The Board operates a food services program in its schools. Food preparation is centralized for elementary, intermediate and secondary schools when appropriate.

Food services include breakfasts and lunches in all schools through participation in the National Child Nutrition Programs.

The food services staff cooperates with the principals of the schools in matters essential to the proper functioning of the food services program. The responsibility for control of students using the cafeteria rests with the building principal.

All prices set for school breakfasts, lunches and milk are subject to Board approval, except for

a la carte food prices. The Food Services Supervisor sets these prices without Board approval.

As required for participation in the National Child Nutrition Programs, the Board agrees that:

All students are expected to eat lunch at school and may not leave school grounds during the lunch hour, except when permission has been granted by the principal. Students are permitted to bring their lunches from home and to purchase milk and incidental items.

School lunch funds and other food service funds are kept in a special account.

The District provides for at least one employee, who has received instruction in methods to prevent choking and has demonstrated an ability to perform the Heimlich maneuver, to be present while students are being served.

At the beginning of each school year, or at the time of enrollment, parents are responsible for communicating any special dietary needs of their child, including food allergies, to the District. Students with dietary needs that qualify as disabilities under law are provided reasonable accommodation.

Substitutions to regular school meals provided by the District are made for students who are unable to eat regular school meals due to a qualifying dietary need when that need is certified in writing by the student’s physician. Substitute meals are provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to the special needs of the student.

The nature of the student’s qualifying dietary need, the reason this need prevents the student from eating regular school meals (including foods to be omitted from the student’s diet), the specific diet prescription along with the needed substitution must be specifically stated in the physician’s statement. The District, in compliance with the USDA Child Nutrition Division guidelines, provides substitute meals to food-allergic students based upon the physician’s signed statement.

The District develops and implements administrative regulations for the management of food-allergic students. Such regulations include, but are not limited to, school-wide training programs regarding food allergy education, staff development regarding food allergy identification and management, allergy emergency drills, strategies for the identification of students with life-threatening food allergies and management skills including avoidance measures, designation of typical symptoms and dosing instructions for medications.

Adopted 10/12/09