To reduce the number of emails you receive, the Summer Newsletter will now be included in the School Meals Newsletter starting next week.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic many Summer Food Service Programs are currently being operated in schools. Since the information we share in the SFSP newsletter is also included in the School Meals newsletter, we want to limit the number of emails in your inbox.
Please keep an eye out for "SFSP" in the article titles, this will let you know what information needs your attention.
Questions? Please email Samantha Brueske.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors are required to conduct one site review within the first 4 weeks of operation at all sites. A follow up review may be required if corrective action was required during the site review.
Best Practice: Conduct additional monitoring visits throughout the school year due to the program operating longer than in traditional SFSP operations.
On-Site Reviews
On-Site reviews must be conducted at the time of meal service and the monitor must observe the entire meal period. The traditional On-Site Review Form should be used. If on-site monitoring cannot be conducted due to COVID-19, visits conducted virtually should use the Off-Site Monitoring Form.
The following are review components where direct observation normally would occur. Alternate methods, such as video or photos, should be used to conduct the review of meal preparation and meal service remotely.
- Meal delivery
- Meal preparation
- Meal pattern compliance
- Point of service meal counting
- Verification of attendance
- Health and safety issues
Additional Documentation During COVID-19
Sponsoring organizations may also conduct interviews with site supervisors and Program participants to verify information in photos via telephone or video conference. Sponsors should continue to record details to thoroughly document off-site monitoring, to include:
- The time and date the review was conducted;
- Names and contact information of site staff that participated virtually; and
- Any technical assistance provided.
Technology Use
When using technology such as video or photos, sponsoring organizations should follow any regulations related to technology use and privacy. Information that contains Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as applications or benefit status, should be protected. Information shared by Program operators should be password protected or sent via other secure methods to ensure privacy.
Resources
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS program specialist.
All SFSP sites must take a point of service (POS) meal count. POS requirements include:
- An accurate POS meal counting system - meals must be counted at the point where it can be accurately determined by an adult that a reimbursable meal has been served to a child.
- The sponsoring organization must train site staff on taking accurate POS meal counts if it pertains to their SFSP role.
- Sponsors must have an integrity plan with appropriate measures in place to ensure that program accountability is maintained.
- School sponsors must have a process in place to ensure duplicate meals are not being served when a site is operating both on and off campus instructional models. In some instances, this may include taking a by name meal count.
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Open Sites- Meals can be provided to all children in the community without taking a by name meal count. The Summer Food Service Daily Meal Count form may be used.
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Closed Enrolled Sites-Meals may only be provided to enrolled students, a system must be in place to ensure this requirement is met.
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Hybrid Models- In scenarios where students are served on-site and meals are available for the community or parents to pick up for students off-site, a system must be in place to ensure duplicate meals are not served. A by-name meal count may be necessary to ensure program integrity.
Submitting Meal Count Information
When site staff complete and submit the POS meal count document to the sponsor they are signing off to the distribution of federal funds. Sites must submit meal counts to the approved sponsor and cannot claim these meals for reimbursement under other Child Nutrition Programs.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS program specialist.
Prior to operation of the SFSP, an estimate of your Average Daily Attendance (ADA) was submitted and approved with your site calendar(s). WINS edit checks the number of meals claimed to the Capacity (CAP), which is auto-calculated to 120% of your approved ADA.
If the meals claimed exceed the CAP count, the claim will go into error status. Fluctuations in participation are common, so it is important to monitor attendance at your site(s) and make revisions to your ADA as needed
Please Remember:
- Average Daily Attendance (ADA) entered in the WINS site calendar should be compared to actual attendance at SFSP sites:
- During site monitoring visits
- When consolidating monthly meal counts
- Prior to entering monthly claim
- ADA(s) must be revised when site attendance is higher than the approved ADA in WINS.
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Revisions to your ADA must be submitted and approved prior to submitting monthly claims.
- Email your program specialist once changes are made.
- Revised ADAs will not be approved for claims that go into error status due to meals claimed over the approved CAP.
- Unsure if a revision is needed? Enter meal counts into your claim and select “Preview Errors”, if your claim shows an error due to meals exceeding the CAP, a revision to your ADA is needed prior to submitting your claim.
Food Service Management Company (FSMC) Sponsors: Due to USDA regulation, it is especially important to monitor and update your ADA prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement.
Please contact your Program Specialist if you have any questions or need assistance adjusting the ADA reported in your site schedules.
For public schools who contracted with Food Service Management Companies or other public schools in school year 2019-20, you are required to submit Financial Information Form 1505.
Submit the Form 1505 to CNS Fiscal by December 31, 2020.
On your Form 1505, total FSMC Object Code 7 Expenditures should be reasonable when compared to total Program 98, Object Code 7 expenditures from your 8/31/2019 F-196.
Normally total FSMC expenditures are compared to the 8/31/2020 F-196, but that data is currently not available from OSPI Accounting Services.
Contact Hydie.Kidd@k12.wa.us for questions and comments.
On October 23, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released policy memo SP 03-2021: Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Operations for SY 2020-21 during COVID-19.
The biggest change that this memo brings is the allowance to offer FFVP items to any children receiving meals from the FFVP site or approved alternate FFVP site. Please see Q&A #8 for more details.
Is Your Organization Planning to Operate SFSP/SSO through June?
If your SFSP/SSO site calendars were submitted prior to the release of CNR #56 which allows SFSP/SSO operation through the end of the school year, you may need to revise your site calendar(s).
