FILE: EE
CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
The Bossier Parish School Board believes the school district should have a sound child nutrition program and that the child nutrition program should be an integral part of the total educational program. The School Board also believes that the highest possible sanitation standards should be maintained and that every effort should be made to make it possible for every child to participate in the child nutrition program without regard to race, color, disability, national origin, sex, or age.
GUIDELINES
The School Board shall administer a Food and Nutrition Program in accordance with federal and state standards and requirements. The School Board, as the recognized child nutrition program authority for the school district, shall submit an annual application to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), National School Breakfast Program (NSBP), USDA School Commodity Program and any other related programs. The School Board shall execute the approved agreement to meet all specifications mandated by the Louisiana Department of Education's Division of Nutrition Support.
Guidelines of the Louisiana Sanitary Code shall be strictly followed in the preparation, serving, and cleaning of all child nutrition programs and facilities.
Each school shall abide by state and federal guideline restrictions on the operation of concessions, canteens, snack bars, vending machines or other food and beverage sales.
No supplies, funds, equipment or foods, including leftovers, shall be removed from the child nutrition department by any employee of the school system unless he/she has been authorized to transfer the items to another school location. Legal or disciplinary action may result for unauthorized removal.
Regulations prohibit the denial of any meals as disciplinary action to any child in attendance at school.
Transfers of Child Nutrition program (CNP) personnel may occur as the need arises at school sites. CNP personnel may be called upon to temporarily work at other sites as the need arises.
Potential CNP employees shall be required to complete a Fitness-to-Work test with an “is capable” rating prior to considerations as a substitute.
SPECIAL EVENTS/USE OF CAFETERIA
Special events shall not interfere with the preparation and service of school lunch, breakfasts, or snacks. School or community group functions involving the use of the cafeteria shall be arranged through the principal and filed with the child nutrition supervisor. Whenever the cafeteria is used by the school or community group, one or more of the child nutrition employees shall be employed to ensure control over child nutrition foods and to ensure proper use and care of equipment and facilities. A Cafeteria Use form must be completed and sent to the supervisor of child nutrition at least two (2) weeks in advance of the event. Events that occur at scheduled times during the school year can be handled by sending in one notice listing all of the dates.
PAYMENT FOR MEALS
Meals may be paid for daily, weekly, monthly, or annually. Those students not eligible for free meals must pay for their meals at the prices established for full price and reduced price students. Pursuant to state law, those students not eligible for free meals who have not paid for a scheduled meal may have that meal withheld.
In elementary schools, prior to withholding a meal, the school shall:
Provide actual notification to the child's parent or legal guardian as to the date and time after which meals may be denied, the reason for such denial, any action that may be taken by the parent or legal guardian to prevent further denial of meals, and the consequences of the failure to take appropriate actions to prevent such denial, including that the school governing authority shall contact the office of community services within the Department of Social Services upon the third instance of such denial during a single school year.
Verify with appropriate school staff that the child does not have an Individual Education Plan that requires the child to receive meals provided by the school to ensure that neither the child's health nor learning ability will be negatively affected by denying the child meals during school hours.
If the school denies a scheduled meal to a child, the school shall provide a sandwich or a substantial and nutritious snack item to the child as a substitute for the meal denied.
Upon the third (3rd) instance during a single school year of the same elementary school child being denied a meal during school hours, the School Board shall contact the office of community services within the Department of Social Services to report the failure of the parent or guardian to pay for meals which has resulted in repeated denials of meals during school hours.
The School Board shall document each instance that a child is denied a meal in an elementary school.
Charitable funds donated by school employees or other charitable funds may be used to pay for a child's meal in the event that he/she is subject to the denial of a meal during school hours.
No discrimination against any individual shall occur because of his/her inability to pay, nor shall the School Board or any nutrition service provider publish or permit to be published the names of any individual unable to pay for the food.
Any public school employee who discloses the name of any individual unable to pay for such food, either orally or in written form, except as reasonably necessary in the conduct of his/her official duties, shall be subject to the penalties provided in state law. No employee shall disclose such information to any student for any reason.
The Bossier Parish School Board has the following meal charge procedure for students who do not bring money but are allowed to receive meals:
A reminder slip shall be given each time a meal is charged.
After the second charge, a letter shall be sent to parents/guardians stating the amount owed.
After a third charge, the student or staff shall call the parents/guardians to bring payment to school or make arrangements for payment to ensure the student does not miss any meals.
If payment is not made, the Office of Community Services within the Department of Social Services may be contacted.
Repeatedly delinquent accounts and/or unpaid checks with insufficient funds shall be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office.
FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEAL APPLICATIONS
Eligibility for participation of students in the free and reduced meal program shall be determined by family meal application or direct certification or participation in migrant, runaway, or homeless education programs. A multi-child, family application to apply for school meal benefits or notification of direct certification for school meal benefits shall be sent to the parents or guardians of each student within the first week of school. Households who are not directly certified shall be requested to complete an application listing all students enrolled in Bossier Parish public schools and return it to the determining official for review. A new application must be submitted each year. The applicant should be made aware that deliberate misrepresentation on the application may subject him or her to prosecution under applicable state and federal criminal statutes. Such applications (approved and disapproved) and documentation of the action taken shall be maintained for three (3) years after the end of the fiscal year to which they pertain.
Any charges incurred on the student’s account during the approval process shall be the sole responsibility of the parent/guardian.
State guidelines allow for the limited disclosure of information about free and reduced price meal eligibility without consent of the parent. The information may be used only for the purpose authorized and may not be shared with any other parties for any reason. Aggregate information that does not identify individuals continues to be permitted without parental consent. Under the National School Lunch Act (NSLA), the release of a child's eligibility status is permitted to persons directly connected with and who need to know a child's free and reduced price meal eligibility status in order to carry out an activity specifically authorized by the NSLA.
Revised: October 3, 2013
Revised: June, 2014
Revised: February 15, 2018
Ref: 42 USC 1751 et seq. (School Lunch Programs)
42 USC 1771 et seq. (Child Nutrition)
7 CFR 210 (National School Lunch Program)
7 CFR 220 (School Breakfast Program)
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:82, 17:191, 17:192, 17:192.1, 17:193, 17:194, 17:195, 17:196, 17:197, 17:197.1, 17:198, 17:199, 39:2101, 40.4
Louisiana Sanitary Code, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
Board minutes, 10-3-13, 6-10-14, 2-15-18
Bossier Parish School Board