Articles in the March Issue:
A Note from Sandra
March is here and from my window I see more people out for a walk, and it is getting the point where they don’t just look like winter clothes walking down the street – there are faces peeking out of those layers!
I hope you have some fun with School Breakfast Week. What are you doing to bring attention to breakfast at school? Children who have nourishment in the morning are ready to learn and generally do better in class. While breakfast is often a meal that families do still eat together, there are some that cannot or do not, and there are some children who just aren’t ready to eat before they get on the bus. Make sure the families know breakfast is available, that children eligible for free or reduced price lunch are also eligible for free breakfast, and that children who have nourishment in the morning are ready to learn and generally do better in class.
March is nutrition month. There has been a lot of attention on the obesity rate across the nation and what we can do to help children be healthy. There are a couple articles in this bulletin about nutrition and physical exercise, and what we can do to help children be more healthy. It was interesting to hear Secretary Vilsack’s comment that the school lunch program was started in order to help those who were undernourished, and now we work to help those who are over nourished.
Child nutrition reauthorization is also on the forefront at the time of this writing. There may well be more action before publication. US Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack has announced his department’s priorities for the reauthorization. These are included in a separate article in this bulletin. Most of the items that were brought up were not a real surprise. It is important to note that these are their priorities as they work on reauthorization, not the final bill.
Keep working to incorporate the fruits & vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. These usually lower the percentages of calories from fat, provide good low-fat sources of nutrition, and are good sources of fiber. All of this plus education and activity will work together with activities and nutrition at home to make a healthy student.
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SAVE THE DATE!!
The 46th Annual South Dakota Child Nutrition Institute is being held this year from June 20-25, 2010 on the campus of Augustana College in Sioux Falls. There’s something for everyone! For further information go to this website
http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/index.asp
- Tracks 1-4
- Track 5 Healthier Schools Track
- Creating a healthier school environment
- Open to child nutrition personnel as well as any one interested in improving the nutritional environment at their school or agency i.e. teachers, administrators, nurses, school board members
- Track 6 Management Skills “Build Your Own Track”
- All participants are required to take a 10 hr. course in Menu Writing
- Participants choose how to fill their remaining 20 hours. Four core curriculums to choose from:
- Procurement
- Special Diets and Allergies
- Effective Human Relations
- Nutrition Education
- Practical Computer Skills
- Baking Class
- Scratch baking whole grain yeast breads, whole grain quick breads, & whole grain specialty items
- Cooking methods specific to cooking/baking whole grain food items
- ABCs of CNPs—NEW!
- 10 hr. course offered on Thursday and Friday only
- Overview of child nutrition programs administered by Child & Adult Nutrition Services, recordkeeping responsibilities, wellness policies, procurement, USDA Foods—including net off invoicing (NOI)
- Open to food service directors, superintendents, authorized representatives, and principals
All tracks have a size limit and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. In order to guarantee your enrollment, complete the registration form and send in your payment as soon as you can! Online registration is not available this year.
The Early Bird registration fee is $195.00 per person if registration form and payment are received by April 30, 2010. The regular registration fee for registrations received between May 1, 2010 and May 28, 2010 is $235.00 per person. The deadline for registration is Friday, May 28, 2010.
For more information and to obtain the registration form please visit http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/index.asp and in the Quick Links box is the 2010 newsletter, registration form, and directions on how to complete the registration form. If you have questions, please contact Janelle at 280-4278 or Shar at 773-3413.
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As we look forward to summer, parents of the nearly 18.9 million children who relied on the National School Lunch Program for free or reduced-price meals every day during the 2008-09 school year must figure out the how to prevent their children from going hungry. In 2009, South Dakota had 30 agencies provide meals during the summer at 54 sites serving approximately 279,140 free meals consisting of a combination of breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks through the Summer Food Service Program.
Regulations allow the Summer Food Service Program operation to begin the day after school lets out and to continue through the day before school resumes. Some sponsors choose to operate only one or two months. Summer Food Service Program 2010 reimbursement rates are as follows:
Rural or All
Self-prep Others
Breakfast $1.8475 $1.8125
Lunch/Supper $3.2475 $3.1950
Supplement $0.7625 $0.7450
Deadline for Workshop Response Cards was February 26, 2010. If you plan to take part – contact us as soon as possible! Trainings take place March 9 – March 25.
