Department of Education Administrative Memorandum

February
2005

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For editorial information,
contact Mary Stadick Smith at mary.stadicksmith@state.sd.us.

It is the policy of the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs to provide services to all persons, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, ancestry, or national origin, in accordance with federal and state laws.

CANS section

Guidelines for new wellness requirement issued
Effective school year 2006-07, a new federal law requires that local education agencies that participate in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) meal programs must have a wellness policy in place. USDA has put information, guidelines, sample policies and resources on the TEAM Nutrition Web site to help schools and agencies prepare for this requirement. Visit www.fns.usda.gov/tn/ and click on Local Wellness Policy. Amy Richards in the S.D. Department of Education’s Child and Adult Nutrition Services also would be happy to answer questions. You can reach Amy at (605) 773-4718 or amy.richards@state.sd.us.

Verification report 742SD due
New policy beginning in 2005 requires all schools to submit a summary of the verification results for the National School Lunch Program to Child and Adult Nutrition Services. The report form (742SD) was mailed out to school food authorities on Oct. 29, 2004, in NSLP Memo #51.1. The memo also can be downloaded at www.state.sd.us/deca/CSCF/CANS/Forms/index.htm.

March 1 is the deadline to submit verification report 742SD.

The new policy requires school food authorities (SFA) to report their verification activity and results to their respective state agencies. Additionally, state agencies must report the SFA level data to the federal Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). Submission of this data will enable state agencies and FNS to better understand certification errors and to improve oversight and technical assistance activities. This will help ensure that free and reduced-price subsidized meals are provided only to eligible children.

New dietary guidelines issued
New dietary guidelines were issued by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health last week. Changes include an increase in the amount of fruits and vegetables that should be consumed and an emphasis on eating whole grains.

According to the new recommendations, at least half of all grains consumed should be whole grains. The recommendations also state that both trans fat and saturated fat should be avoided. Finally, the guidelines suggest that children and adolescents should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.

A new image – to replace the food pyramid – will be released in the next few months.

At this time, South Dakota’s Child and Adult Nutrition Services has not been notified of any related changes that would impact requirements for the school lunch program.

For more information about the dietary guidelines, visit www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/.

Celebrate School Breakfast Week in March
National School Breakfast Week will be observed March 7-11. The department’s Office of Child and Adult Nutrition Services (CANS) encourages food service directors to work with teaching staff to plan activities that promote the importance of the breakfast meal, whether it is eaten at home or school.

This year’s theme – “School Breakfast: Great Performances” – provides the perfect opportunity to convince teachers, administrators, parents and students of the links between breakfast and students’ health, happiness and academic performance.

Research has shown that kids who eat breakfast pay more attention in class, show improved behavior, are less likely to be absent, increase their nutrient intake, and perform better on standardized tests.

Please watch for the arrival of an activity packet from Child and Adult Nutrition Services to be mailed out the first part of February. The packet contains information and activity sheets that can be duplicated for classroom use.

Accept the HealthierUS School Challenge
To encourage schools to create a healthier nutrition environment, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has initiated the HealthierUS School Challenge. Schools can be certified as either silver or gold schools.

Schools must meet a basic set of criteria. To be certified, a school must:

be an elementary school
be enrolled as a Team Nutrition School
offer reimbursable lunches that demonstrate healthy menu planning practices and principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and that meet USDA nutrition standards
provide nutrition education to students
provide students the opportunity for physical activity
maintain an average daily participation of 70 percent or higher of school enrollment for reimbursable lunches
adhere to guidelines established by FNS for foods served/sold in schools outside the National School Lunch Program.

FNS will review all completed assessment tools and award schools that successfully meet the challenge with a plaque. In addition, recognized schools will be listed on the Team Nutrition Web site.

For more information, visit the TEAM nutrition Web site at www.fns.usda.gov/tn/ and click on HealthierUS School Challenge. You also may contact Amy Richards, S.D. Department of Education’s Child and Adult Nutrition Services, at (605) 773-4718 or amy.richards@state.sd.us.

What’s coming up in professional development?
National Teleconference on School Wellness Requirements
Feb. 17
A teleconference session to address new federal wellness policy requirements will be held Feb. 17. For school year 2006-07, agencies that participate in the National School Lunch Program must have a wellness policy in place. The teleconference is hosted by the American Dietetic Association in partnership with the School Nutrition Association. To learn more, visit www.eatright.org/Member/ProfessionalDevelopment/100_20670.cfm.

Orientation to Child Nutrition Management
June 13-17
National Food Service Institute, Oxford, Mississippi
A five-day seminar for new and aspiring food service directors will be held June 13-17 at the National Food Service Institute in Mississippi. Approved for continuing education credit, the seminar will provide customer-focused and cost-effective management topics including record keeping, menu planning, promoting healthy eating, purchasing, and staff management. Cost is $150. For more information, visit www.nfsmi.org/Education/Workshops.html or contact Melba Hollingsworth at 1-800-321-3054.

Certification Institute 2005
June 19-24
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Child and Adult Nutrition Services will host its annual training for food service personnel June 19-24 at Augustana College in Sioux Falls. Participants will receive a certificate of completion after successfully completing 30 hours of training in one of five tracks. Food service personnel are not required to attend the Certification Institute, but it is strongly encouraged as nutrition staff learn skills that improve their ability to do their job and understand school nutrition. Watch for more information in the months ahead.