Nutrition Program Bulletin – Week of December 13, 2021
Each section contains updates relevant to those nutrition programs. You can jump to the section by clicking the link.
COVID-19 Waiver Reporting Survey Reminder
A COVID-19 waiver reporting survey was sent via email to the contact person listed on the Cyber-Linked Interactive Child Nutrition System (CLiCS) sponsor application for all Minnesota child nutrition program sponsors. The survey asks you to report the number of sites that used each COVID-19 waiver.
Please complete this critical survey by December 20 at 11:59 p.m. to help the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reporting requirements. We would like to see only one response per sponsor, so please disregard if you have already responded. If you are unsure of who received the survey link, please check with the person in your organization listed in the sponsor contact field in CLiCS.
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CACFP Monitoring Request
MDE is planning to complete all administrative reviews of CACFP sponsors in program year 2022. However, due to concerns around COVID-19-related closures, we are asking USDA for a waiver of the following CACFP state agency monitoring requirements. These will only be used as needed:
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[7 CFR 226.6(m)(3)(vii)] Observation of a meal service for an independent center.
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[7 CFR 226.6(m)(6)] Frequency and number of required institution reviews. Annually review at least 33.3 percent of all institutions according to the schedule:
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[7 CFR 226.6(m)(6)(i)] Review independent centers and sponsoring organizations of 1 to 100 facilities at least once every three years and include reviews of 10 percent of their facilities;
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[7 CFR 226.6(m)(6)(ii)] Review sponsoring organizations with more than 100 facilities at least once every two years and include reviews of 5 percent of the first 1,000 facilities and 2.5 percent of the facilities in excess of 1,000; and
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[7 CFR 226.6(m)(6)(iii)] Review new institutions that are sponsoring organizations of five or more facilities within the first 90 days of Program operations.
As a reminder, MDE is requesting to use these flexibilities only if an administrative review is not able to be completed due to COVID-19. Updates on the status of this waiver will be provided in future bulletins.
Essentials for CACFP Webinar Series (Formerly CACFP Basics Training)
Sign up for the new three-part Essentials for CACFP Series for new CACFP center directors, staff and food service employees. Each webinar consists of one hour of planned interactive content followed by 30 minutes for questions and answers. More information and registration for each of the three parts is available at Upcoming Trainings: Essentials for CACFP Series.
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Part 1: Basic Program Requirements – Wednesday, February 2, 2022, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
- Part 2: Meal Service – Wednesday, February 9, 2022, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
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Part 3: Menus and Crediting – Wednesday, February 16, 2022, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
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Deb Lukkonen’s Retirement
After 34 years working in the school nutrition field, the last 11 years as supervisor of the MDE School Nutrition Programs, Deb Lukkonen has announced her retirement effective January 4, 2022.
Deb brought a wealth of experience and passion for the school nutrition field. She was a tireless advocate for nutrition programs and her voice will be missed. As Deb’s retirement date gets closer, we will post celebratory activities to recognize her achievements and contributions to school nutrition programs in Minnesota.
Applications are Open for the MDE Local Food Leadership Program
The Local Food Leadership Program is a new opportunity to build leadership capacity among school staff and to increase students’ knowledge of local food in the classroom, cafeteria, and community. The program is available to elementary schools. Schools will receive free resources, including classroom nutrition education handouts, parent handouts, a visit from a local farmer, technical assistance, and cafeteria marketing materials. Learn more about the Opportunity to Participate in the Local Food Leadership Program on the Team Nutrition page. Applications are due January 21.
Tuesdays @ 2 Webinars
Join school nutrition staff for a training webinar Tuesdays at 2 p.m. Read session descriptions and register for school year 2021-22 Tuesdays @ 2 webinars.
The Tuesday @ 2 webinar scheduled for December 21, 2021, is canceled and the content was added to the session on December 14, 2021.
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Procuring a Meal Service Provider (January 11, 2022)
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Professional Development Needs: What, When and How? (January 25, 2022)
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