Articles in this issue:
A Note from Sandra
Application approval for School Nutrition Programs is 65% complete as the time of this writing. Applications for Child & Adult Care Food Program will be opening soon. Summer Food Service Program is done for the year….and planning will start for next year very soon. We are in a continual cycle to ensure that children receive nutrition meals to help ensure they grow and learn.
I’m repeating a paragraph from September 2015 because the situation has not changed: “We have not heard much more news about reauthorization yet; however, we are hearing that discussions are in progress. Some professional organizations monitor Congressional action and share that information with members to give you opportunity to provide input.”
The staff in Child & Adult Nutrition Services has changed and grown. We look forward to providing faster customer service and review closure and more education opportunities as the new staff members learn their roles and the program requirements. Questions can be addressed to our main number at 605-773-3413 if you don’t know who to call and you will be referred to the correct person with questions. If you want to send an email but are not sure where it should be sent, you can send it to doe.schoollunch@state.sd.us. That is monitored daily and the question will be referred to the correct person.
We do expect that the new equipment grants will be announced in early October. Watch the Bulletin and other notices for additional information.
Thank you for your patience as we work through the new processes and procedures.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” ~ Dr. Seuss
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Upcoming Training Opportunity – New Managers Class
New Managers Class
- Available Dates and Locations: Oct 21-22 – Pierre OR Oct 24-25 – Pierre
- Target Audience: New food service directors, managers, employees seeking refresher course on program requirements
- Training Topics: Meal pattern requirements, food crediting, standardizing recipes, whole grain resources, vegetable subgroups, general program training
- Registration: Click Here to register, or call the CANS office to request a fax-back registration form at (605) 773-3413. Registrations must be received no later than October 10.
- CANS will send a confirmation of class registration and additional information about class details once registration closes.
Please contact CANS at 605-773-3413 with any registration issues.
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CANS Welcomes Sam Zeller
Hello! My name is Sam Zeller. I recently graduated from Emporia State University this May with my Bachelor’s of Science in Health Promotion. In college, I participated in many activities, clubs, philanthropic organizations, and was highly involved in my sorority-- Go Chi Omega!
I grew up on a farm in central Kansas with my 5 siblings--raising cattle, pigs, and chickens--causing havoc and too many grey hairs & wrinkles for my parents. I attended a rural school and still keep in touch with my graduating class of 22. Attending Little River School District, I was able to complete my first year of college courses during my senior year, helping me to graduate early & begin life’s adventures!
My family, friends, and faith are my top priorities. I enjoy hiking, fishing, and any adventure I can partake in. This summer I had the opportunity to intern at the Reno County Health Department and it proved to be a fabulous experience. I am excited to be here with the DOE, especially CANS, and getting to know all of you better! This is a great place to work and one that proves to be rewarding in not only my life, but in the students and children of South Dakota. I will be working mostly with the CACFP afterschool snacks & suppers, food service contracts, and federal reporting. It’s a lot of “new”, but I am eager to learn & be as useful as possible here in CANS!
Being a native Kansan gives me a love for the sunflower state, my K-State Wildcats, and friendly neighbors. I am looking forward to what South Dakota and CANS has in store!
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Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program – Optional Follow-up Call – September 22
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program participants have been notified of program selection, alerted of their available allocation amounts, and notified of additional steps requiring completion (returning FFVP addendum, completing the FFVP Sponsor Application in iCAN, and completing the FFVP quiz).
Call-In Number: 866-410-8397
Conference Code: 5928755239
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Verification
CANS is preparing to host webinars specific to how to conduct and report results of verification activities. We will work through the Verification process and the Verification Collection Report, also known as the 742 form in two separate webinars.
The Verification Process webinar is scheduled for September 28 at 9:30am CST.
The Verification Reporting webinar is scheduled for October 25 at 9:30am CST.
