BYRON BERGEN CENTRAL SCHOOL MEAL MODIFICATION STATEMENT

Dear Parent/Guardian:

The National School Meal Programs aim to provide all participating children, regardless of background, with the nutritious meals they need to be healthy. This includes ensuring children with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the NSLP and SBP.

Federal regulations require schools and institutions to serve meals at no extra charge to those children whose disability restricts their diet in such a way that they cannot fully participate in the food service program without some modification to the foods offered or the scheduled menu. The District will make reasonable accommodations to those children with disabilities whose disabilities restrict their diets, such as providing substitutions and/or modifications in the regular meal patterns. Such meal substitutions for students with disabilities will be offered at no extra charge. A student with a disability must be provided substitutions in food when that need is supported be a statement signed by a physician attesting to the need for the substitutions and recommending alternate foods. 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.

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.

If you believe your child needs substitutions because of a disability, please get in touch with us for further information. You must request meal modifications from the school and provide the school with the attached medical statement completed by a State licenses healthcare professional, unless the students IEP already states meal modifications are necessary.

All requests for meal modification will be reviewed by the School Medical Director as well as the Food Service Director. Once review is completed, you will be notified of the decision by the Food Service Director.

If you disagree with the School’s decision about the modification request, you can file a grievance to dispute the decision. You can file a grievance by calling or writing to: Patrick McGee, Superintendent, 6917 West Bergen Road, Bergen, NY 14416, (585) 494 – 1220 or pmcgee@bbschools.org

BYRON BERGEN CENTRAL SCHOOL MEAL MODIFICATION POLICY

Byron Bergen Central School District provides reasonable modified meal components on menus to accommodate students with a disability. A parent/guardian wishing to request dietary accommodations for their student with a disability/allergy must submit a medical statement completed by a State licensed healthcare professional, i.e., Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physician’s Assistant to their school’s nurse’s office. Documents can be sent by the healthcare professional by email, fax or mail to the Medical Director, Amy Stevens, at the Jr/Sr High School building. If you need assistance, please contact Mary Della Penna, Food Service Director, at mdellapenna@bbschools.org.

The medical statement requirements are:

•	Provides information about impairment (diagnosis not required)
•	Explanation of what must be done to accommodate the disability, which may include: o Food(s) to avoid or restrict (such as allergen)
o Food(s) to substitute
o Brief explanation of how exposure affects the student(s)

If the information provided in the medical statement is unclear, or lacks sufficient detail, the District’s Food Service Director shall request additional information so that a proper and safe meal can be provided. Modifications to the meals will begin immediately upon receipt of the documentation and continue while waiting for additional information, if needed. This form will remain on file and in force until we receive written notification from the parent to remove.

Modification procedure:

•	All servers and cashiers are made aware of the modification as soon as the food service department is notified
•	Student’s account is flagged with the modification, so it automatically comes up on the POS when the child enters his or her number
•	Any food items needed to be purchased (gluten free items, dairy free items and etc) will be done within 10 business days. Substitutions will be made until the ordered product is received.

When choosing an appropriate approach to accommodate a student’s disability, the District will consider the expense and efficiency of the requested accommodations. The district will offer a reasonable modification that effectively accommodates the child’s disability and provides equal opportunity to participate in or benefit from the program, which may include a generic version of a product.

Parents may file a grievance regarding the request for accommodation with the District’s Superintendent’s office by calling (585) 494 – 1220 ext 2329. The office will schedule a hearing on the Grievance, in writing, to be held within 10 business days. The Business Official shall

provide a copy of the procedures governing the hearing, including that the parent has the right to be accompanied by counsel, and the appeal process upon request. The District will not prepare meals outside the normal menu to accommodate a family’s religious or personal health beliefs For additional guidance, see FNS memorandum SP 69-2016, Modification to Accommodate Disabilities in the School Meal Programs, SP 26-2017 Accommodating Disabilities in the School Meal Programs; Guidance and Questions and Answers (Q&As), (http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/accommodating-disabilities-school-mealprograms-guidance-and-qas) and Accommodating Children with Disabilities in the School Meal Programs (https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites.default/files/cn/SP40-2017a1.pdf)

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including
	
gende identity and sexual orientation), disability, age or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require
	
alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American
		
Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s
		
TARGET Center at (202) 720 – 2600 (voice and TTY) or contact the USDA through the Federal Relay Service at
		
(800) 877 – 8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632 – 9992, or by writing a letter addressed to the USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

•	Mail:
		
	U.S. Department of Agriculture
		
	Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
	
	1400 Independence Avenue, SW
		
	Washington, DC 20250-9410

Fax:
		
(833) 256 – 1665 or (202) 690 – 7442;

Email:
		
Program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.