MAY 18, 2007 DEADLINE
The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Child Nutrition Unit (CNU) will mail each school district two sets of the Renewal of the Agreement between ADE and the School Food Authority (SFA)/Local Education Agency (LEA). This Agreement must be completed to participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Afterschool Snack Program, Seamless Summer and/or the Special Milk Program for the regular school term and/or for the summer sessions of the 2007-2008 school year.
RENEWAL OF AGREEMENT:
Please complete both copies of the Renewal of Agreement, indicating the programs the school district plans to continue operating, dates of operation, and any new programs the district plans to implement for the 2007-2008 school year. Also complete both copies of the two Renewal Agreement Attachments, Health Inspection Statement and Wellness Committee Members. Both sets of these forms must have original signatures.
CHILD NUTRITION (CN) PROGRAM SCHEDULE A:
Two copies of the individual district's Child Nutrition (CN) Program Schedule A are enclosed in the packet mailed to the district. Please make corrections and additions to the CN Program Schedule A to reflect the correct information for the 2007-2008 school year.
Following is NEW data requested on CN Program Schedule A for the School Meal Initiative (SMI):
On the right side of the individual SCHOOL information section of the CN Program Schedule A, there are NEW boxes to be completed. These boxes are to advise the CNU of which grade grouping the district has used in planning menus. This same grade group will be used for the nutrient analysis of the School Meals Initiative (SMI). If the district is using “Three Steps to Healthy School Meals,” then the boxes will be checked K-6 for elementary school and 7-12 for secondary school. If the district is not using “Three Steps,” then the menu planner must check the grade grouping that will be used for the nutrient analysis. The choices are PreK, K-3, 4-12, K-6 or 7-12. For further explanation of portion sizes for grade groups see United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Buying Guide for Traditional Meal Pattern. If not utilizing the Traditional Meal Pattern menu planning option, contact the district’s CNU Area Specialist for instructions (refer to pages 12 and 13 of the 2006-07 Original Agreement). Please check the appropriate box for EACH SCHOOL.
DO NOT SUBMIT THIS AGREEMENT WITHOUT THE UPDATED CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM SCHEDULE A that is mailed to the district as part of the renewal packet.
SCHOOL MEALS INITIATIVE (SMI):
The “Three Steps to Healthy School Meals” menu planning system was developed to assist districts in meeting the USDA nutritional goals. Please check the appropriate box by each school on the CN Program Schedule A if this resource is being used to plan menus. This will assist CNU in monitoring and soliciting grant funds to update these materials. Remember to complete the NEW boxes (Grade Grouping) on the CN Program Schedule A referenced above.
BREAKFAST MANDATE:
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.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING:
ELIGIBILITY FOR SEVERE NEED BREAKFAST REIMBURSEMENT:
Schools eligible for Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement for the 2007-2008 school year HAVE NOT been updated on the CN Program Schedule A enclosed with the mailed renewal packet. ADE Commissioner’s Memo FIN-07-045 outlined the application process to be completed for SY 2007-2008 Severe Need Reimbursement. School districts will receive written notification designating the schools eligible for severe need. The CNU Area Specialist will have updated the correct school severe need determination on the CN Program Schedule A when the district receives the approved copy signed by Wanda Shockey, Director, Child Nutrition Unit, ADE.
SAFETY NET:
School districts that served 60% or more of the total lunches to students eligible for free or reduced price meals in the second preceding school year (2005-2006) are designated Safety Net districts. These districts will receive an additional two cents reimbursement for each lunch served. Please verify Safety Net designation on the CN Program Schedule A enclosed in the mailed packet.
AFTERSCHOOL SNACK Schedule B:
Reimbursement is available for afterschool snacks served to students 18 years old or under and participate in an afterschool education program. If one or more of the schools in the district plan to have afterschool programs and would like to provide snacks, complete the attached “Schedule B SY 2007-08 Afterschool Snack Programs.” REMEMBER, NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE AFTERSCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM CAN BE PAID UNLESS THE AFTERSCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM SCHEDULE B IS COMPLETED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PROGRAM. See the 2006-2007 Original Agreement between School Food Authority and Arkansas Department of Education (the Agreement), page 5, for specific program requirements.