Remember-you can begin verification activities once the application approval process for the current school year begins and there are approved applications on file. Please refer to the SY16-17 Eligibility Manual for more information or contact the CANS office. The sooner the process starts, the easier it is to meet the November 15 deadline!
Please contact the CANS office at
DOE.SchoolLunch@state.sd.us, or call at 605-773-3413 with any questions.
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Food Distribution Bulletin for September 2016
Ordering Schedule:
- Orders open on Monday and closes on the following Monday at 9 am
- September’s order opened on July 11 and closed July 19
- October’s order opened August 8 and closed August 15
- November’s order will open September 6 and close September 13
- December’s order will open October 3 and close October 11
- January’s order will open November 7 and close November 14
- February’s order will open December 5 and close December 12
- March’s order will open January 9 and close January 16
- April’s order will open February 6 and close February 13
- May’s order will open March 6 and close March 13
Surveys:
- Some of the agencies are not seeing all months available –June is still showing and should not (no deliveries in June). June requests will be cancelled. The software Company is working on the fix for this.
- Asian Food Solutions (survey 123) has sent me a letter (July 19) that requests schools to not menu their items until mid to late October. Due to production issues following the recall of Pilgrims Pride Waco Plant.
- Items on survey 123 are:
- 300200 Teriyaki
- 300201 New Orleans Cajun
- 300204 Tangerine
- The schools ordering Tangerine chicken item 300204 on survey 123 for September will not be receiving this product due to the production issues.
- October survey requests will not be added to the October order for Asian Food items.
- Survey 129 – JTM Beef has been added to the available open surveys.
- October survey requests have been added to your orders due to an allocation software issue.
- November through May survey requests are open and can be modified / changed until the Thursday before Monday’s order is placed. Survey requests will be added to the order form as an allocation.
Entitlement:
- Entitlement is determined by multiplying the number of meals served in the prior completed school year (SY) by the Planned Assistance Level (PAL).
- for SY 16-17 the prior completed SY is 14-15
- PAL is set currently around July 15th.
- SY 16-17 PAL is 0.32
- Entitlement is held on your survey requests.
o You can see your survey requests by going to Chapter 3 Contract Entitlement.
- Under “Entitlement Used” you can click on the blue number and see all of the activity of your usage.
- Srvy117 is the annual survey you completed back in January - March.
- As the items come into the warehouse and are added to your allocations you will see the survey amounts change to zero.
- At the end of the year if everything is delivered to the Nordica warehouse and you have requested it delivered to your school’s warehouse the Srvy117 should not have a value.
Bids - Beef and Turkey
- Cargill Meat Solutions was awarded the contract for RFP 624 Turkey. (New processing survey 126)
- JTM Food Group was awarded the contract for RFP 623 Beef. (New processing survey 129)
United States Department of Agriculture Tools website:
- If agencies would like additional USDA help on determining which item is the best fit for their agency. The below links are useful:
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Local Wellness Policy – Final Rule
The final rule for the Local Wellness Policy was recently released.
Click Here to see a summary of the final rule.
At a minimum, policies are required to include:
- Specific goals for nutrition promotion, education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote wellness
- Standards and nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages sold to students during the school day (midnight to 30 minutes after end of day)
- Standards for all foods and beverages provided to students
- Policies for food and beverage marketing
Additionally:
- The local education agency must establish one more school officials to ensure the district complies with the policy.
- The local education agency must permit participation by the general public, school community (parents, students, school food authority representatives, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, school board, school administrators) in the wellness policy process.
The local education agency must conduct assessment of the wellness policy every three years, at a minimum. The assessment will determine:
- Compliance with the wellness policy
- How the wellness policy compares to model wellness policies
- Progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy
The final rule requires State agencies to assess compliance with the wellness policy requirements as part of the general areas of the administrative review every three years. Documents which the State agency will review include:
- Copy of the current wellness policy
- Documentation on how the policy and assessments were made available to the public
- Most recent assessment of implementation of the policy
- Documentation of efforts to review and update the policy, including who was involved in the process and how stakeholders were made aware of their ability to participate
The final rule was published on July 29, 2016 and can be found online at:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy.
