A successful nutrition program is a key component to a successful educational environment. Children cannot focus on learning when they are hungry. School meals boost learning, and studies show that students perform best academically when they are well nourished. School districts around the State did an incredible job, with tremendous community support, in ensuring that students received nutritious meals while schools were closed this past year. No child should ever go hungry, and school reopening plans must provide for the feeding of all students who require food assistance.

As school food service operations transition from serving meals during unanticipated school closures and summer meals to serving school meals, School Food Authorities (SFAs) will need to consider national, state, and local health and safety guidelines. It is important that SFAs engage school food service directors in district or system wide discussions regarding plans for reopening schools to ensure that students participating in all learning models have access to healthy meals.

SFAs will need to consider the resources and flexibilities necessary to transition food service operations to an onsite or off-site student meal delivery system or operate both at the same time. This includes utilizing state or nationwide waivers and updating school policies, standard operating procedures, and trainings to ensure compliance with Child Nutrition Program requirements.

The District/School Plan will provide all students enrolled with access to school meals each school day. This must include students in attendance at school; and students learning remotely.

For students onsite, meals will be provided in the classroom while maintaining appropriate social distancing. Students do not need to wear face coverings when seated and eating so long as they are appropriately socially distanced.

The District/School Plan will provide all students enrolled with access to school meals each school day. This must include students learning remotely.

For offsite students who are learning remotely, meals will be available for pick up at the school daily.

The District/School Plan will address all applicable health and safety guidelines.

The District will reinforce all health and safety guidelines with signage throughout our buildings, as well as staff trainings to implement new procedures (e.g. frequent hand washing, social distancing, etc.).

The District/School Plan will include measures to protect students with food allergies if providing meals in spaces outside the cafeteria.

Students will be socially distanced while eating within the classroom. Students with food allergies will be identified by the classroom teacher and school nurse, and proper steps will be taken to limit contact with potential allergens.

The District/School Plan will include protocols and procedures for how students will perform hand hygiene before and after eating, how appropriate hand hygiene will be promoted, and how sharing of food and beverages will be discouraged.

Students will be encouraged by staff to wash their hands before and after eating. Signage throughout the building will promote frequent, proper hand washing.

The sharing of food and beverages (e.g., buffet style meals, snacks) is prohibited, unless individuals are members of the same household. This will be enforced in each classroom where meals are being consumed.

The District/School Plan will include protocols and procedures that require cleaning and disinfection prior to the next group of students arriving for meals, if served in the same common area.

Meals will be served in classrooms, while adhering to social distancing guidelines. No meals will be served in the same common area.

The District/School Plan will ensure compliance with Child Nutrition Program requirements.

The District will work with our contract company, Chartwell’s, to ensure the District remains in compliance with Child Nutrition Program requirements listed in our current food service contract.

The District/School Plan will include protocols that describe communication with families through multiple means in the languages spoken by families.

The District will continue to provide information through our school website, traditional mail, email, phone call, text, social media, and news media. All communications will be available to families in the language spoken by each family.