Take your celebration beyond this week and really Go Wild about School Lunch!
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves nearly 30 million children every school day in cafeterias, classrooms, and when necessary, even at home! Join us in celebrating National School Lunch Week ~ October 11–15 to highlight the importance of school lunch and the critical role school nutrition professionals play in helping children succeed in and out of the classroom.
With this in mind, NSLW is the perfect time to honor two school meal program employees recently recognized for their commitment to child nutrition.
Congratulations to Janis and Holly, awarded 2021 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year!
Janis Campbell-Aikens Executive Director, Child Nutrition Services, Auburn School District, Puget Sound ESD 121
Holly Hernandez Kitchen Manager, Chief Joseph Middle School, Richland School District, ESD 123
Get the word out to parents and your community with the Celebrate School Lunch Infographic.
- School meals meet federal standards and are proven to support student achievement and wellness
- New research shows children are receiving their healthiest meals at school
Bring your NSLW to life with Logos and Artwork
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Request artwork and logos to use on menus, social media, in newsletters and on your website!
Use Social Media to go “Wild About School Lunch”!
Share Your Celebration with the School Nutrition Association!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released SP 22-2021, CACFP 17-2021, SFSP 10-2021: Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Operations in School Year 2021–2022, Q&A #2.
This memo provides clarifications to operating Child Nutrition Programs during school year 2021–22.
Please review the full memo for more details.
Questions? Please contact your School Meals Program Specialist.
USDA's Team Nutrition recently released the Offer Versus Serve Guidance for the NSLP and SBP Tip Sheet to help program operators improve their meal service and ensure districts are operating in compliance with program requirements.
Using Offer Versus Serve at School Lunch
Offer versus Serve (OVS) is a type of meal service that can be used in the USDA's National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Lunches offered through SSO and NSLP are intended to be a full meal for students, meeting approximately one-third of their nutritional needs for the day. School lunch is not meant to supplement meals brought from home or foods purchased outside of the NSLP program.
Offer versus Serve allows students to decline some of the food offered, which can help reduce food waste and give students more choices, while still providing well-balanced meals.
While OVS meal service allows students to decline some of the foods offered at lunch, USDA requires that all students must be offered a full meal that includes all five meal components.
Schools that wish to offer individual meal components (or a limited number of components and not the full meal) to students may do so outside of meal reimbursement through a la carte sales.
This tip sheet and other posters can be found on Team Nutrition’s Offer Versus Serve Materials webpage.
Questions? Reach out to your School Meals Program Specialist.
Monthly claims are due by the 15th of each month following the claim period. All claims entered in WINS and in OK to Pay status will process for payment at the end of the month.
General Claiming Reminders
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Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Operators
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August Operating Dates for SY 21–22
August operating dates should be included in your September claim for reimbursement. Contact your Program Specialist for instructions on adding August operating dates to your site calendars.
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Correct your Average Daily Attendance (ADA)
Meals claimed in excess of the CAP count for a site will result in a claim error. SSO sponsors should make Average Daily Attendance (ADA) revisions and have specialist approval prior to submitting monthly claims.
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Monthly claim data must be in "OK to Pay" status by 5:00 pm PT on the 15th.
- WINS will automatically log all users out of the system on the 15th of each month at exactly 5pm PT.
- Give yourself enough time to input all claiming data, preview errors, correct errors. Completing these steps will help you ensure the claim is in “OK to Pay” status.
- At 5 pm, the claim function is closed. This means that the system does not allow access to claims until after the monthly reconciliation process is complete. This can take up to two business days.
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Didn't submit your claim by the 15th? That's okay! Submit your monthly claim by the 60-day deadline.
- Example: The September 60-day claim deadline is November 29, 2021.
- Claim reimbursements that are not entered into WINS or not in OK to pay status will NOT process for payment by the end of the month.
- The 20–21 Claim Processing Dates Information Sheet takes weekends and holidays into consideration for the 60-day deadlines. You may want to print or bookmark this information.
- Refer to the Claims Reference Sheet for details on what to do if you don't submit your claims by the 60-day claim deadline.
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Errors must be resolved for claims to be paid. WINS has multiple edit checks to help resolve issues before your claim is submitted.
- WINS edit checks the number of approved operating days for each site to the number of operating days entered in the site claim. If these numbers don’t match, the claim will go into error status.
- Review the Claiming Error Messages in WINS Information Sheet for more details on possible errors.
- Pro-Tip: Always select “Preview Errors” at the bottom of each site claim once information is entered.
Claiming Resources
Have Questions? Please contact Hydie Kidd, Fiscal Supervisor.
