Business and Non-Instructional
Operations

Food Services 3542

School Lunch Service

The Board of Education (Board) recognizes that students require adequate, nourishing food and beverages in order to grow, learn and maintain good health. It is the intent of the Board that District schools take a proactive effort to encourage students to make nutritious food choices. The Board directs that students shall be provided with adequate space and time to eat meals during the school day.
The District shall offer meals to all students without regard to race, color, age, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression ancestry, national origin, marital status, pregnancy or disability.
The Board shall provide food service for school breakfasts; for school lunches that meets the nutritional standards required by state and federal school breakfast and lunch programs.
This service shall be under the supervision of the Food Services Director who shall be responsible to the Business Manager. The Food Service Director shall be hired under specific job specifications and approved by the Board of Education.

Purpose, Facilities, and Operation

Aims
Policies governing the operation of the school lunch program shall be:
1. To provide cafeteria facilities in all new schools and in other schools wherever practicable.
2. To provide wherever cafeteria facilities exist nutritionally balanced and attractive lunches available to all students with sufficient time allowed for eating. Varied and nutritious food choices shall be sold or served consistent with applicable federal government Dietary Guidelines for Americans
3. To provide lunches free or at reduced rates to children whose economic or health needs require such action, with the approval of the Superintendent of Schools on recommendation of the Principal and school nurse.

Facilities
Cafeteria facilities, wherever possible, shall include the following:
1. Attractive, well-ventilated dining rooms.
2. A carefully planned, well-equipped kitchen adjacent to each dining area.
3. Adequate storage space so that food and supplies may be purchased in sufficient quantity to take advantage of favorable market conditions.
4. Maintenance, inspection and repair of equipment so that maximum use is obtained and danger of accidents to personnel is minimized.

Maintenance of Sanitary Conditions
Sanitary conditions in all phases of the preparation and serving of food shall be rigidly maintained at all times. The District shall maintain proper sanitation and health standards in food storage, preparation and service, in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws, regulations and requirements.
The Food Service Director shall be responsible for the education of all food handlers as to personal hygiene and techniques of sanitation.
All cafeteria workers shall be required to have a physical examination at the time of employment and periodically as requested by the School Medical Advisor.

Financing
The school lunch program shall be financed as follows:
1. Prices of school lunches shall be determined by the Board in accordance with all prevailing costs of food, supplies, supervision costs, and wages of hourly workers.
2. Costs of food, supplies, salaries and wages of all employees, and other expenses directly incurred in the school lunch program shall be paid out of a separate fund, which shall be maintained under the control of the Business Manager or his/her designee and into which all receipts from sales and federal cash grants shall be paid. This fund shall be subject to annual audit by the District auditor. In compliance with federal law, the District's NSLP (and SBP) shall be non-profit.
3. Office facilities, equipment, heat, light and power shall be paid out of funds appropriated by the Board of Education.
4. Although the Board believes that the District's nutrition and food services operation should be financially self-supporting, it recognizes, however, that the nutrition program is an essential educational and support activity. Therefore, budget neutrality or profit generation must not take precedence over the nutrition needs of its students.

School Food Safety Inspections/School Food Safety Program
The District shall comply with state and federal requirements for conducting cafeteria health and safety inspections and ensuring employee participation in appropriate inspection services and training programs.

The District shall obtain two (2) safety inspections per year in accordance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations. The District shall post the most recent inspection report and release a copy of the report to members of the public upon request.
The District shall comply with federal regulations in developing a food safety program that enables District schools to take systematic action to prevent or minimize the risk of food borne illness among students.

Farm to School Program
Any bid submitted by a service management company in response to a request for proposal (RFP) or bid solicitation by the Board that is posted to the State Portal and that relates to the Board's school nutrition program shall include information detailing the consistency of such bid with the State's Farm to School Program and the ways in which such bid facilitates the purchase of products from local farmers by the Board. All other factors being equal, the Board shall give preference to the RFP or bid that promotes the purchase of local farm products.

Any person who sells any farm product as Connecticut-grown to the District is required to offer proof to the District that such farm product was produced in Connecticut, including, but not limited to, the name of the person or business that produced the farm product and the name and address of the farm where such product was produced.

(cf. 3542.31 - Participation in the Nutritional School Lunch Program)
(cf. 3542.33 - Food Sales Other Than National School Lunch Program)
(cf. 3542.43 - Charging Policy)
(cf. 6142.101 - Student Nutrition and Physical Wellness, School Wellness)
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10-215 Lunches, breakfasts and other feeding programs for public school children and employees.
10-215a Nonpublic school and nonprofit agency participation in feeding programs.
10-215b Duties of State Board of Education re feeding programs.
10-216 Payment of expenses.
State Board of Education Regulations
10-215b-1 School lunch and nutrition programs.
10-215b-11 Requirement for meals.
10-215b-12 Reimbursement payments. (including free and reduced price
meals)
10-215d Regulations re nutrition standards for school breakfasts and lunches. (as amended by PA 16-37)
22-38d Farm to school program. (as amended by PA 16-37 and PA 18-73)
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, 42 U.S.C. Section 1751.
School Lunch and Breakfast Programs 42 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq.
National Food Service Programs, Title 7 Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR Part 210, Part 220, Part 215, Part 245.
42 U.S.C. Sec. 1758(h)/7 CFR Sect 210.13, 220.7 (School Food Safety Inspections).
Federal Register (74 Fed. Reg. 66213) amending federal regulations (7CFR Part 210 and 220).
P.L. 111-296 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA), 42 U.S.C. 1751
7 CFR Parts 210 & 220 - Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch & School Breakfast Programs.
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance, 7 C.F.R. Part 15b (2001)
Revised:   January 24, 2022
   June 12, 2017
   June 23, 2014

