If you’re planning to provide meals over Spring Break, CNS approval is required to distribute and serve more than 7 days' worth of meals at one time.
Non Operating Days
Ensure non-operating days in your SY2020-21 WINS Calendar(s) are updated prior to meal service.
- WINS requires calendars with a NSLP/SBP October Building Data schedule to contain at least one non-operating day.
- A Saturday, Sunday, or the day following the last day of operation can be used as a non-operating day if the site is operating during all holidays and term breaks.
Submit Your Plan to CNS for Approval
If you plan on serving more than 7 days’ worth of meals at one time, you must submit a written meal distribution plan by emailing Liz Beechler, School Meal Programs Supervisor.
Your written MDP must address the following:
- Food safety protocols to include how milk will be provided prior to its expiration date; how fresh fruits and vegetables will be served to maintain quality.
- Maintenance of appealing menus over this time frame.
- Communication with households.
- How production needs will be determined/forecasted (pre-order system)?
- Will households have the capacity to store the number of meal packs provided?
- Will meal packs be served using an “Offer vs. Serve” or “Serve Only” style of service?
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
In Washington state, there are requirements for public school districts to offer a summer meal program (RCW 28A.235.160(4)).
Schools districts must offer a summer meal program if educational, enrichment, or remedial services are offered during the summer months at a school in which 50% or more students are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.
When planning your summer meal program, it’s important to note that SFSP & SSO also have specific requirements for summer school sites.
- Summer school sites must operate as open sites. Meals must be offered to both summer school students and the community.
- Summer school sites cannot operate as closed enrolled sites.
If a district plans to offer meals only to students enrolled in summer school, the NSLP/SBP must be extended. Under NSLP/SBP, a by-name meal count is required and meals must be claimed according to a student’s approved eligibility status.
Questions? Contact your Program Specialist or email summermeals@k12.wa.us.
Apply for the Summer Meals for Kids Grant (Form Package 412) by Monday, April 26, at 4 pm PT.
The Washington State legislature has provided $250,000 for the Summer Meals For Kids grant.
These funds may be used to:
- Start a new Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
- Expand the number of meal sites or number of meals offered to children.
- Begin or expand promotion and outreach for a SFSP, such as marketing for Farm-to-Summer Week (July 12–16, 2021).
- Provide training to volunteers or other staff.
- Improve the quality, safety, sanitation, and/or efficiency of meals served in a SFSP.
- Purchase or improve equipment or small wares used in the SFSP.
Here are some ideas from previous applications:
- Marketing materials such as vehicle wraps, billboard space, sandwich boards, or printing of marketing materials (i.e. stickers, door hangers, etc.);
- Meal delivery vans/busses/food trucks;
- Portable plug-in coolers;
- Portable hand-washing stations;
- Gardening equipment and supplies for meal site gardens that are used to provide food to program and/or support nutrition education activities.
These grants are available to all sponsors operating a summer program. If you do not have an EDS or iGrants account, you must create one - get started early! Review our 3/22 Update for more details on getting an EDS account.
Questions? Please email Mikhail Cherniske.
Great marketing strategies can have a direct effect on increasing participation at summer meal sites. Outreach can include distributing location, meal times, and contact information through your regular communication channels.
Sharing resources allow families to locate summer meals in the area helps when in need.
There are a number of resources, in both English and Spanish, to raise awareness in your community.
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No Kid Hungry Texting Line - Families may text "Food" or "Comida" to 877-877 to find free summer meals near them.
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No Kid Hungry Meal Site Locator - Promote the https://www.nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals website.
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The OSPI Communication Toolkit located on the SFSP Resources webpage, under the 'Promote the SFSP' dropdown. There you'll find:
- Social Media Graphics and Sample Social Media Posts
- Marketing Materials such as flyers, door hangers, and a banner image
Ensure you Receive the Correct Newsletters
To ensure that important information is shared to appropriate groups and that you are able to easily identify which program the newsletter is geared toward. Here are the three options:
- School Meals and Food Distribution Programs Updates
- Summer Meal Programs Updates
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Updates
Next Steps
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If you are on our mandatory list to receive SFSP Updates, you should receive a separate newsletter that includes articles specific to SFSP.
