School Nutrition Newsletter
May 13, 2020
COVID-19 Information and Updates
- The COVID-19 Newsletter page continues to be updated.
- New Meal Service Resource from USDA - Team Nutrition
School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) Grants
New COVID-19 Related Trainings and Webinars from School Nutrition Association (SNA) and No Kid Hungry (NKH)
P-EBT Program Information Update
Hoosier Heroes
May Webinars
- Don't forget! IDOE's May Webinar series starts NEXT week!
- Topics include end of school year updates and reminders, the free and reduced process, direct certification, and disclosure.
- For more information and to register, click here.
IDOE Wants Your Feedback!
- IDOE is conducting an end of the year survey covering USDA Foods, training preferences, and other topics as we begin to plan for next school year.
- Your feedback is appreciated!
- Click here to access the survey and complete by Friday, May 15.
Direct Certification (DC) Data Updated
- The newest DC data is available to download in the STN Application Center.
- For those without the Effective Date Waiver, any new eligibility matches identified in the DC system can be applied beginning May 1.
- For those with the Effective Date Waiver, begin applying benefits beginning the date the DC download or DC Lookup says the student was first eligible.
- For more information about the Effective Date Waiver, click here.
Reminder! CEP data may include all DC free students eligible PY 2019-2020, including new students eligible for DC between April 1 and June 30. CEP cycles starting SY 2016-2017 will expire at the conclusion of SY 2019-2020 and schools will be required to reapply to remain on CEP.
For more information about CEP please visit the Community Eligibility Provision web page or contact your field specialist.
- Questions about DC? Contact DC specialists using the new DC Help Form.
Food Safety Letter
- Don't forget! All buildings under a sponsor must receive two health inspections each school year or send a letter to the local health department requesting the two inspections.
- If two health inspections have not been completed due to COVID-19 and a letter was not sent for school year 2019-2020, make sure to send a letter to a local health department now.
- Sponsors might want to indicate in the letter if food service is operating in order to receive an inspection. Even if not operating, a letter to the local health department will fulfill the sponsor's requirements.
- A copy of this letter must be kept on file for three years, plus the current operating year.
- For a template letter, click here. The template can be found underneath "resources" at the bottom of the page.
- Questions? Contact your field specialist.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Outreach
- All schools participating in USDA School Nutrition Programs must meet the regulatory requirement of providing annual notification to all households regarding the availability of summer meals.
- Whether a local school corporation participates in USDA summer meal programs through the Summer Food Service Program, Seamless Summer, regular school meals through the National School Lunch Program, or doesn’t participate in any formal summer meal service, the obligation to inform households where to find meals is required.
- Annual notification can be through website announcement, email, flyer, or robocall, but all documentation showing this annual requirement is met must be retained with your school nutrition program records.
- Questions? Interested in participating in summer meals? Contact Tina Skinner at tskinner@doe.in.gov or your Field Specialist.
Disclosure to Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
Don't forget - sponsors are required to maintain strict confidentiality with applications and eligibility information.
Sponsors must ensure that data systems, records, and other means of accessing a student's eligibility status are limited to officials directly connected with administration of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Sponsors are permitted to share eligibility information with other schools/organizations that operate a Child Nutrition Program, like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and After School Snack Program (ASSP).
As long as the SFSP site is using the information shared for assessing their eligibility for their meal program, then this is acceptable.
If a school can’t tell if a site is really operating SFSP, contact IDOE to find out before sharing the information.
To determine what kind of disclosure process you must follow, consult Indiana's Disclosure Chart.
Questions? Contact Allie Caito-Sipe at acaito@doe.in.gov.
Annual Financial Report (AFR) 2020
SFAs that are done operating for the year are now able to start entering their AFR in the CNPweb under Program Year 2020.
This report must reflect school financial records for the Non-Profit School Food Service Account for program year 2019-2020.
You can find instructions on how to complete the AFR here and how to fix common errors here.
Not the person that completes the AFR online? Make sure to pass this information along to the person who will be completing it.
- Questions? Contact SCNFinance@doe.in.gov.
Food Distribution Program (FDP) Updates
- Allocations for school year 2019-2020 have ended for all state assigned warehouses.
- We are asking schools to remove as much product from their state assigned warehouse as possible by June 30.
- Warehouses will continue deliveries to schools until June 30.
- McFarling Foods is the only exception. Their deliveries to schools will end on June 15.
USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (Fresh)
- DoD Fresh funds for school year 2019-2020 must be spent in full no later than Tuesday, June 30.
- Don't forget! These funds do not carry over.
Important FDP - McFarling Foods Update
- The contract between IDOE and McFarling Foods will end on Tuesday, June 30.
- Any USDA Foods brown box inventory housed at McFarling Foods must be removed by schools before Monday, June 15.
- If a school chooses to leave their inventory at McFarling after June 15, deliveries and other accommodations will need to be arranged and scheduled directly between the school and McFarling Foods.
- The school will be fully responsible for all transport, storage and any associated charges and fees.
Indiana Department of Education - School and Community Nutrition
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this newsletter, please contact Allie Caito-Sipe at acaito@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0849, or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20849, or contact Ashley Heller at aheller@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0544, or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20544.
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Website: https://www.doe.in.gov/nutrition
Phone: (317) 232-0850
Twitter: @EducateIN