ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER: 5
POLICY CODE: EF
TO: Superintendents of
Schools/Private School Administrators
FROM: Susan A. Gendron,
Commissioner
DATE:
SUBJECT: School Nutrition and Food
Distribution Program Agreements, and School Nutrition Applications
** Please forward to
Assistant Superintendents, Principals, and Food Service Directors **
Please join us in preparing for the 2004-05 School Year as we work to offer healthier meals and address children's health and nutritional needs.
This year all forms for Child Nutrition Services are accessible via the Internet. All forms are listed as an enclosure and are direct links.
1)
Forms to be Filed
a) Please download, print,
complete and return the following forms:
Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meal Benefits and Suggested
Anonymity and Accountability Systems (Attachment 4) by
b) The Program Application is available
on the web and must be completed by each school administrative unit prior to
submitting claims for reimbursement for School Year 2004-05. The application, which is filed via the
Internet, must be submitted and approved by
2) Reimbursement
Rates for the 2004-05 School Year
The following are Federal
reimbursement rates for student breakfast, lunch, milk, and after-school
snacks:
|
|
|
|
Severe Need |
|
After-School |
|
|
Lunch |
Breakfast |
Breakfast |
Milk |
Snack |
|
Paid |
$ .21 |
$ .23 |
$ .23 |
$ .17 |
$ .05 |
|
Reduced Price |
$1.84 |
$ .93 |
$1.17 |
|
$ .30 |
|
Free |
$2.24 |
$1.23 |
$1.47 |
|
$ .61 |
Public schools will receive State reimbursement per lunch in addition to the Federal reimbursement.
3)
Food
Distribution Program
The Food Distribution Program form is completed electronically at http://www.maine.gov/education/sfsr1.htm. The information is entered by school administrative unit staff. Local school staff have been given an ID and password to access the Food Distribution (FD) System. The donated commodity entitlement will be $.1725 for the 2004-2005 school year.
4)
Commodity Food Recall/Hold Communication
System (Update)
Please update and return to the Department of Education, Child Nutrition Services the enclosed form requesting a key person for immediate transfer of information to all food service areas regarding Commodity Food Recall/Hold.
5)
Provision of Meals by or for Other
Organizations
In accordance with Federal
Regulations, a copy of all contracts must be submitted to Child Nutrition
Services of the Maine Department of Education for approval under Federal
regulations. If your school food service
is providing meals to or receiving meals from another school administrative
unit, a non-profit agency, any other administrative unit, or any other
organization, your contracts need approval from this Department. A checklist
which includes all regulation changes to date is available to assist you in
developing contracts with other agencies.
Please contact Walter Beesley at 624-6875 or e-mail walter.beesley@maine.gov for the
checklist specific to your contracting situation.
6) Application for
Free and Reduced
Printed applications are not
available from this office. Each school
administrative unit must download and print a sufficient number of applications
to cover the projected student enrollment.
Please be reminded to print both the front and back of the Free and
Please refer to the Income
Guidelines when approving the Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications and Free
Milk Applications.
In addition to English, Applications for Free and Reduced Price School Meals are downloadable at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Translations/ in the following languages: Cambodian, Chinese (Mandarin), Creole/Haitian, Croatian, French, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Thai, Urdu and Vietnamese. Should you need assistance, please contact Sandy St.Michel at (207) 624-6843 or e-mail sandy.stmichel@maine.gov.
7) Optional Sharing Information with Other Programs
A form is enclosed for schools to use for permission from parents to share free and reduced price information for other educational purposes or testing.
8)
Predetermination of Students for Free Meals or Milk
The Direct Certification
Predetermined Eligibility List for free meals or free milk will be
available on-line.
The legal agent
(Superintendent or Headmaster) is the only individual authorized to access the
direct certification list.
Students who have a
pre-determined eligibility letter from the Department of Human Services do not
need to fill out a Free and Reduced Price School Meal Application.
Any questions about
accessing the direct certification list may be directed to Mary Moody at
207-624-6876 or email mary.moody@maine.gov
for assistance.
