Renewal of Agreement
Enclosed are two sets of the Renewal of the Agreement between the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and the School Food Authority (SFA). This agreement must be completed to participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Afterschool Snack Program and/or the Special Milk Program for the regular school term and/or the summer sessions of the 2002-2003 school year. Please complete the Renewal of Agreement, indicating the programs you plan to continue operating, dates of operation, and any new programs you plan to implement.
[Reminder, Act 826 of 1991 requires all schools with 20% or more of the students eligible for free and reduced price meals during the preceding school year, to provide students with a school breakfast program.]
The individual district Schedule A is attached to the Agreement. It provides the current information for each school in your district. Please make corrections and additions to Schedule A to reflect the correct information for the 2002-2003 school year. Complete additional Schedule A forms for Afterschool Snack and Seamless Summer Programs. The agreement can not be approved without the attached INDIVIDUALIZED Schedule A mailed to each district.
Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals
Enclosed are two sets of the Renewal of the Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals for the 2002-2003 school year. Please read the Policy Statement and Free and Reduced Price Meals Application Packet carefully. Complete, sign, and return both sets. The Free and Reduced Price Meals Packet should not be returned with the Policy Statement unless changes have been made.
Should the district/school decide to use the parental consent form that will allow the status of a student to be shared with another program, please see Director's Memo #IA-99-011.
DEADLINE:
Complete and return both sets of the Renewal of Agreement and Schedule A along with both sets of the Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals by June 1. Please DO NOT HOLD for a new superintendent's signature and/or meal prices. The Agreement and Policy Statement can be updated at anytime during the school year with a letter from the superintendent. Mail to:
Child Nutrition Unit, ADE
Attn: Beverly Christenberry
2020 West Third St., Suite 404
Little Rock, AR 72205-4465
A Renewal of Agreement, Schedule A, and Policy Statement will be returned to the Food Service Authority after it has been approved.
Forms:
To reduce paperwork, Child Nutrition Unit provides individual school district data for changes to be made on Schedule A forms, thus these forms will not be available to print from the Internet. The Renewal of Agreement and Policy Statement forms should be VIEWED ONLY AND NOT PRINTED.
The Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application and Verification attachment forms can be printed from the Internet and modified for district use.
Eligibility for Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides additional reimbursement for the School Breakfast Program forindividual schools that meet the following criteria:
(1) The reimbursement rates under the regular breakfast program are insufficient to cover the cost of the program.
(2) The school is currently participating in or desiring to initiate the breakfast program.
(3) Forty percent (40%) or more of the lunches served to students at the school in the second preceding school year (2000-2001) were served free or at a reduced price. (Records of meals served by category must be maintained by school. Eligibility cannot be determined based on combined records of two schools served in the same site.)
Applications for Severe Need Reimbursement for the School Breakfast Program for the 2002-2003 school year will be mailed to those schools approved last year. If you have one or more schools you believe to be eligible and wish to apply, you may contact Jimmy Burks at (501) 324-9502. Please remember that reports verifying breakfast meal costs are required. If reports verify that the full severe need reimbursement rate was not needed to cover costs, the unused funds must be returned.
Afterschool Snack Program
Reimbursement is available for afterschool snacks served to students who are 18 years old or under and participate in a program to provide afterschool care. An Afterschool Snack Program Addendum to the Agreement and Afterschool Snack Schedule A for the 2002-03 school year will be mailed to those school districts with schools that participated in the Afterschool Snack Program. If one or more of the schools in the district plan to have an Afterschool Program and would like to provide snacks, contact Beverly Christenberry at (501) 324-9502. Remember, no reimbursement for the Afterschool Snack Program can be paid unless the Afterschool Snack Program Addendum to the Agreement is complete or amended prior to the start of the program.
Special Milk Program
The Special Milk Program is available for students who do not have access to lunch, breakfast, or after school snacks. If your district is interested in this program, please contact Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502.
School Meal Initiative (SMI)
The Three Steps to Healthy School Meals was developed to assist districts meet the USDA nutritional goals. Please check the appropriate box by each school on Schedule A if this resource is being used to plan menus. This will assist the Child Nutrition Unit in monitoring and soliciting grant funds to update these materials.
Seamless Summer Program
The Seamless Summer Program will be available for the summer of 2003. This program makes it possible to serve up to two (2) meals per day (breakfast, lunch, morning snack, afternoon snack, and/or supper) free to students participating in summer programs, other than regular summer school. If you indicate that you will offer Seamless Summer Programs on the first page of the Renewal of the Agreement for 2002-2003 School Year, an Addendum to the Agreement and Seamless Summer Schedule A will be mailed to the district to complete. Remember USDA must approve all sites.