Vernon Public Schools

3000 Business and Non-Instructional Operations

3000 Concept and Roles in Business and Non-Instructional Operations (Policy Reviewed 6-14-2021)

3010 Goals and Objectives (Policy Reviewed 6-14-2021)

Budget

3111 Fiscal Year (Policy Reviewed 6-14-2021)

3120 Budget Development (Policy Reviewed 6-14-2021)

3150 Budget Adoption (Policy Reviewed 6-14-2021)

3160 Budget Administration (Policy Revised 6-14-2021)

3231 Medicaid Reimbursement for Special Education Students (Policy Revised 6-14-2021)

3240 Tuition Fees (Policy Revised 6-14-2021)

3250 Materials/Services Fees, Charges (Policy Reviewed 6-14-2021)

3260 Sales and Disposal of Obsolete Books, Equipment and Supplies (Policy Revised 10-15-2024)

3280 Gifts, Grants, Bequests and Supplemental Funding (Policy Revised 10-15-2024)

3290 Grants and Other Revenue (Policy Revised 6-14-2021)

Purchasing

3313 Relationships with Vendors (Policy Reviewed 6-28-2021)

3313.1 Local Purchasing (Policy Reviewed 6-28-2021

3320 Purchasing Procedures (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3321 Requisitions for Goods and Services (Policy Deleted 6-28-2021)

3323 Requisition, Price Solicitation and Bid Requirements for Goods and Services (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3324 Purchase Orders and Contracts (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3326 Paying for Goods and Services (Policy Reviewed 6-28-2021)

3326.1 Payroll Procedures and Authorized Signatures (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3432 Financial Records and Reports (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3434 Periodic Audit (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3435 Fraud Prevention and Investigation (Policy Reviewed 10-15-2024)

3436 Code of Conduct Governing Procurements Under a Federal Award (Policy Adopted 11-11-2024)

3440 Inventories (Policy Reviewed 6-28-2021)

3450 Monies in School Buildings (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3453 School Activity Funds (Policy Reviewed 10-15-2024)

3510 Operation and Maintenance of Plant (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3511 Compliance with 504 Regulations (Policy Revised 10-15-2024)

3513.1 Energy Conservation (Policy Reviewed 6-28-2021)

3514 Authorized Use of School Equipment (Policy Reviewed 12-9-2024)

3515 Facilities Use (Policy Revised 6-28-2021)

3516 Safety (Policy Reviewed 5-13-2024)

3516.3 Accident Prevention and Reporting (Policy Revised 10-12-2021)

3516.5 Sexual Offenders on School Property (Policy Reviewed 6-10-2024)

3517 Security for School System Facilities and Property (Policy Revised 6-10-2024)

3524 Hazardous Materials in Schools (Policy Reviewed 10-12-2021)

3524 Hazardous Materials in Schools: Green Cleaning Programs (Policy Adopted 6-10-2024)

3524.1 Hazardous Materials in Schools (Policy Revised 10-12-2021)

3532 Liability Automobile Property Insurance (Policy Revised 10-12-2021)

3534 Employee/Officer Bonds (Policy Reviewed 10-12-2021)

Transportation of Students

3541 Transportation of Students (Policy Reviewed 10-12-2021)

3541.10 Parent/Guardian Responsibility (Policy Revised 10-12-2021)

3541.11 Pupil Responsibility and Eligibility (Policy Revised 10-12-2021)

3541.12 Board of Education Responsibility (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.13 Superintendent Responsibility (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.14 Administrator Responsibility (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.15 Bus Driver Qualifications and Responsibility (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.3 Definitions (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.43 Public Notification of Bus Routes (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.431 Appeals (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.5 Safety and Records Reports (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.6 Hazardous Conditions (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.7 Transportation to Child Care Sites (Policy Revised 10-25-2021)

3541.9 Inappropriate Behavior on School System Vehicles and Consequences (Policy Revised 3-28-2022)

Food Services

3542 School Lunch Service (Policy Revised 1-24-2022)

3542.1 Purposes and Facilities (Policy Revised 1-24-2022)

3542.2 Charging Policy (Policy Revised 3-28-2022)

3542.22 Food Service Personnel – Code of Conduct (Policy Revised 1-24-2022)

3542.31 Free or Reduced Price Lunches (National School Lunch Program) (Policy Revised 1-24-2022)

3542.4 Food Sales by Students/Others (Policy Reviewed 6-12-2017)

3542.41 Professional Standards for Food Service Personnel (New Policy 4-14-2016)

3542.42 Finance (Policy Revised 1-24-2022)