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Building for the Future with the CACFP
Mealtime Memos for Child Care
The June 2016, July 2016, and August 2016 issues of Mealtime Memo for Child Care, the monthly newsletter that includes menus, recipes, and activities related to child care, are now online.
June 2016:
For Good Nutrition - Eat Foods in Season:
Good nutrition is the cornerstone of good health. A balanced diet filled with a variety of nutritious foods helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and obesity. In addition, when young children develop healthy eating habits, that include nutritious foods, they are more likely to continue these healthy habits into adulthood. Therefore, this memo will feature three key reasons to incorporate seasonal foods in your child care menus for good nutrition.
July 2016:
Got Time? Online Courses for Professional Development:
Training and professional development are essential resources for success in a child care setting. Not only does it help everyone to succeed in their day-to-day roles and responsibilities, but training and professional development also increases confidence among staff. However, finding time to attend training can be a challenge for some child care professionals. Therefore, this memo features strategies for obtaining professional development through online courses.
August 2016:
Is it Safe to Eat? Food Temperatures for Child Care
Controlling temperatures is one of the most important ways to control the growth of bacteria in food. It also helps to reduce the risk of children and staff becoming sick with a foodborne illness. Therefore, this memo will feature some basic tips for selecting and using food thermometers to prepare meals for the children in your care.
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Handwashing: The Most Important Step in Preventing Illness
According to the CDC, washing your hands often is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to other people. Every day you touch surfaces that have been touched by other people. Those surfaces pick up bacteria from other people and when you touch that surface you pick some of that bacteria up.
We must protect our hands—and all they touch—from the bacteria that is trying to make you sick. As you may know, many diseases are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water.
The CDC says the proper way to wash your hands is to:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds, or sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel, paper towel, or air dry them.
While many people may understand how to wash their hands properly, knowing when to wash your hands is just as important! You should wash your hands:
- Before, during, and after preparing food. Wash hands when changing from one type of food to another, like prepping chicken nuggets on a pan then moving to cutting lettuce.
- Before eating food
- Before and after caring for someone who is sick
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
- After using the toilet
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching garbage
Alcohol based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol can reduce germs on your hands, but they are do not get rid of all kinds of germs. They also do not get rid of dirt and grime. These sanitizers should not be used in place of handwashing when you are cooking and serving food.
Some food safety experts talk about establishing a food safety culture in order to help change handwashing behaviors. You can start working towards establishing a food safety culture by talking about handwashing in your kitchen school. Make handwashing stations accessible. Praise proper handwashing by staff and remind other staff to wash their hands. You can set goals or challenges to make handwashing fun. You can also celebrate Global Handwashing day on October 15. There are fun activities and materials linked on the CDC website:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/globalhandwashing/.
Happy Handwashing!
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NEW INFORMATION ON HOUSEHOLD ELIGIBILITY – Household not applied
Held over from previous month:
ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE NOT APPLIED
Local school officials may complete an application for a child known to be eligible for meal benefits if the household has not applied. When exercising this option, the school official must complete an application on behalf of the child based on the best household size and income information or Other Source Categorical Eligibility status known to the official.
The source of the information must be noted on the application. Names of household members, the last four digits of the social security number, and the signature of an adult household member need not be secured. These applications are excluded from verification. However, the household must be notified that the child has been certified to receive free or reduced price benefits. This option is intended for limited use in individual situations and must not be used to make eligibility determinations for categories or groups of children.
**From the Eligibility Manual for School Meals: Determining and Verifying Eligibility, July 2015.
It is understood that situations do present themselves where this could be a great benefit to children in some households. However, this process can be used only in situations of an extreme nature. Applications gathered this way, with no access to verifying information, should be a rarity in your program, not the standard.