Your school may have taken part in the NSLP-Seamless Summer Option or Summer Food Program and wondered how to compare the two programs. The following resource may assist you in determining which program meets the needs of your community. SFSP/NSLP-Seamless Comparison Chart at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/SFSP_SeamlessComparisonChart.pdf
Eligible sponsors such as non-profit organizations, schools and local governments can apply to be an approved site in either a low-income area or serve a group of children, most of whom are low-income.
Attendance at an administrative workshop is required for new sponsors and new administrative personnel and no sponsor is allowed to operate unless they have attended one. The person(s), who attend should be the person who works directly with the administration of the program. This is essential for the success of the program.
If your administrative staff has changed, or major deficiencies were identified in the operation of the 2009 SFSP, a representative must attend the workshop in Pierre, on March 23, 2010. The full-day workshop will be held at the Capitol Visitors Center in Pierre. The workshop is scheduled for 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Central time.
If you are a prior successful sponsor with continuing personnel for SFSP, you may sign up for one of the two meet me calls on March 10, 2010, from 2-4 CDT / 1-3 MDT or on March 25, 2010 from 3-5 CDT / 2-4 MDT.
If you are a prior successful sponsor with continuing personnel for NSLP – Seamless Summer Option, please plan to take part in the Seamless Summer meet me call on March 9, 2010, from 2:30 – 4:30 CDT / 1:30 – 3:30 MDT.
All agreements are due to Child and Adult Nutrition Services by April 9, 2010. This agency is an equal opportunity provider. For additional information, you may contact the Summer Food Service Coordinator at Child and Adult Nutrition Services, Julie McCord at (605) 773-3110 or access our website http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/index.asp.
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Elementary schools who have 50% or more of its students eligible for free/reduced price meals are eligible to apply for participation in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for school year 2010-2011. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides fresh vegetable and fruit snacks to children throughout the school day.
You can read about the FFVP on our website at http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/FFVP/index.asp. You may also access the application from that site. Two application forms are available. The SD FFVP Application is for schools that have not participated on the FFVP program before. The SD Prior Program Participant Application is new this year and may be used by schools/sites that were on the program last year. We will mail or fax a copy of the application to any School Food Authority that requests it if they cannot access it. Applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2010. Call 773-3413 to obtain an application if you cannot access it. Contact Janelle Peterson at 280-4278 if you have questions regarding this program.
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Upcoming CACFP Training Events:
The CACFP Basic workshops are designed for new staff that need to be trained in the basics of the CACFP. The basics class is limited to 25 participants per class. The CACFP Plus! workshops are designed for veteran staff that have a solid understanding of Program requirements. Pre-registration is required for all workshops. There is no charge to attend. For more information please contact Melissa Halling at (605) 280-2696 or by email at melissa.halling@state.sd.us.
The dates and locations of the CACFP Basic training are as follows:
May 11 Rapid City Youth & Family Services
May 18 Sioux Falls Sioux Falls School District
June 2 Pierre SD State Library
The dates and locations of the CACFP Plus! training are as follows:
April 21 Aberdeen Aberdeen Catholic Schools
April 22 Watertown Lake Area Technical Institute
May 12 Rapid City Youth & Family Services
May 19 Sioux Falls Augustana College
June 3 Pierre SD State Library
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Information regarding Team Nutrition Mini-Grants and Events for 2010-11 is now available at http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/nutrition/index.asp. Contact Mary Kirk, Team Nutrition Coordinator, at 773-4718 or mary.kirk@state.sd.us regarding any questions.
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US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack held a conference call on February 10, 2010. He outlined the major points of USDA’s reauthorization relating to school meals program and some related points. There was minimal reference to Child & Adult Care Food Program.
He shared some interesting national statistics:
- 31 million children participate in school lunch
- 11 million participate in school breakfast
- 2.5 million children participate in Summer Food Service.
- President Obama's budget has an additional $1 billion for child nutrition programs.
- 16.5 million children are in households who have difficulty making ends meet
- 500,000 children are skipping meals because of household's lack of resources
- One-third (1/3) of children are obese or overweight
- Children who are healthy (nutrition and physical activity) are best ready learn
- Obesity is a matter of national security. (When the lunch program started, children were undernourished, now they are over nourished!)
Priorities:
- Improve program access. Looking for innovative and creative ways to get access to families and increase direct access (direct certification) such as Children's Health Insurance Program.
- Wants a robust increase in school breakfast program. Not as many schools offer SBP as offer NSLP. They would like to provide better reimbursement rates and commodity assistance.
- Improve nutritional quality of meals - they have too much salt, sugar, and fat. Needs more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
- Continue the equipment assistance
- How to reach hungry children on non-school days. Mentioned innovative and creative again.