The United Way of King County is hosting an Afterschool Meals Summit along with the American Heart Association and several community Sponsors to provide information about adding afterschool meals to provide 3 meals a day at school.
We encourage school nutrition staff to invite afterschool enrichment providers and school leadership at CACFP eligible schools to this webinar:
Register for the At-Risk Afterschool Meals Summit
Date: Tuesday, October 19
Time: 11 am – 12pm PT
School meals are more essential to students than ever before. Adding an additional meal may seem overwhelming in these challenging times, but it can significantly impact student health, wellbeing, and readiness in the classroom. Afterschool programs that serve meals also draw students into constructive activities that are safe, fun, and filled with opportunities for learning.
OSPI will participate in this summit to provide information about CACFP At-Risk Afterschool meals and snacks.
Private schools and residential child care institutions (RCCIs) participating in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs are required to complete and submit a Child Nutrition Financial Report (CNFR) annually. This includes sponsors that participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Special Milk Program.
The CNFR reports the net resources for state fiscal year ending 2021 (July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021). The report is filed in WINS and is due by December 31, 2021.
New for SY 21–22
Local Education Agencies who do not submit their CNFR in WINS by December 31 will receive a claim error when submitting their December claims into the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) and will not be paid until the report is completed.
Resources
Questions? Please contact your program specialist.
All Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are eligible for the Safe School Meals Grant!
The Washington State Legislature provided funds to support safe school meals in School Year (SY) 21–22. Funds are awarded based on enrollment and meal participation.
All public, charter, and tribal compact schools sponsoring a school meal program during SY 21–22 are eligible for this non-competitive grant! We have simplified the application process so all applications are easy to complete (and funded)!
Application and Grant Funding Resources
Simplified Application Process—Apply Early!
We are aware that there may be supply chain issues with receiving equipment. Consider submitting your application in iGrants as soon as possible to assist CNS in approving your application so purchases can be finalized before the January 3, 2022, deadline.
Safe School Meals Grant (Form Package 170) due by 4pm on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.
Funds may be used to:
- Purchase equipment and supplies to increase the safety of school meals in SY 21–22. This includes, but is not limited to supplies or equipment to:
- Increase social distancing of students eating meals.
- Reduce touch points in the meal programs.
- Increase food safety.
- Increase safety in meal service.
- Provide training to increase the safety of school meals in SY 21–22.
- Provide outreach to students, families, and school staff, including translation services.
Questions? Please email Mikhail Cherniske.
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We continue to hear of the ongoing challenges around school closures, food order cancelations, delays, and shortages. To request additional waivers due to school closures or supply chain disruptions, please update the SY 21–22 Meal Distribution Plan (MDP).
School Closed?
The following Operational Flexibility Waivers allow LEAs to safely provide meals when school is closed due to a COVID outbreak:
In the event that a school is closed, please also notify your School Meals Program Specialist.
Experiencing Continued Shortages?
The Meal Pattern Flexibility Waiver allows LEAs to apply for a waiver of:
- Vegetable Subgroups
- Milk
- Serve Only with Age/Grade Group and serving size limitations
- 100% Whole Grain Rich Requirements
- Dietary Specifications for Sodium
Please continue to submit MDPs and document supply chain disruptions.
If flexibilities outside of the MDP are needed, please email your program specialist with a description of the disruption and how the Meal Pattern requirements will be met to the maximum extent practicable.
Questions? Please contact your School Meals Program Specialist.
Participation in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) school meal programs requires program operators to meet certain annual requirements. These include:
- All sponsors, including those operating the SSO, who collect school meal applications must complete the annual verification process for SY 21–22.
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October Building Data (OBD)- Data must be reported on the October claim for reimbursement by December 30.
- All School Meal Program sponsors, including those operating the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), or Special Milk Program (SMP), must report OBD. OBD documents the number of enrolled children eligible for free, reduced-price, and paid meals who traditionally have access to meals in the NSLP, SBP, or SMP.
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Annual Civil Rights Training- You must train all organization staff who help administer the nutrition program. Training must include your organization’s requirements and procedures as well as meet the training requirements outlined in this presentation.
Completed forms are not required to be submitted, however, you must keep them on file for Administrative Reviews.
REMINDER
The school meal programs have other requirements that must be completed throughout the program year. Please use the School Meal Programs Requirements chart and School Meal Program Yearly Calendar to assist in understanding program requirements and finding resources.
For a complete list of the Nationwide Waivers in effect for SY 21–22, please visit OSPI’s COVID-19 Nutrition Meals & Guidance webpage. Instructions, forms, and tools are available on the Child Nutrition Services website.