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School Lunch Week: October 10-14
The theme for this year’s National School Lunch Week, which takes place October 10-14th, is Show Your Spirit! On our display board at the SNA conference, we had some fun SNA characters, which can be found on their website if you are a member. We also had some facts about school lunch. These facts are posted on the National School Lunch website for schools to download and print and hang up in their lunch rooms. There is also a National School Lunch Week toolkit that can be found at
https://schoolnutrition.org/NSLW/ on the School Nutrition Association website. Some ways to celebrate National School Lunch Week include: promote National School Lunch Week throughout your school to get kids excited, rename menu items to reflect the your school spirit like Buff burritos/Purple Power Smoothie/Chargers Chili, hang the National School Lunch Week characters and artwork in your lunch room, use an edible marker to write school spirit messages or pictures on your bananas or oranges.
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Action for Healthy Kids webinar series for School Year 2016-2017
One of our partner organizations in the Child Nutrition Programs, Action for Healthy Kids, recently released their fall and winter webinars schedule for the upcoming school year. These webinars will cover a wide range of topics to improve the health and wellness of your school: improving your local Wellness Policy, ideas for Smart Snacks in schools, breakfast in the classroom, messaging to parents, and more!
You can register for one or all of the following webinars by going to this website: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/events/webinars and selecting the webinars you wish to attend. Please note, these webinars are not hosted by CANS.
Wellness Wednesday: Walking and Running Initiatives in School
Wednesday, September 14, 3 - 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Join Action for Healthy Kids for our first Wellness Wednesday webinar of the school year. Learn about how you can implement walking and running initiatives at your school. Hear examples from AFHK partner schools and get your kids moving today.
Game On: Six Steps to Building a Healthy School
Tuesday, September 27, 3 - 4 p.m. (CT)
It's the beginning of a new school year, which means it's time to get your Game On. AFHK's Game On program is a no-cost, step-by-step online guide that provides all the information and resources you need to build a healthy school. Join this webinar to learn about how to use Game On to build a strong school wellness program this year.
Smart Ideas to Implement Smart Snacks in Schools
Wednesday, September 28, 1 - 2 p.m. (CT)
Now is the time to look at the school food environment. Join AFHK and AASA, the School Superintendents Association, in this timely and informative webinar to learn about the final rule on Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School (Smart Snacks) and putting these new requirements into action.
Navigating the Action for Healthy Kids School Health Portal
Tuesday, October 4, 3 - 4 p.m. (CT)
School staff: WE HEARD YOU. For years, you have been asking for a one-stop shop for school health. Now, AFHK has made one available! Designed using your feedback, you can apply for grants, form your school health team, complete a school health assessment, develop and track your action plan, plan volunteer events and much more. Let us show you around your portal.
Wellness Wednesday: Energize Employee Wellness in Your School
Wednesday, October 12, 3 - 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Healthy schools need healthy role models. When students see staff practicing what they preach, they are more likely to want to practice those healthy behaviors themselves. It's important for all school staff, whether or not they are members of the school health team, to practice healthy role modeling to support and encourage healthy habits among students.
School Breakfast: Breakfast in the Classroom, Beyond Elementary Schools
Tuesday, October 25, 3 - 4 p.m. (CT)
Join us to learn more on how to successfully incorporate breakfast in the classroom models in secondary schools. Hear the pros and cons of this successful model and strategies for success.
Getting Started on School Wellness: What Parents Need to Know
Thursday, October 27, 1 - 2 p.m. (CT)
What's the best approach for accomplishing your school wellness goals? Who's who at your school, and how can teamwork help you? How can wellness policies help you achieve your goals? To become a successful advocate for healthy schools, parents need to know how to build awareness, support and momentum to make wellness a priority at their schools. Learn how to make the case for a healthier school and engage your school community to support your efforts.
Going for the Gold in School Wellness: How to Apply for the HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms Initiative
Thursday, November 3, 3 - 4 p.m. (CT)
Does your school promote health and wellness for your students? Get recognized and receive funding for your efforts by applying for the HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms (HUSSC:SL) initiative with help from AFHK!
