Book

Section

Title

Code

Status

Adopted

Last Revised

Policy Manual

8000 Operations

FOOD SERVICES

po8500

Active

March 4, 1986

March 9, 2022

8500 - FOOD SERVICES

The Board of Education shall provide cafeteria facilities in all school facilities where space and facilities permit and will provide food service for the purchase and consumption of meals for all students. The Board shall also provide a breakfast program in accordance with procedures established by the Department of Education. The Board shall annually encumber the funds needed to operate the program.

The food service program shall comply with Federal and State regulations pertaining to the selection, preparation, consumption, and disposal of food and beverages, including but not limited to the current USDA’s school meal pattern requirements and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, as well as to the fiscal management of the program.

The Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity), disability, age (except as authorized by law), religion, military status, ancestry, or genetic information (collectively, "Protected Classes") in its educational programs or activities. Students and all other members of the School District community and third parties are encouraged to promptly report incidents of unlawful discrimination and/or retaliation to a teacher, administrator, supervisor, or other District official so that the Board may address the conduct. See Policy 2260 – Nondiscrimination and Access to Equal Educational Opportunity.

The Board shall approve and implement nutrition standards governing the types of food and beverages that may be sold on the premises of its schools and shall specify the time and place each type of food or beverage may be sold. In adopting such standards, the Board shall:

A. consider the nutritional value of each food or beverage;

B. consult with a dietitian licensed under R.C. Chapter 4759, a dietetic technician registered by the commission on dietetic registration, or a school nutrition specialist certified or credentialed by the school nutrition association;

C. consult and incorporate to the maximum extent possible the dietary guidelines for Americans jointly developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services; and

D. consult and incorporate the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition guidelines.

No food or beverage may be sold on any school premises except in accordance with the standards approved by the Board.

In addition, as required by law, a food safety program that is based on the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system shall be implemented with the intent of preventing food-borne illnesses. For added safety and security, access to the facility and the food stored and prepared therein shall be limited to food service program staff and other authorized persons.

The Board shall provide a Federal food service program for students during summer intervention programs that are mandated under Federal law. If the Board determines that it is unable to provide a Federal food service program during the summer, for financial reasons, the Board will communicate that decision to its residents in a manner it determines to be appropriate.

During all times while the food service program is operating and students are being served food, at least one (1) employee shall be present in the area in which the food is being consumed who has received instruction in methods to prevent choking and demonstrated an ability to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

Substitutions

If determined appropriate by a student's Section 504 team, substitutions to the standard meal requirements shall be made, at no additional charge, for students for whom a health care provider who has prescriptive authority in the State of Ohio has provided medical certification that the student has a disability that restricts his/her diet, in accordance with the criteria set forth in 7 C.F.R. Part 15b. To qualify for such substitutions the medical certification must identify:

A. the student's disability and the major life activity affected by the disability;

B. an explanation of why the disability affects the student’s diet; and

C. the food(s) to be omitted from the student's diet and the food or choice of foods that must be substituted (e.g., caloric modifications or use of liquid nutritive formula).

If determined appropriate by a team of qualified individuals including, but not limited to, the Principal, school nurse, parent, and Director of Food Services, substitutions to the standard meal requirements may be made, at no additional charge, for a student who not a "person with a disability," but has a signed statement from a qualified medical authority that the student cannot consume certain food items due to medical or other special dietary needs. To qualify for such consideration and substitutions the medical statement must identify:

A. the medical or dietary need that restricts the student's diet; and

B. the food(s) to be omitted from the student's diet and the food(s) or choice of foods that may be substituted.

For students without disabilities who need a nutritionally equivalent milk substitute, only a signed request by a parent or guardian is required. While the request must specify the medical or other special dietary need that restricts the student's diet (i.e., precludes the student's consumption of cow's milk), medical certification may not be required.

Meals sold by the school may be purchased by students and staff members and community residents in accordance with administrative guidelines established by the Superintendent. Meals may be made available, free of charge, to senior citizens who are serving as volunteers to the District.