9) Homeless Students
To expedite the delivery of nutritional benefits, school officials may accept documentation that the children are homeless from the local educational liaison or directors of homeless shelters where the children reside. Documentation to substantiate free meal eligibility must consist of the child's name or a list of names, effective date(s), and the signature of the local educational liaison or the director of the homeless shelter. This documentation is acceptable in lieu of a free and reduced price meal application.
10) Verification of Free
and Reduced Price Meals
Federal law requires that
verification of Applications for Free and Reduced Price School Meals under the
Child Nutrition Services must be completed by local school administrative units
by
11) Lunch Time
Lunch service shall
take place no earlier than
12) Charges to
Children
The maximum student lunch rate for the 2004-05 school year is $1.50 for
elementary students and $1.75 for high school students. Reduced Price for Lunch is no more than $.40.
There is no maximum rate for paid breakfast; however, there is a
maximum charge of $.30 for reduced price breakfast.
13) Charges to Adults
The adult lunch rate must
be, at a minimum, the per meal cost.
Schools that have a
reimbursable After-School Snack Program must complete the 2004-2005
Application/Agreement for After-School Care Snacks in the National School Lunch
Program. The web address to access this
application is http://www.maine.gov/education/sfsr1.htm.
The maximum charge for
Reduced Price Snacks is $.15.
Schools must establish a separate written policy
regarding lost, stolen and replacement of tickets that provides for equal
treatment to children in all meal payment or eligibility groups.
16) ID
and Password
The
ID and password assigned to a person is also the legal signature of the
individual. Any task completed while
using the ID is recorded as a legal signature.
Please make sure that your ID and password are updated. Should you have questions, please contact the
Child Nutrition Services office.
When
filing documents the legal agent is the Superintendent of Schools. If the Superintendent has changed from last
year please contact Child Nutrition Services for a new ID and password by
emailing nanci.kittredge@maine.gov.
The following forms need to be completed and returned to the Maine Department of Education, Child Nutrition Services Office: Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Benefits, Commodity Food Recall/Hold, Suggested Anonymity and Accountability Systems, and Application/Agreement for After-School Care Snacks in National School Lunch Program (for those participating in the After-School Snack Program).
Enclosures:
Suggested Anonymity and Accountability Systems
Letters
to Parents (for Free and Reduced Price School Meals) - Milk
Only
French
Letter to Parents (for Free and Reduced Price School Meals) - Instructions
Somali Packet (for Free and
Reduced Price Meals)
Application
For Free And Reduced Price School Meals
Application
for Free School Milk
Notification
of Eligibility Determination for Free or Reduced Price Meals -- Free Milk
Verification
Report-Appendix 18 (Due December 20, 2004)
Guidelines
for School Policies on Handling Lost, Stolen or Misused Tickets and Charging
Meals
Sharing
Information Form (Optional)
Application/Agreement
for After-School Care Snacks in National School Lunch Program
For additional information
please contact:
·
Judith Malcolm, Policy Director/Team Leader School Support Systems 207-624-6843
or e-mail: judith.malcolm@maine.gov
·
Mary Moody, Education Specialist, Child Nutrition Services,
207-624-6876 or e-mail: mary.moody@maine.gov
·
Walter Beesley, Education Specialist, Child Nutrition Services,
207-624-6875 or e-mail: walter.beesley@maine.gov
·
Anne Littlefield, Commodity Administrator, 207-624-6882 or e-mail: anne.littlefield@maine.gov
·
David Hartley, Field Examiner, 207-624-6878 or e-mail: david.hartley@maine.gov
·
Debby MacLeod, Accountant II, 207-624-6889 or email: debby.macleod@maine.gov
·
Nanci Kittredge, Account Clerk, 207-624-6877 or e-mail: nanci.kittredge@maine.gov
·
Sandy St. Michel, Secretary, Child Nutrition Services, 207-624-6843 or
e-mail: sandy.stmichel@maine.gov
·
Danielle McKay, Secretary, Child Nutrition Services, 207-624-6842 or
e-mail: danielle.mckay@maine.gov
SAG/MJM/sjs