SEAMLESS SUMMER PROGRAM Schedule C-08:
The Seamless Summer Program is for the summer of 2008. This program makes it possible to serve up to two (2) free meals per day (breakfast, lunch, morning snack, afternoon snack and/or supper) to students participating in summer programs other than regular summer school. (The two meals cannot be lunch and supper.) To participate in the Seamless Summer Program during the summer of 2008, complete the “Seamless Summer Option Schedule C-08” at least two (2) weeks prior to the start of the program.
Information about the Seamless Summer Program for the summer of 2007 can be found in Commissioner’s Memo FIN-07-052.
SPECIAL MILK PROGRAM:
The Special Milk Program is available for students who do not have access to lunch, breakfast or afterschool snacks. If the district is interested in this program, please contact Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502.
RENEWAL OF POLICY STATEMENT FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS:
The mailed packet has enclosed TWO COPIES of the Renewal of the Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals for the 2007-2008 school year, two copies of the Child Nutrition Contact Information and one set of the Free and Reduced Price Meals Application and Verification Forms packet. Complete, sign and return BOTH copies of the Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals 2007-2008 School Year. Also complete and return BOTH copies of the Renewal Policy Statement Attachment CN Contact Information. Please read the Renewal of Policy Statement and Free and Reduced Price Meals Application and Verification Forms packet carefully.
The Free and Reduced Price Meals Application and Verification Forms packet should NOT be returned with the Renewal Policy Statement UNLESS changes have been made to the forms. Send two copies of any changed forms for approval by CNU with the two signed copies of the Renewal of the Policy Statement and the two copies of the CN Contact Information.
FORMS:
The 2007-2008 Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application and Verification Forms can be printed from this Commissioner’s Memo on the ADE Memos page of the CNU website at http://cnn.k12.ar.us . This letter can be modified to include school district information.
DIRECT CERTIFICATION:
Each school district in Arkansas will participate in the Direct Certification of free eligibles. School districts not using the Pentamation system to submit student information to Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN) will be mailed specific procedures to follow. For additional information, please see Commissioner's Memo FIN-07-050 and the 2006-2007 Original Agreement, page 5, item number 27.
Reminder: Each district must send letters to the households of the students on the Direct Certification list informing the household that the student qualifies for free meals. The households do not need to complete the Free and Reduced Price Meal Application form for direct certified free students. This letter is included in the Free and Reduced Price Meals Application and Verification Forms packet.
VERIFICATION:
USDA requires each school district to report to the Department of Education the results of the verification process for the 2007-2008 school year. Forms and instructions will be provided on the verification page of the Child Nutrition website http://cnn.k12.ar.us for the 2007-2008 verification process. The verification process must be completed by November 15, 2007, and the Verification Summary Report (FNS-742) must be emailed to ADE, CNU by December 15, 2007. Please remember that failure to complete verification is an audit finding that may affect other federal funding, i.e., E-rate.
MAY 18, 2007 DEADLINE:
Complete and return by May 18, 2007 both copies of:
Renewal of Agreement
The two Renewal Agreement Attachments:
1. Health Inspections Statement
2. Wellness Committee Members
CN Program Schedule A
Renewal of Policy Statement
Policy Statement Renewal Attachment, CN Contact Information Page
Schedule B – Afterschool Snack (if applicable)
Schedule C-08 – Seamless Summer
Please DO NOT HOLD forms for a new superintendent’s signature and/or new meal prices. The Renewal Agreement and Policy Statement can be updated at anytime during the school year with a letter from the superintendent. USE THE CHECKLIST enclosed with the mailed packet to be sure that all requested materials are returned.
Mail to:
Child Nutrition Unit, ADE
2020 West 3rd Street, Suite 404
Little Rock, AR 72205-4465
AFTER APPROVAL:
CNU will mail one copy of the packet including the Renewal of Agreement, Renewal Agreement Attachments (Health Inspections Statement and Wellness Committee Members) CN Program Schedule A, Renewal of Policy Statement, Renewal Policy Statement CN Contact Information Page, (Afterschool Snack Schedule B and Seamless Summer Schedule C-08, if applicable) to the School Food Service Authority (SFA/LEA) following approval by the ADE Child Nutrition Director.