The operation and supervision of the food service program shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent. In accordance with Federal law, the Food Service Supervisor shall take such actions as are necessary to obtain a minimum of two (2) food safety inspections per school year, which are conducted by the State or local governmental agency responsible for food safety inspections. The report of the most recent inspection will be posted in a publicly visible location, and a copy of the report will be available upon request.

A periodic review of the food service accounts shall be made by the Treasurer. Any surplus funds from the National School Lunch Program or the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296) shall be used to reduce the cost of the service to students or to purchase cafeteria equipment. Surplus funds from a-la-carte foods may accrue to the food service program.

Bad debt incurred through the inability to collect meal payment from students is not an allowable cost chargeable to any Federal program. Any related collection cost, including legal cost, arising from such bad debt after they have been determined to be uncollectable are also unallowable.

Bad debt is uncollectable/delinquent debt that has been determined to be uncollectable. If the uncollectable/delinquent debt cannot be recovered by the School Meals Program, then this is classified as bad debt. Once classified as bad debt, non-Federal funding sources must reimburse the NSFSA for the total amount of the bad debt. The funds may come from the District general fund, state or local funding, school or community organizations such as the PTA, or any other non-federal source. Once the uncollectable/delinquent debt charges are converted to bad debt, records relating to those charges must be maintained in accordance with the record retention requirements in 7 C.F.R. 210.9(b) (17) and 7 C.F.R. 210.15(b).

The Superintendent is authorized to develop and implement an administrative guideline regarding meal charge procedures. This guideline will provide consistent directions for students who are eligible for reduced price or paid meals but do not have funds in their account or in hand to cover the cost of their meal at the time of service and shall also address feeding students with unpaid meal balances without stigmatizing them.

This guideline shall be provided in writing to all households at the start of each school year and to households transferring to the school or School District during the school year.

With regard to the operation of the school food service program, the Superintendent shall require:

A. the maintenance of sanitary, neat premises free from fire and health hazards;

B. the preparation of food that complies with Federal food safety regulations;

C. the planning and execution of menus in compliance with USDA requirements;

D. the purchase of food and supplies in accordance with law State and Federal law, USDA regulations, and Board policy; (see Policy 1130, Policy 1200, Policy 3113, Policy 3210, Policy 3214, Policy 4113, Policy 4210, Policy 4214, and Policy 6460)

E. complying with food holds and recalls in accordance with USDA regulations;

F. the administration, accounting, and disposition of food service funds pursuant to Federal and State law and USDA regulations;

G. the safekeeping and storage of food and food equipment pursuant to State and Federal law and USDA regulations;

H. the regular maintenance and replacement of equipment;

I. all District employees whose salaries are paid for with USDA funds or non-Federal funds used to meet a match or cost-share requirement must comply with the District’s time and effort record-keeping policy (see Policy 6116).

In accordance with the nutritional standards adopted by the Board, the placement of vending machines in any classroom where students are provided instruction unless the classroom is also used to serve meals to students is prohibited.

The District shall serve only nutritious food in accordance with the nutritional standards adopted by the Board in compliance with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition guidelines. Foods and beverages in competition with the District's food service program must comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition guidelines, and may only be sold in accordance with Board Policy 8550.

The Superintendent will require that the food service program serve foods in the schools of the District that are wholesome and nutritious and reinforce the concepts taught in the classroom.

The Superintendent is responsible for implementing the food service program in accordance with the adopted nutrition standards and shall provide a report regarding the District’s compliance with the standards at one of its regular meetings annually.

Revised 10/93 Revised 1/8/03 Revised 6/14/06 Revised 9/10/08 Revised 8/10/11 Revised 12/10/14 Revised 11/11/15 Revised 5/12/16 Revised 8/7/17 Revised 5/8/19 Revised 11/13/19 Revised 4/14/21

© Neola 2022

Legal	R.C. 3313.81, 3313.811-815

A.C. 3301-91

42 U.S.C. 1758

Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.

Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.

7 C.F.R. Parts 15b, 210, 215, 220, 225, 226, 227, 235, 240, 245, 3015

OMB Circular No. A–87 USDA Smart Snacks in School Food Guidelines (effective July 1, 2014)

SP 32-2015 Statements Supporting Accommodations for Children with Disabilities in the Child Nutrition Programs