8500 - FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

Greenwood Community School Corporation

Bylaws & Policies

8500 - FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

The Board will provide cafeteria or serving facilities in all schools where space and facilities permit and food service for the purchase and consumption of lunch for all students.

The Board also will provide a breakfast program in accordance with procedures established by the State Department of Education.

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

The food-service program will comply with Federal and State regulations pertaining to the selection, preparation, consumption, and disposal of food and beverages as well as to the fiscal management of the program. 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.

Dietary Modifications

A request for substitutions to the standard meal requirements due to food allergies shall be accommodated, when requested by an adult student with a disability or the parent of a student with a disability, without delay and at no additional charge. The adult student with a disability or the parent of a student with a disability making such a request of the Food Service Director shall be informed that medical certification is needed 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 must be submitted from a health care provider who has prescriptive authority in the State of Indiana or the dietary modification may be discontinued until such statement is received.

	A.	the child’s physical or mental impairment and why the student’s disability or medical condition necessitates such a restriction of the child’s diet;

	B.	an explanation of what the Food Service Program must do to accommodate the child’s disability; and

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

After a request for a dietary modification is submitted to the Director of Food Service (Director), the Director shall, in turn, notify the Principal, school nurse, and the members of the student's IEP or 504 Team that the dietary modification shall be made for the student, pending the receipt of the required medical certification.

If deemed necessary by the student's IEP or 504 Team, the dietary modification shall be included in the student's IEP or 504 plan.

An adult student with a disability or the parent of a student with a disability who believes the accommodation requested is not being appropriately addressed may access the processes and assistance described in Policy 2260 and/or Policy 2260.01 by contacting the Corporation’s Compliance Coordinator named in those policies.

A request for substitutions to the standard meal requirements due to food allergies shall be accommodated, when requested by an adult student who is not identified as having a disability or the parent of a student who is not identified as having a disability, without delay and at no additional charge. An adult student who is not identified as having a disability or the parent of a student who is not identified as having a disability making such a request of the Food Service Director shall be informed that a signed medical statement from a health care provider who has prescriptive authority in the State of Indiana that the student cannot consume certain food items due to a medical condition or some other special dietary need must be submitted or the dietary modification may be discontinued until such statement is received.

To qualify for continuing consideration and substitutions the medical statement must identify:

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

	B.	an explanation of what the Food Service Program must do to address the student’s medical or dietary restriction; and

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

The request for such dietary modifications shall be submitted to the Director, who shall, in turn, notify the Principal and school nurse that the dietary modification shall be made for the student. Upon request of the parent or adult student, a meeting of a team including the parent, the Director of Food Service, school nurse, and Principal shall be convened to determine the specific substitution(s) that will be made to the standard meal pattern for the student.

For students who need a nutritionally equivalent milk substitute, only a signed request by a parent or guardian is required.

Operation and Supervision of the Food Service Program

The operation and supervision of the food-service program is the responsibility of the Director of Food Services. The Food Service program will be operated on a self-supporting basis with revenue from students, staff, Federal reimbursement, and surplus food. The Board will assist the program by furnishing available space, initial major equipment, and utensils.

Meal Charges

Lunches sold by the Corporation may be purchased by students, staff members and community residents in accordance with the procedures established by the Superintendent.

The Superintendent shall recommend and the Board shall approve the cost of meals for elementary, middle, and high schools annually.

The Superintendent shall develop procedures regarding meal charges, which shall be implemented by the Director of Food Services. This procedure will provide direction so that students attending Corporation schools who do not have funds in their account or on-hand to cover the cost of their meal at the time of service are treated consistently, parents of students who charge meals are notified when a student charges a meal, and efforts are made to collect the charges made by students so that the unpaid charges are not classified as "bad debt" at the end of the school year.

Significant negative lunch account balances shall not be permitted. A significant negative lunch account balance is any balance owed in excess of five dollars ($5).

If a student has a significant negative lunch account balance, s/he shall be provided and alternate meal.

Furthermore, if a student has a significant negative lunch account balance, the student shall not be permitted to charge any à la carte food or beverage items.

Any significant negative lunch account balance should be pursued for collection before it is determined to be uncollectible pursuant to Policy 6151.

The Board’s policy and Superintendent’s procedure related to meal charges shall be distributed in writing to all households at the start of each school year and to households transferring to the school or Corporation during the school year.

Bad Debt/Uncollectable Debt

Significant negative lunch account balances that are not collected in the year when the debt was incurred shall be classified as bad debt. Bad debt incurred through the inability to collect lunch payment from students is not an allowable cost chargeable to any Federal program. Once classified as bad debt, non-Federal funding sources shall reimburse the school lunch program account for the total amount of the bad debt. If funds to reimburse the Corporation for this bad debt are not available from another source, such as school or community organizations (like the PTA) or any other non-Federal source, the funds to reimburse the school lunch program shall be transferred from the Corporation operations fund or other State or local funding to make that reimbursement.

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). Any related collection costs, including legal costs, arising from such bad debt after they have been determined to be uncollectable also are unallowable.

Bad debt may be removed from accounts receivable in accordance with Policy 6151.

Additional Compliance

In accordance with Federal law, the Director of Food Services will 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 will be made by the Assistant Superintendent.

Any surplus funds from the National School Lunch Program will be used to reduce the cost of the service to students or to purchase cafeteria equipment. Surplus funds from à la carte foods may accrue to the Food Service program.

With regard to the operation of the Corporation Food Service program, the Superintendent shall require:

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

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

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

	D.	purchase of food and supplies in accordance with State and Federal law, USDA regulations, and Board policy; (see Policy 1130, Policy 1214, Policy 3113, Policy 3214, Policy 4113, Policy 4214, and Policy 6460);

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

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

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

	H.	regular maintenance and replacement of equipment;

	I.	compliance with the Corporation’s time and effort record-keeping policy by all Corporation employees whose salaries are paid from USDA funds or with non-Federal funds used to meet a match or cost share requirement. (See Policy 6116.)

The Corporation’s Food Service program will serve only food items and beverages as determined by the Food Service Department to be in compliance with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Any competitive food items and beverages that are available for sale to students à la carte in the dining area between midnight and thirty (30) minutes following the end of the last lunch period also shall comply with the current USDA Nutrition Standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools regulations. Foods and beverages unassociated with the food-service program may be vended subject to the rules and regulations set forth in Policy 8540.

The Superintendent shall require that the Food Service program serve foods in the schools of the Corporation that are wholesome and nutritious and reinforce the concepts taught in the classroom.

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
2 C.F.R. Part 200
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
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794
34 CFR Part 104

Adopted 10/21/14
Revised 5/16/17
Revised 12/19/17
Revised 3/12/19