Questions? Please contact your program specialist.
November orders opened on Wednesday, October 6, and close Wednesday, October 13 at 4 pm.
Surplus orders will open Thursday, October 14 at 1pm for groups 1–3, and 2 pm for all other groups. Surplus closes Friday, October 15, at 4 pm.
For more information on your group number, please review the SY 21–22 Order and Delivery Schedule.
Ordering
- To place an order- log-in to CNP Web.
- Your Food Distribution Application must be completed (including certified and submitted) before you can place an order.
- Ordering Instructions
- Reminder:
The Ordering and Receiving webpage has multiple resources to assist you in placing your ordering including; instructions, order and distribution schedule.
Important Reminders
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Confirmation of USDA Foods- If you’re scheduled to receive a USDA Foods Delivery, you should receive an appointment confirmation from the carrier. Please remember to reply to the carrier confirming receipt of appointment.
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To update or change your delivery contact person, please complete the Delivery Updates Form.
Questions? Please email the Food Distribution Office or call 360-725-6204.
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As vendors and processors continue to have challenges with production capacity and transportation, we are experiencing delays and shortages with various products.
For the most current product updates please see the CNP web homepage.
October Availability
WIW502- Pizza Bagel Pepperoni - limited availability
W109- Beef Rib Patty - limited availability
W132- Beef Teriyaki Dippers - limited availability
W289- French Toast Sticks - limited availability on the east
W527- 4x6 Cheese Pizza - limited availability
W533-Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Pouch - limited availability
WIW502- Whole Grain Pepperoni Pizza Bagel limited availability
WIW516- 6” Round Personal Cheese Pizza IW - limited availability
WIW533- Ultimate Ch. Cheese Dip Cup – limited availability
Estimated November 2021 Availability
100242- Blueberries
100355- Potato Wedges
100357- Potatoes Oven Fries
110473- Broccoli Florets
110161- Mixed Fruit Dry (West Only)
Estimated December 2021 Availability:
100101- Diced Chicken (East Only)
110554- Turkey Breast Deli
Estimated January 2022 Availability:
100364- Vegetarian Beans (Delay in Western Washington Orders Only)
100365- Pinto Beans (Delay in Western Washington Orders Only)
100370- Red Kidney Beans (Delay in Western Washington Orders Only)
110361- Applesauce Cups
111100- Cereal Bowls (USDA unable to find a supplier)
W281- Whole French toast IW
W288- Cheese Tortilla Wrapped Omelet
W274- Cheddar Cheese Omelet
W281- Whole French toast IW
W288- Cheese Tortilla Wrapped Omelet
USDA Unable to Provide During SY 21–22
100935- Sunflower Seed Butter (East Only)
110080- Chicken Oven Roasted
110721- Sweet Potato Fries (West Only)
110854- Peanut Butter Individuals (West Only)
110851- Pollock Fish Sticks
111230- Mixed Vegetables
WIW518- Mozzarella Pinwheel
Please continue to utilize surplus for substitutions.
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Due to increased labor and production cost, several processors have issued price increases in order to continue service. Effective starting with the November order period, the following W-code products will have an increased processing fee.
The cost per serving listed is calculated using the processing fee only and does not included the entitlement value.
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Item Code
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Current Processing Fee
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Current Cost Per Serving
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New Processing Fee
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New Cost Per Serving
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Mandarin Orange Chicken & Rice Bowl IW
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W206
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$60.07
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$1.66
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$65.64
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$1.82
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General Tso's Chicken & Rice Bowl IW
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W218
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$60.07
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$1.66
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$65.64
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$1.82
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Chicken Popcorn
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W242
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$40.13
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$0.25
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$59.18
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$0.38
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Chicken Drumsticks Breaded
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W244`
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$56.18
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$0.61
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$82.21
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$0.89
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Mozzarella Cheese Filled Bread Stick
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W540
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$20.70
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$0.10
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$26.80
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$0.14
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Note: You are able to remove items from your pre-orders monthly during the regular order period. If an item no longer works for your program, please adjust accordingly.
The processor fee includes the cost of ingredients (excluding USDA Foods), labor, packaging, overhead, and other costs incurred in the conversion of the USDA Foods into the specified finished end product. This fee is not allowed to be paid with entitlement.
Most Sponsors find they can:
- Stretch their USDA Food dollars by ordering lower-cost bulk products;
- Increase food safety by eliminating handling of raw product in school food service operations; and
- Reduce labor costs and cash outlays for food preparation
Questions? Please email the Food Distribution Inbox.
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