Wellness Wednesday: Easy Nutrition Messages
Wednesday, November 9, 3 - 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Discover quick and easy ways to share nutrition education messaging and increase awareness of healthy eating among students and parents. Both messaging and methods of distribution will be discussed.
Get Your Community Involved: Engaging Volunteers for a Healthier School
Thursday, November 17, 1 - 2 p.m. (CT)
For your school wellness program to be successful, it is vital to engage key groups of volunteers to support your action plan and be partners in your efforts. These key groups include parents and other family members, school staff, school board members, community organizations and local business owners. This webinar features strategies and practical pointers to engage families and community members as volunteers in your healthy school initiatives.
Nudge Kids to Eat Better at School: Smarter Lunchroom Strategies that Work
Wednesday, December 14, 3 - 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Do students at your school regularly select healthy options offered with school meals? If not, don't fret. We can nudge students to make healthy choices by making our lunchrooms smarter. Learn about the Smarter Lunchrooms movement and explore strategies to spruce up your school cafeteria in ways that will inspire kids to choose the healthiest options available.
Keep Moving: Comprehensive School Physical Activity
Wednesday, January 3, 2 - 3 p.m. (CT)
Join AFHK to learn about the latest trends and resources for your school Comprehensive School Physical Activity Plan (CSPAP) to keep your students moving throughout the school year. Experts recommend that kids get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. There are many opportunities for physical activity during the school day. Cold weather? Winter blues? Join this webinar to ensure your students have active bodies all year long.
Wellness Wednesday: Take the SuperFit School Challenge
Wednesday, January 11, 3 - 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Join Action for Healthy Kids to learn how our new SuperFit School Challenge can help your school raise funds, energize your school community and teach your students healthy physical activities and nutrition education. We'll take you through this new program that gives your kids, and your school's fundraising efforts, a healthy advantage.
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Updated Policies and Regulations
Some policies have multiple numbers. That means those apply to multiple programs.
Child & Adult Care Food Program
New CACFP meal patterns were announced and are effective Oct 1, 2017. http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/federal-register-documents
Current policies can be found at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/policy No new policies have been issued since the last Bulletin.
09/07/2016 CACFP24-2016
Conducting Five-Day Reconciliation in CACFP, with Q&As
08/31/2016 CACFP23-2016
Feeding Infants and Meal Pattern Requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program; Questions and Answers
08/10/2016 CACFP 22-2016
Taking Food Components Off-site in the At-Risk Afterschool Component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program
08/08/2016 SP53_CACFP21_2016
Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the School Meal Programs and the CACFP
School Nutrition Programs (SP memos) can be found at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/policy. Three policies have been issued since the last bulletin.
09/09/2016 SP54-2016
Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q&As
08/10/2016 SP43-2016v2
Ensuring Access to Free and Reduced Price School Meals for Low-Income Students
08/08/2016 SP53_CACFP21_2016
Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the School Meal Programs and the CACFP
Summer Food Service Program
No new policies or regulations were issued for the Summer Food Service Program. Current policies can be found at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/policy.
Food Distribution
Food Distribution policies for school nutrition programs can be found at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/policy,
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/policy, or
http://www.fns.usda.gov/csfp/policy for the respective program.
Federal Notices regarding the Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Programs:
08/25/2016 Comment Request
CACFP National Disqualified List (Forms FNS-843 and FNS-844)
Comments Due 09/26/2016
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Let's Move Blog
The ‘Let’s Move Blog’ is a great place to keep up to date with the Let’s Move campaign, which focuses on overall wellness for a healthier tomorrow.
Recent articles include:
- Explore the White House Kitchen Garden Through a Virtual Tour!
- The TODAY Show Debuts the Garden on the Go! With Fruits and Vegetables from the White House Kitchen Garden
Visit the ‘Let’s Move Blog’ here to view recent stories, and more:
http://www.letsmove.gov/blog/all
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