- If you operate the CACFP, you should already be receiving a separate weekly newsletter.
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If you do not receive the SFSP Newsletter by the end of the week:
Questions? Please email Samantha Brueske, Training and Communications Specialist.
Summer 2021 is quickly approaching! Applications to operate the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for Summer 2021 will be opening at the beginning of April.
Please wait to revise or edit WINS applications and calendars until applications materials are released.
Application materials will include:
- Bulletins for New & Returning Sponsors
- Application Checklist
- New Meal Distribution Plan (MDP) Survey
Required Annual Training - Register Now!
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New SFSP Sponsor Training for Summer 2021- For organizations and administrators that did not operate SFSP in summer 2020 AND did not operate SFSP during SY 20–21.
Register Here
Date: Thursday, April 22
Time: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm PT
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Returning SFSP Sponsors Updates for Summer 2021 - For organizations that operated SFSP in Summer 2020 but did not operate SFSP during SY 20–21
Register Here
Date: Tuesday, May 4
Time: 9–10 am PT
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Sponsors Continuing SFSP Operation through Summer 2021 Updates - For organizations that operated SFSP in SY 20–21.
Register Here for our regular Bi-Weekly Webinar
Date: Wednesday, May 5
Time: 2–3 pm PT
Questions? Contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist or email summermeals@k12.wa.us.
During these webinars OSPI CNS will discuss hot topics, highlight important reminders, and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions.
Register Here
Dates: Every other Wednesday through 6/30/2021
Time: 2–3 pm PT
Program operators offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/ School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) during the 20-21 school year are encouraged to join us for these webinars.
Reminders
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Follow up emails will no longer be sent after the meeting. If you missed our last webinar, you can review the recording from our 3/24 meeting here.
- 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.
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Child Nutrition Services (CNS) invited the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) to conduct several FREE trainings over the coming year. These sessions can be attended by any food services staff, and they offer Professional Standards.
There is a limit of 2 participants from each district per training. We will be offering sessions more than once so there will be more opportunities to attend later in the year.
Trainings
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Training Culturally Diverse Groups - This training is designed to help you develop your skills to effectively deliver trainings to culturally diverse groups. Sign-Up Here
Date: Thursday, April 8
Time: 12 - 4pm PT
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Basic Culinary Math - This training allows participants to review and practice basic culinary math skills and focus on key skills such as measuring and converting measurements, scaling recipes, and calculating food costs.
Sign-Up Here
Date: Tuesday, April 13
Time: 12 - 4pm PT
Registration Information
Participants register for the training using the pdEnroller platform.
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Each participant must have their own pdEnroller account to sign up for the training if you do not have one currently. You may use this link to create an account, if needed.
- Keep your confirmation email!
- This email is your portal to the training session and additional handouts for the training.
- Pro Tip: You can add events to your calendar via the event page, this way your Zoom access link is available from your calendar.
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Can't Attend?
- Log into your account.
- Select your name in the upper right hand corner.
- Click on 'My Events'.
- Upcoming events appear at the top of your screen, you should see the class and a 'Cancel Registration' button.
- You can cancel your registration at any time using pdEnroller.
- Waitlist Participants:
- PdEnroller notifies CNS of the number of interested participants and automatically creates a waitlist when the session is filled.
- If someone cancels their attendance, pdEnroller automatically notifies the next person on the waitlist and gives them an opportunity to register - keep an eye out in your emails.
IMPORTANT:
There is a limit of 25 participants for each session. Each participant must have their own pdEnroller account to register.
Have Questions? Please email Samantha Brueske, Training and Communications Specialist.
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March 1-31
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National Nutrition Month!
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April 1
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January Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your January Claims!
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April 7
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Bi-Weekly Food Service Operations for NSLP and SFSP Sponsors Webinar - Register Here
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April 15
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March Claims Due in WINS
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