- Consistent message to children throughout the school day - this is in regard to foods sold as a la carte and in vending machines.
- Get kids physically active. Partnering with NFL & Dairy Council.
- Wellness - mentioned Healthier USSchool Challenge - wants to double schools from 600 to 1200. Also mentioned importance of wellness policies.
- Get nutrition information to parents.
- Make a strong link in the farm to school program.
- Make sure technology is there when needed.
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This month take time to visit the Team Nutrition website and review the free MyPyramid educational materials available to schools. One publication that would be helpful in changing eating habits out side of school time is called Tips for Families. It is a colorful pad of 25 copies, two sided, that teachers could send home with students. After visiting the website email your name to Mary.Kirk@state.sd.us and your name will be entered in a drawing for an inflatable MyPyramid designed by NASCO.
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Fun with Foodella, a 64 page activity booklet for 2nd graders, and an accompanying teacher’s guide is available at no charge. The workbook features a boy and a friendly elephant who teach about healthy eating and physical activity through the MyPyramid food guide. Don’t worry; Foodella is a very trim elephant who loves nutritious food and a variety of fun activities.
Printed sets in classroom quantities for second grade classes will be available to order from the office of Child & Adult Nutrition Services by going to http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/nutrition/Foodella/request.asp or by calling Shar at (605) 773-3413.
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The 2010-02 issue of Mealtime Memo for Child Care, the monthly newsletter that includes menus, recipes, and activities related to child care, is now online. In this issue of Mealtime Memo you will find guidelines for feeding young children in group settings. Since mealtime is an important time to develop social skills, children can learn many life skills in a family style meal service. Recipe for Beef-Turkey Loaf is featured along with a week's worth of breakfast, lunch, and snack menus.
http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20100203031116.pdf
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The NCCIC Library collection contains over 20,000 summaries and availability information for published documents of interest to policymakers, administrators, practitioners, researchers and other members of the child care community. Links to full-text publications about child care and school-age issues are provided when available. If you go to their library search page you can search their library resources whenever you would like. The NCCIC Library can be found at:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/library/index.cfm?do=oll.search
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Health and Human Services released The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation. In her first release to the nation, Dr. Benjamin highlights the alarming trend of overweight and obese Americans, and asks them to join her in a grassroots effort to commit to changes that promote the health and wellness of our families and communities.
The prevalence of obesity has more than doubled among adults and has tripled among children and adolescents from 1980 to 2004. Currently, two-thirds of adults and nearly one in three children are overweight or obese. Increased food intake, a sedentary lifestyle, and environments that make it difficult for people to make healthy choices but easy to consume extra calories, all contribute to the epidemic of overweight and obesity. This epidemic threatens the progress we have made in increasing Americans’ quality and years of healthy life.
To view The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation, which includes her recommendations, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov
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America’s move to raise a healthier generation of kids can be found at www.LetsMove.gov.
First Lady Michelle Obama announced an ambitious national goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight and unveiled a nationwide campaign – Let’s Move – to help achieve it.
Follow link below to full press release:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/first-lady-michelle-obama-launches-lets-move-americas-move-raise-a-healthier-genera
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The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity has announced their new webinar series: “Making Schools the Model for Healthier Environments."
The webinars will be held bi-monthly on Thursdays at 2 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. Central, 11 a.m. Pacific), and will discuss initiatives currently underway to ensure that schools become the standard for healthy eating and active living. You can read more about it and register for the webinars at http://www.reversechildhoodobesity.org./
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Order Blank Corrections:
We had planned to have the processed order corrections included on this month’s order blank. Our contact with Bureau of Internet Technology (BIT) advised us that we should analyze one or two schools for a month of activity prior to adjusting all schools. We are watching two schools’ entitlement and activities to make sure all areas of our systemare working correctly. Plans are to have adjustments show on the next order blank. If you had received an e-mail from Sandra with your adjustment amount, continue to order so you do not go over 100% of your adjusted entitlement. I am sorry for the inconvenience this has created. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
REMINDERS
Remember to keep your Manifest and Invoices to reconcile with the year end history report that is sent out in July.
Comparing the actual invoices and your manifest is the easiest way for you to know your information is actually what you have received during the year.
Manifests are very important:
Return your manifest to Lynette within 48 hours of receiving your delivery. This will acknowledge your delivery and verify you have received the correct quantities of each USDA Foods you had ordered.
If we do not receive your manifest we cannot adjust your invoice and order form. If you do not receive something and we are not notified you will still be charged for the item.
