3542 3542Business and Non-Instructional Operations
Food Service
School Lunch Service
The Board of Education (Board) recognizes that students require adequate, nourishing food and beverages in order to grow, learn and maintain good health. It is the intent of the Board that District schools take a proactive effort to encourage students to make nutritious food choices. The Board directs that students shall be provided with adequate space and time, of at least 20 minutes for full-day, to eat meals during the school day.
The District shall offer nutritious meals to all students without regard to race, color, age, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression ancestry, national origin, marital status, pregnancy or disability.
The Board shall provide food service { } for school breakfasts; { } for school lunches that meets the nutritional standards required by state and federal school breakfast and lunch programs. (Alternate language: The District shall participate in the { } School Breakfast Program, (SBP) { } National School Lunch Program (NSLP), { } Special Milk Program (SMP). The District's NSLP, SBP and SMP will operate to meet dietary specifications in accordance with the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and applicable state laws and regulations.
This service shall be under the supervision of the Food Service Director who shall be responsible to the Business Manager. The Food Service Director shall be hired under specific job specifications and approved by the Board of Education.
Aims
Policies governing the operation of the school lunch program shall be:
1. To provide cafeteria facilities in all new schools and in other schools wherever practicable.
2. To provide wherever cafeteria facilities exist nutritionally balanced and attractive lunches available to all students with sufficient time allowed for eating. Varied and nutritious food choices shall be sold or served consistent with applicable federal government Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
3. To provide lunches free or at reduced rates to children whose economic or health needs require such action, with the approval of the Superintendent of Schools on recommendation of the Principal and school nurse.
Facilities
Cafeteria facilities, wherever possible, shall include the following:
1. Attractive, well-ventilated dining rooms.
2. A carefully planned, well-equipped kitchen adjacent to each dining area.
3. Adequate storage space so that food and supplies may be purchased in sufficient quantity to take advantage of favorable market conditions.
4. Maintenance, inspection and repair of equipment so that maximum use is obtained and danger of accidents to personnel is minimized.
Maintenance of Sanitary Conditions
Sanitary conditions in all phases of the preparation and serving of food shall be rigidly maintained at all times. The District shall maintain proper sanitation and health standards in food storage, preparation and service, in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws, regulations and requirements.
The Food Service Director shall be responsible for the education of all food handlers as to personal hygiene and techniques of sanitation.
All cafeteria workers shall be required to have a physical examination at the time of employment and periodically as requested by the School Medical Advisor.
Financing
The school lunch program shall be financed as follows:
1. Prices of school lunches shall be determined by the Superintendent in accordance with all prevailing costs of food, supplies, supervision costs, and wages of hourly workers.
2. Costs of food, supplies, salaries and wages of all employees, and other expenses directly incurred in the school lunch program shall be paid out of a separate fund, which shall be maintained under the control of the Business Manager or his/her designee and into which all receipts from sales and federal cash grants shall be paid. This fund shall be subject to annual audit by the District auditor. In compliance with federal law, the District's NSLP (and SBP) shall be non-profit.
3. Office facilities, equipment, heat, light and power shall be paid out of funds appropriated by the Board of Education.
4. Although the Board believes that the District's nutrition and food services operation should be financially self-supporting, it recognizes, however, that the nutrition program is an essential educational and support activity. Therefore, budget neutrality or profit generation must not take precedence over the nutrition needs of its students.
School Food Safety Inspections/School Food Safety Program
The District shall comply with state and federal requirements for conducting cafeteria health and safety inspections and ensuring employee participation in appropriate inspection services and training programs.
The District shall obtain two (2) safety inspections per year in accordance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations. The District shall post the most recent inspection report and release a copy of the report to members of the public upon request.
The District shall comply with federal regulations in developing a food safety program that enables District schools to take systematic action to prevent or minimize the risk of food borne illness among students.
Farm to School Program (optional revision/addition to policy)
Any bid submitted by a service management company in response to a request for proposal (RFP) or bid solicitation by the Board that is posted to the State Portal and that relates to the Board's school nutrition program shall include information detailing the consistency of such bid with the State's Farm to School Program and the ways in which such bid facilitates the purchase of products from local farmers by the Board. All other factors being equal, the Board shall give preference to the RFP or bid that promotes the purchase of local farm products.
Any person who sells any farm product as Connecticut-grown to the District is required to offer proof to the District that such farm product was produced in Connecticut, including, but not limited to, the name of the person or business that produced the farm product and the name and address of the farm where such product was produced.
(cf. 3542.31 - Participation in the Nutritional School Lunch Program)
(cf. 3542.33 - Food Sales Other Than National School Lunch Program)
(cf. 3542.34 - Nutrition Program)
(cf. 3542.43 - Charging Policy)
(cf. 6142.101 - Student Nutrition and Physical Wellness (School Wellness)
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10-215 Lunches, breakfasts and other feeding programs for public school children and employees. (as amended by PA 21-46)
10-215a Nonpublic school and nonprofit agency participation in feeding programs.
10-215b Duties of State Board of Education re feeding programs.
10-216 Payment of expenses.
State Board of Education Regulations
10-215b-1 School lunch and nutrition programs.
10-215b-11 Requirement for meals.
10-215b-12 Reimbursement payments. (including free and reduced price meals)
10-215d Regulations re nutrition standards for school breakfasts and lunches. (as amended by PA 16-37)
10-221o Lunch periods. Recess. Board to adopt policies addressing limitation of physical exercise.
22-38d Farm to school program. (as amended by PA 16-37 and PA 18-73)
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, 42 U.S.C. Section 1751.
School Lunch and Breakfast Programs 42 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq.
National Food Service Programs, Title 7 Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR Part 210, Part 220, Part 215, Part 245.
42 U.S.C. Sec. 1758(h)/7 CFR Sect 210.13, 220.7 (School Food Safety Inspections).
Federal Register (74 Fed. Reg. 66213) amending federal regulations (7CFR Part 210 and 220).
P.L. 111-296 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA), 42 U.S.C. 1751
7 CFR Parts 210 & 220 - Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch & School Breakfast Programs.
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance, 7 C.F.R. Part 15b (2001)
Policy adopted: