar Join us on Wednesday, March 6, at 2 p.m. ET to celebrate National Nutrition Month as we go “Beyond the Table” to eat with the environment in mind. The webinar will discuss the food system, how to reduce food waste, and how to buy local or grow your own food through Farm to School initiatives. Register here.

Indiana Summer EBT Informational Sessions for Schools

IDOE is hosting three informational sessions regarding the new Summer EBT program in Indiana. The sessions listed below are intended for school personnel. Each session will provide the same information with time for questions.

• Thursday, March 14, at 3 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Thursday, March 21, at 3 p.m. ET. Register here.
• Thursday, March 28, at 3 p.m. ET. Register here.

Reminders

Serving Up Science: The Path to Safe Food in Schools

IDOE is accepting nominations for Serving up Science, a program that helps child nutrition professionals better understand the food system and the principles of food science that provide the basis for a strong food safety plan. If selected, participants and their employers are responsible for all costs incurred for travel to and from Manhattan, Kansas. Other program expenses, including meals and lodging, are provided Monday evening through noon on Friday while participants are in Manhattan. Nominations are currently being accepted for the summer session from Monday, June 24, through Friday, June 28. If interested, please email SCNtrainings@doe.in.gov no later than Friday, February 23.

Micropurchase Self-Certification Threshold Guidance 

School Food Authorities (SFAs) may self-certify a micropurchase threshold up to $50,000. Below is guidance for public schools, along with a link to the State Board of Accounts (SBOA) School Bulletin containing additional clarification. We hope to provide additional guidance for non-public schools in future newsletters.

• SBOA School Bulletin, June 2022 – page 6.
• This self-certification is for ALL Federal programs and should be developed at the district-level, not by individual federal programs.
• Self-certification must be completed and documented annually at the district-level.
• Questions about certification and documentation should be sent to your school business office and/or SBOA.

Updates from Our Partners

Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) Call for Panelists

ICN is seeking school nutrition professionals to present on various topics for their monthly STAR Webinar series. Upcoming sessions will cover effective menu planning, financial management, and inventory management. Find more information and submit your interest to ICN here.

Upcoming Dates

Additional Resources

• School Nutrition Programs Calendar
• IDOE's Nutrition webpage
• CNPweb

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Department News

• 02/16/24 Indiana Honors Schools Meeting the State’s 95% Literacy Goal
• 02/14/24 ADVISORY: Indiana Department of Education Honors Schools Meeting the State's 95% Literacy Goal
• 02/09/24 Indiana Department of Education Announces Recipients of High-Quality Summer Programming Grant
• 02/07/24 Indiana Department of Education Deploys Latest Round of Enhancements to the Indiana GPS Dashboard