If your meal service is currently approved through December 31, you must complete the following by December 31, 2020:
- Make a calendar revision to extend operations through the end of the school year. You must revise your SY 20-21 WINS calendar(s) to reflect June 30, 2021 as your last calendar day.
- Notify your program specialist.
NOTE: Calendar extensions submitted after December 31, 2020, may not be approved. Meals are required to be served during the state agency approved dates and times per 7 CFR 225.16.
Providing Meals for the Holiday Breaks?
Ensure non-operating days in your SY 20-21 WINS Calendar(s) are updated prior to meal service.
Changed your Meal Service Operation?
Submit a new Meal Distribution Plan to reflect your updated meal service models.
Adding or Removing Meal Service Sites?
A site application and calendar should be submitted for new meal service sites. The end date in the site calendar should be revised for sites that will cease operations.
Questions? Contact your Program Specialist.
The Organizations Providing Meals During COVID-19 Shutdown Map is an interactive map that connects families to district and organization websites for more information regarding meal services near them.
OSPI will not be updating the No Kid Hungry Site Locator Map nor the USDA Site Locator Map during the school year.
NOTE: This map only works on modern browsers such as Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge; it will not work on Internet Explorer.
Not Serving Meals Through SFSP?
If you are no longer providing meals through SFSP, but your organization’s website is still linked to our map, please email Child.Nutrition@k12.wa.us to have the link removed.
New law aimed at increasing access to extracurricular activities.
Back in March the legislature passed House Bill 1660. The new law works to remove obstacles to high school students participating in extracurricular activities. In addition to new data requirements, HB 1660 focuses on removing the barrier of costs.
With this new law, LEA’s who charge a fee for attendance at, or participation in any optional, noncredit extracurricular event must now adopt a policy of waiving these fees for students in grades 9-12 who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. This fee removal should be streamlined.
Our new resource explains the purpose of the legislation and what must be done to implement the law, including the three main steps that child nutrition should take to reduce barriers. It also includes sample language that can be used on the parental consent forms.
Sign Up for the New Webinar Series!
We will see you every other week until December 16!
Districts offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/ School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) this fall are encouraged to join us for these webinars.
You must register for this NEW series.
Register Here
When? Every Other Wednesday
Dates? November 18, December 2, December 16
Time? 2 - 3 pm PT
Reminders
- Save us on Your Calendar! When you register, there is an option to add us to your calendar at the bottom of the confirmation email.
- A reminder email with your link to log into the webinar is sent 1 hour before the session starts.
- Weekly follow up emails with a copy of the slides are sent to everyone registered for the session, even if they did not attend.
- We do not post recordings to the CNS webpages.
- Please keep an eye out in your inbox for these emails, if you do not see them in your inbox please check your SPAM box.
Miss last week? You can review last week's recording at this link.
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USDA Q&A #3 Updates
On November 2, 2020, USDA Released SP 04, CACFP 03, SFSP 03-2021 - Questions and Answers Relating to the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Operations through School Year 2020-21 - Extension - Q&As #3.
This memo provided clarification on verification requirements for SY 20-21. All LEAs that collected school meal applications during SY 2020-2021 are required to conduct verification based on the number of approved applications on as of October 1. Paused carryover applications are not included in this count. Although schools may have transitioned to SFSP/SSO operations, verification is still necessary and required.
The Verification Process
Verification is the process of confirming free and reduced-price meal eligibility based on the meal application. Usually, the verification process begins each year on October 1 and concludes on November 15. For SY 20-21, the verification process begins on October 1 and concludes on February 28, 2021.
The Verification Summary Report (VSR) due date and instructions for completing the report will be provided before the report opens in WINS December 10, 2020.
Please review our Verification update for more resources and details about completing this process.
Updated Materials Now Available!
Updated materials are located under the 'Verification of Applications' dropdown on the NSLP Meal Applications and Verification webpage. Materials include:
- Entering the VSR in WINS Training
- Reference Sheets
- Timeline and Instruction Sheets
- Tools to help you complete Verification
- Letters for households in English and Spanish on the OSPI webpages. Additional languages are available on USDA's website.
Questions about the verification process? Please contact your program specialist.
Winter weather is upon us! We realize that inclement weather or other events may unexpectedly affect your district's hours of operation, staff availability, and access to buildings.
Are Local Education Agencies required to serve Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) meals during inclement weather?
There are no requirements that LEAs serve SFSP meals. Districts should consider their unique circumstances and consult with their school administrators. LEAs should communicate meal service changes to households.
Important Reminder - USDA Foods Deliveries
Notify your carrier as soon as possible if you need to cancel or change your delivery of USDA Foods. Deliveries combine orders from multiple districts, loaded in the order they will be delivered. Early notification to your carrier allows for adjustments so other districts may still receive their order.
If your school or district experiences unexpected closures and your delivery cannot be accepted, please contact the Empire Distribution System (IEDS) carrier that delivers your USDA Foods:
- Holman Transportation – 253-867-0682
- Fastway Transportation – 509-534-9351
- Peninsula Transportation – 800-942-9909
- Oak Harbor Transportation – 253-288-8370
Loading docks and delivery areas must be clear of snow and ice to allow for safe deliveries. Please work with your facilities department to ensure your delivery area is ready.
Thank you for assisting the carriers that serve you!
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November 30
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Last day to submit your September claims! 60-Day Claim Deadline
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December 2
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SY20-21 Food Service Operations for NSLP and SFSP Sponsors Webinar - Register Here
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December 15
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November Claims Due in WINS
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