Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)
Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA Policy Memorandum SP 16-2022: Third Allocation of Supply Chain Assistance (SCA) Funds to Alleviate Supply Chain Disruptions in the School Meal Programs
USDA Food and Nutrition Service is providing an additional $471.5 million in supply chain assistance (SCA) funds under the previous authority because of the underlying conditions fueling supply chain disruptions and other economic uncertainty remain significant in many parts of the country. These funds are part of USDAs efforts to provide consistent and nutritious school meals to children.
The state agency will distribute this second and third rounds of SCA funding to eligible SFAs via the same formula used to distribute the first round of funds. Additionally, the funds remain limited to the purchase of unprocessed or minimally processed domestic food products. SFAs that have already signed an attestation are not required to sign another statement.
Wisconsin has been allocated $16,369,076 in round two and $9,174,275 in round three.
The DPI SNT hopes to get these assistance funds out shortly to those SFAs that are interested in receiving additional funding. More information to come soon.
Reminder: Turnip the Beet Awards – 2022
The Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors across the nation who work hard to offer high quality meals to children that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious during the summer months. Last year, the USDA FNS recognized 84 summer meal sponsors with Turnip the Beet awards for excellence. Schools who operated the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or Seamless Summer Option (SSO) in summer 2022 are eligible to apply.
To apply or to nominate another school:
1. Review the Overview of the Turnip the Beet Awards
2. Complete the Nomination Form
3. Send the completed Nomination Form to sso@dpi.wi.gov (for SSO) or cnt@dpi.wi.gov (for SFSP) by October 7, 2022
Now Available! New Fruit Yield Data Added for the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-Based Tool!
New from Team Nutrition: New food yields data has been added to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-based (FBG) Tool and Mobile App! Now available, the following fruit yield data: purees (banana, blueberry, and strawberry), frozen mango, and frozen berry blend. This is a continuation of yield data from phase two of the FBG Yield Study, with the first set of data (sorghum) being released in July 2022. Stay tuned for additional yield data releases coming soon. Check out the Food Buying for Child Nutrition Programs today!
New Printed Resources for National School Lunch Week (October 10-14)!
Now in print: Local School Wellness Policy Refresh! Infographic
Does your district’s Local School Wellness Policy need an update? Now is a great time to bring your school community together to create strong school environments that support students’ growth, learning, and well-being. Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program can request free print copies in English and Spanish while supplies last. All are welcome to download and make copies.
Be a Food Critic! Poster
Exclusively in print for Team Nutrition Schools, this new poster can be used to help recruit student food critics for a taste-testing event and get them excited about a new school menu item. On September 26, 2022, Team Nutrition Schools received an email with ordering instructions. Information about how schools can sign up to be a Team Nutrition School is available on the Team Nutrition website. All are welcome to Download the Poster and make copies.
Taste-Test Poster
Exclusively in print for Team Nutrition Schools, this new poster can be used to help promote taste-testing events for new school menu items. On September 26, 2022, Team Nutrition Schools received an email with ordering instructions. All are welcome to Download the Poster and make copies.
Coming Soon: How School Lunch is Made and How You Can Help
Share the new 8th grade student article, How School Lunch is Made and How You Can Help to teach kids what's in a school meal, who decides what's on the menu, and how students can have a voice in the process.
Printed copies will be available on the Team Nutrition Order Form by October 3 for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program!
Updates from the DPI School Nutrition Team
Menu Planning Workshop - Registration Open!
Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn how to incorporate local foods (purchased or from your school garden) into your school meal programs!
When: Thursday, October 6, 2022
Where: Nourish Farms, Sheboygan Falls
Time: 10 am - 2 pm, optional school garden tour and talk from 2-3:30 pm
Cost: FREE, a delicious lunch will be provided
Register Here. Advanced registration is required.
Other Updates and Information
2022 Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch
Registration for the 2022 Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch is now open!
What is the Crunch? Celebrate National Farm to School Month by collectively purchasing and crunching into locally grown apples at noon on Thursday, October 13, 2022! Everyone is welcome to participate (K-12 schools, early care and education sites, farms, local businesses, and households).
Why Register? Help us reach the goal of 1.2 MILLION crunches this year in the Midwest! After you register, you will receive access to Crunch resources to help you plan a fun and successful Crunch! Registrants will also receive a newsletter leading up to Crunch Day with resource highlights, apple activity inspirations, Crunch tools, and more.
Wisconsin School P-EBT for the 2022-23 School Year
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) recently received information from the federal government that explains how the School Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (School P-EBT) program will work in the 2022-23 school year. In partnership with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Department of Children and Families, DHS is preparing a plan which we will submit to our federal partners for approval.
Data Collection for P-EBT in the 2022-2023 School Year
Like last year, federal program rules mean that DHS must collect individual student-level learning and attendance information directly from each school food authority (SFA). This means that SFAs will need to be tracking and reporting the P-EBT eligible days for each of the students enrolled in their Free and Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL) program.
As a reminder, a P-EBT eligible day occurs when an FRPL-enrolled student is unable to access their meal at school because they either were absent for a COVID-related reason or learned virtually from a remote location.
Benefits will be issued on a case-by-case basis to students who meet all of the specific program criteria outlined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) based upon the information provided by each SFA.
If you have not already, please begin tracking P-EBT eligible days for all FRPL-enrolled students in your SFA. Note: P-EBT eligible days should be tracked for all students in CEP schools in your SFA.
Access to the Online Portal
To facilitate collection of this data, the secure online Portal that was used for the School P-EBT program in the 2021-22 school year will be made available as soon as we complete necessary updates. This enhanced Student Information Portal allows a designated individual (or individuals) from each SFA to provide student-level FRPL participation and attendance information electronically.
More Information Coming Soon
Watch for another email soon with specifics about:
• Data Collection
• Benefit Issuance Timeline
• Portal Access and Training
• Program Roll-Out
If you are unsure who has portal access or know that an update needs to be made, please email SchoolPEBT@wi.gov.
Thank you for your help making sure Wisconsin students and their families receive support through the School P-EBT program.
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Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Jill K. Underly, PhD, State Superintendent
125 S Webster Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 266-3390 • (800) 441-4563