2000	6140

Sheet 1 of 2

Personnel

SUBJECT:	SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM (LUNCH AND BREAKFAST)

School Food Service Program (Lunch and Breakfast)

The District participates in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Snack Program, to receive commodities and subsidies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In return, the District provides free and reduced-price meals to elementary and secondary students in its schools and serves meals that meet federal requirements.

The Superintendent or designee will carry out the rules of the School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. The District's Reviewing Official and Verification Official or the Department of Social Services Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) will determine student eligibility. Appeals regarding eligibility should be submitted to the District's Hearing Official.

The  District  may  allow  free  or  reduced-price  meals  for  qualifying  District  students  after receiving a written application from the student's parent or guardian or a direct certification letter from OTDA. Applications will be provided by the District to all families.

School officials must also determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meals and milk by using the Direct Certification Matching Process. Any student residing in a household receiving federal assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), or Medicaid is automatically eligible for free meals and  milk; eligible families will not have to complete further applications. The District will notify parents or guardians of eligibility, giving them the opportunity to decline free meals and milk.

Child Nutrition Program Authorization

Since the District participates in one or more Child Nutrition Program, the Superintendent has developed rules which address:

a)	What can be charged;

b)	The limit on the number of charges per student;

c)	The system used for identifying and recording charged meals;

d)	The system used for collection of repayments; and

e)	Ongoing communication of this policy to parents and students. The District's meal-charge policy and procedures will be distributed to all households and applicable staff in writing at the start of each school year and to new households that transfer into the District during the school year. The policy and procedures may vary by grade. The District will also provide details regarding payment methods on its website.

2000	6140

Sheet 2 of 2

Personnel

SUBJECT:	SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM (LUNCH AND BREAKFAST)

Charging Meals

a)	Students may charge up to five reimbursable meals (that are available to all students), and will not be permitted to exceed this limit until the outstanding charges are paid in full;

b)     If a student's prepaid meal card or account has been exhausted, he or she will be given a grace period where no more than five reimbursable meals (that are available to all students) may be charged, to allow time for the meal card or account to be replenished.

c)	The only item(s) permitted to be charged are a complete meal or milk. A la carte items such as snacks or ice cream may not be charged;

d)	The District's point-of-sale system will track all charges and payments;

e)	If a student comes to school without a lunch, and has exceeded the maximum reimbursable-meal limit, the District may provide a reimbursable meal (that is available to all students) so that he or she does not go hungry that day;

f)      As  appropriate,  District  administration  may  contact  Social  Services  to  report  a  student's consistent failure to arrive at school with a meal.

Unpaid meal charges will be addressed directly with the student's parent or guardian who is responsible for providing funds for meal purchases; discreet notifications of low, exhausted, or deficit balances will be sent at appropriate intervals during the school year. The notification may include a repayment schedule, but will not charge any interest or fees related to meals charged during the grace period. District administration will further consider the benefits of attempted collections and the costs that would be expended in collection attempts.

Restriction of Sweetened Foods in School

The sale of sweetened foods will be prohibited from the beginning of the school day until the end of the last scheduled meal period.

Sweetened foods consist of sweetened soda water; chewing gum; and candy, including hard candy, jellies, gum, marshmallow candies, fondant, licorice, spun candy, candy coated-popcorn, and water ices, except those which contain fruit or fruit juices.

Restrictions on Sale of Milk Prohibited

The District will not directly or indirectly restrict the sale or marketing of fluid milk products at any time or in any place on school premises or at school-sponsored events.

2000	6140

Sheet 3 of 2

Personnel

SUBJECT:	SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM (LUNCH AND BREAKFAST)

Food Substitutions for Children with Disabilities

Federal regulations governing the operation of Child Nutrition Programs, Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require that  children  with  disabilities  be  offered  the  opportunity  to  participate  in  all  academic  and nonacademic activities including school nutrition programs. The District will make reasonable accommodations to those children whose disabilities restrict their diets, such as providing substitutions or modifications in the regular meal patterns. These meal substitutions will be offered at no extra charge. A student with a disability must be provided substitutions in food when that need is supported by a statement signed by a physician attesting to the need for the substitutions and recommending alternate foods.

However, the school food service is not required to provide meal services (for example, School Breakfast Program) to students with disabilities when the meal service is not normally available to the general student body, unless a meal service is required under the student's individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 Accommodation Plan as mandated by a physician's written instructions.

Food Substitutions for Nondisabled Children

Though not required, the District will also allow substitutions for non-disabled children who are unable to consume the regular meal because of medical or other special dietary needs if the request is supported by a statement signed by a recognized medical authority.

The District may also allow substitutions for fluid milk with a non-dairy beverage that is nutritionally equivalent (as established by the Secretary of Agriculture) to fluid milk and meets nutritional standards for students who are unable to consume fluid milk because of medical or other special dietary needs if the request is supported by a statement signed by a recognized medical authority or by the student's parent/legal guardian.

Prohibition Against Adults Charging Meals

Adults must pay for their meals at the time of service or set up pre-paid accounts.

2000	6140

Sheet 4 of 2

Personnel

SUBJECT:	SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM (LUNCH AND BREAKFAST)

HACCP-Based Food Safety Program

Schools participating in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast programs are required to implement a food safety program based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. The District must develop a written food safety program for each of its food preparation and service facilities that is based on either traditional HACCP principles or the Process Approach to HACCP. (The Process Approach simplifies traditional HACCP by grouping foods according to preparation process and applying the same control measures to all menu items within the group, rather than developing an HACCP plan for each item.)

Regardless of the implementation option selected, the District's written food safety program must also include:

a)	Critical control points and critical limits;

b)	Monitoring procedures;

c)	Corrective actions;

d)	Verification procedures;

e)	Recordkeeping requirements; and

f)	Periodic review and food safety program revision.

Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, PL 108-265
Child Nutrition Act 1966, 42 USC § 1771 et seq.
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 1946, 42 USC § 1751 et seq.
§ 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 USC § 794 et seq.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 USC §§ 1400-1485
7 CFR Parts 15B, 210 and 220
Education Law §§ 902(b), 915, 918, 1604(28), 1709(22), 1709(23) and 2503(9)(a)
8 NYCRR §§ 200.2(b)(1) and 200.2(b)(2) Social Services Law § 95

Adopted: 3/9/00
Amended: 8/22/13
Amended: 1/23/15
Amended: 1/17/18