With the errors that have occurred in the past few months orders you are the first line of defense. Orders from USDA being backordered, Nordica being out and the state ordering system you are the person who will catch the error and let us know so we can correct it if we are able.
USDA Foods Loss Form:
We have a new USDA Foods loss form that will need to be filed if you have a freezer malfunction or damage found after storage. Please contact Mark if you have questions. You should print a copy for your records and submit by e-mail. The link will send it directly to Mark.
Before destroying damaged or out of condition product you must notify Mark by e-mail mark.moen@state.sd.us or phone. A “commodity loss form” is at the bottom of the manifest website. Please fill out completely as if the person reading was the actual person noting the damage.
Department of Defense (DOD) TAPIT System
I have sent out a survey to schools that have not used their entitlement. Those schools who do not respond to the survey will lose their part D entitlement for this year. Within the month we will be looking at adjusting to those schools that have used all of their entitlement.
Account Specialist: Karen Kenton 303-961-1235, fax 303-278-7045, e-mail Karen.Kenton@dla.mil. This is the person to call when you have problems with a fresh produce delivery.
If you have questions or concerns please feel free to contact Mark.
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As noted previously, Child & Adult Nutrition Services is no longer reissuing policy memos from US Department of Agriculture. The number on the left is the policy number; the number on the right is the issue date. These all relate to National School Lunch Program. No new policies have been issued for CACFP & SFSP since January 1, 2010.
| 17-2010 |
Eligibility of Haitian Refugees for the Child Nutrition Programs |
01-29-2010 |
| 16-2010 |
Unobligated and Unliquidated Funds Recovery and Reallocation Guidance for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 |
01-27-2010 |
| 15-2010 |
School Food Authorities Acting as a Collective Unit in the Control and Use of Donated Foods (Revised) |
01-19-2010 |
| 14-2010 |
FY2010 National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities (SD = $61,729) |
01-14-2010 |
| 13-2010 |
FNS Farm to School Website, Email, and Site Visits |
01-08-2010 |
| 12-2010 |
Unliquidated Funds Recovery and Reallocation Guidance for American |
01-08-2010 |
| 06-2010 |
Exclusion of Military Combat Pay: REVISION |
01-07-2010 |
The rules, regulations, and notices for all child nutrition and related food distribution programs can be found at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/regulations.htm.
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On Friday, February 19th I drove to Eureka to observe a Fun, Fruit, and Vegetable Event that was funded by a Team Nutrition mini grant. My first stop was to visit a delightful radio broadcaster Wanda from KOLY radio station. She taped an interview with me to be aired at a later date. She had some very interesting questions about what the students were doing and why. She listened intently as I explained about the obesity rate in children and adults in South Dakota and our nation. I’m sure she had heard of this concern but she was taken back by the prevalence of obesity in our state. She said she was impressed by what the students of Eureka Public Schools were doing to combat obesity in their community.
With the help of Joan Anderson, Family and Consumer Science Teacher and Guidance Counselor for the Eureka School District, a Fun, Fruits, and Vegetables Event mini grant was submitted and funded. The application described the involvement of students and staff in providing the event for the school. Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members provided educational hands on nutrition experiences for the preschool class and other elementary grades in their classrooms. They also wrote a skit about them having healthy eating habits, exercising daily, and getting enough rest. This skit was performed for pre-K to 5th grade. After the skit the students played a game show in which each grade had a representative to answer nutrition questions. The class representative could use a help line and consult with other classmates for help. Each class answered enough questions correctly to receive a class physical activity goody bag. The students were enthusiastic participants and enjoyed demonstrating their knowledge of good eating habits and the need for physical activity.
The students and Joan would not be able to promote healthy life styles without the support of the school administration and the food service staff. The administration took and active part in promoting the Fun, Fruit, and Veggie Event. They also promote healthy eating by providing good choices in their vending machine and being a part of the Fresh, Fruits and Vegetable Program. The food service staff led by Linda Obenauer, Food Service Director, provides the opportunity for students to make healthy eating choices every day. The lunch served on the day of my visit was a wonderful example of their ingenious ways of making healthy foods more appealing to all students. Students could choose 5 fruits or vegetables from a salad, fruit, and veggie bar. The students had fun making choices and even tried items they had not eaten before.
Hats Off! To the Eureka School for the way students, staff, parents, and administrators work together to promote healthier lifestyles.
Mary Kirk, Team Nutrition Coordinator
Child & Adult Nutrition Services
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