Thursday, July 23, 2020
Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)
- Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Updates from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) School Nutrition Team
- Other Updates and Information
Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Reimbursement Rates
Reimbursement rates for the school year (SY) 2020-21 have been published by USDA. They can be found on the DPI SNT Financial Management webpage under the “Reimbursement” drop down.
Emergency Meals to You (eMTY)
The USDA funded Emergency Meals to You Program is set to expire on August 15, 2020. In Wisconsin, more than 32,360 meals were served to 403 participants in 155 households.
Track Training Like a Star with the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool! Webinar
Date: Wednesday, August 12
Time: 1-2 pm CST
Title: Track Training Like a Star with the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool!
Target Audience: All School Nutrition Professionals (School Staff, State Agency Staff)
Meet the Webinar Speakers:
Kaushalya Heendeniya, Acting Branch Chief, USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Ebony James, Nutritionist, USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Team Nutrition is excited to demonstrate the latest enhancements to the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool (PSTTT). Team Nutrition has been continuously working to incorporate feedback to enrich user experience. This webinar will showcase the newest enhancements, such as a streamlined way to enter training titles, the ability to deactivate employees, and the ability to earn badges for completing one or more trainings under a specific key area and for completing trainings in more than one key area.
Join us for a live demo to learn about the benefits of using the PSTTT and the features it will provide for managers and staff to prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.
You do not want to miss this webinar. Register today!
USDA Office of Food Safety COVID-19 Webinar Series: Managing Personnel During COVID-19
Registration is now open for the USDA Office of Food Safety COVID-19 Webinar Series: Managing Personnel During COVID-19. This webinar series provides current, accurate information and resources to #FNS program operators to mitigate risk of foodborne illness and COVID-19 transmission through the service of meals in Child Nutrition Programs.
- Register for the second in this webinar series on July 27, 2020, at 2 pm CST!
- Following the live webinar, a recording will be available for a limited time.
FYI: The first webinar in our series: The 2020 Safe Food Handler, which aired July 13, is available for viewing and download now on The Institute of Child Nutrition’s website. This recording will be available for a limited time (until approximately July 24).
2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s Final Scientific Report
The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today posted the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s final scientific report, an objective review of the latest available science on specific nutrition topics. The report’s evidence-based findings will inform USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as they co-develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which will provide recommendations on what to eat and drink to promote health and prevent chronic disease.
USDA and HHS are accepting written public comments on the committee’s final report through August 13, 2020. The public will also have an opportunity to provide oral comments on the scientific report to the departments at a public meeting on August 11, 2020.
Gearing up for Back-to-School with Team Nutrition!
The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Training Modules
Provided by: The Institute of Child Nutrition's (ICN) eLearning Portal
Coming Soon On-Demand!
Three new training modules on the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs will be available on the ICN’s eLearning portal where you will learn:
- About the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
- How to use the Recipe Analysis Workbook with step-by step instructions
- How Child Nutrition (CN) Labels and Product Formulation Statements can make your meal planning easier
Check out Existing Training Opportunities!
The Professional Standards Training Database
The Professional Standards Training Database allows school nutrition professionals to search for training that meets their learning needs in one easy-to-use website. Trainings are available in a variety of formats and most trainings are free.
Visit the Professional Standards Training Database today to discover how you can meet your professional standards training requirements.
Be in the Know Webinar Series
Review the Crediting Updates for Child Nutrition Programs: Be in the Know! Webinar Series for guidance and hands-on practice! This five-part webinar series provides a deep-dive into the release of SP 08-2019, CACFP 02-2019, SFSP 02-2019 Update of Food Crediting in the Child Nutrition Programs and other related memos.
Updates from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) School Nutrition Team
Back to School Planning
The SNT is working closely with USDA to get clarifying guidance on the following topics:
- Definition of unanticipated school closure
- Virtual learning and determination if it is a requirement for SFAs to operate the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs if students are not in school buildings
- “And Justice for All” poster requirements for the upcoming school year
- Virtual learning meal pick up in a mixed Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) district and how to maintain program integrity
- Point of Service issues
- Meal pattern flexibility clarifications (Application process will be available for waivers after clarifications have been received and shared with SFAs)
- Meal distribution at non-school sites for the National School Lunch Program during virtual learning
We are receiving numerous amounts of questions. We are diligently working on getting answers to share with all of you. We know time is of the essence so we are going as quickly as we can. Thanks for your patience.
CARES Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSERF)
The DPI has opened up WISEgrants for part of the federal CARES Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSERF) application, with the rest of the application opening on July 30, 2020.
Costs related to school foodservice are included as allowable. You may want to check in with your business manager/administrator to discuss the possibility of requesting funds for school foodservice or to find out whether or not your SFA will be applying for funds.
More information about the CARES Act ESSERF can be found on the DPI Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Grant Program webpage.
Plan for and coordinate the provision of school meals during the school day, afterschool, weekend and summer to students, including:
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Training on food preparation methods to prevent “touching” of food/serving utensils, cross contamination, etc.
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Prepacked supplies: utensils, condiments
Available under “General Education” and “Food Service”
Personnel - Staff - COVID-19 Response - Meal Coordination
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Staffing costs to plan for, coordinate, and prepare meals for delivery and disbursement
Personnel - Staff - COVID-19 Response - Trainers (employees)
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School Nurse or other health professionals to conduct training
Personnel - Staff - Activity Funding for Multiple Staff
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Staff training on safe food handling
Purchased Services - Employee Travel - Meal Coordination - Function 257300 - Object 342
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Travel costs for drivers to deliver meals for students
Supplies - Meal Coordination - Function 257200 - Object 411 (general supplies)
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Additional food service costs related to increased food and supply costs and minimizing spread of infectious disease (e.g., higher food costs, costs to individually plate or box meals to enforce social distancing, packaging cutlery and other items to accompany meals)
School Year (SY) 2018-19 State Aid Memos
The public and private SY 2018-19 state aid memos have been posted to our website.
Other Updates and Information
July 29, 2020
1-2 pm
Zoom meeting
School is just around the corner, and those of you who will be opening your doors to students are asking what feeding might look like. One district in Wisconsin has already done that! If you have questions and would like to know pros and cons to a new way of feeding, join us and talk with Tomah School District Nutrition Director and SNA-WI Past President Jesse Bender, hosted by SNA-WI President Mike Gasper.
Click here to register.
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
This is a communication from the WI Department of Public Instruction, School Nutrition Team.
You can contact the School Nutrition Team at dpifns@dpi.wi.gov. To subscribe to schoolmealsnews, please send an email to dpifns@dpi.wi.gov.
dpi.wi.gov/school-nutrition #WISchoolMealsRock