6 Cents Memo

August 24, 2012

To: Authorized Representatives and Recordkeepers School Nutrition Program

From: Deb Egeland, Assistant Director Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Programs

Re: 6 Cents Certification for New Meal Pattern

The 6 cents certification allows an additional reimbursement of 6 cents per reimbursable lunch if school food authorities are certified to be in compliance with the new meal pattern. Required documents to be submitted to NDDPI for the 6 cents performance-based reimbursement include:

1 week menu for breakfast and lunch
- The menus must be a descriptive list of all reimbursable meals offered. Menus must indicate food components and serving sizes of all components based on the three grade groups (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12). Vegetables offered must be indicated of the subgroup they are to be categorized in.
- Indicate whether the breakfast menu meets the requirements of the school breakfast pattern used in previous school years or for the new school breakfast program (required beginning of school year 2013-2014).
Production records for breakfast and lunch if the meal has been served.
Salad bar production records
Recipes, CN labels, and/or nutrient facts for main entrées and bread/grain items
Attestation
- School food authorities (SFA’s) must attest in writing that the materials submitted for certification are representative of the ongoing meal service within the SFA. We have developed an attestation form for you to sign.
Completed USDA 6 cent worksheets for lunch (K-8 and 9-12) and breakfast (K-12)

Schools can enter menus into the USDA worksheets at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/policy.htm If you would like a complete 6 cent packet, please contact our office.

SFA’s may submit documents for the 6 cents certification to NDDPI anytime, however, certified SFA’s will earn the additional 6 cents only for those meals served starting October 1, 2012 or later.

Please call or write if you have any questions.
Call toll-free at 1-888-338-3663 for Deb, Kaye, Joe or Shayna
Deb Egeland degeland@nd.gov 328-3718 or Kaye Knudson at ksknudson@nd.gov or 328-2275
Shayna Griffiths sgriffiths@nd.gov 328-3549 or Joe Oster jjoster@nd.gov 328-3237.
Schools east of Jamestown can also contact Lesli Murch at lmurch@nd.gov or 1-888-788-8901.

Fall Pathways Course Listing: Are You Up-To-Date With Sanitation?

The Fall Pathways Course Listing is now on the Child Nutrition & Food Distribution web site http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/child/ under both the New & Hot and Training tabs. The registration form is included with the course listing. No mailings will be made of this listing. With all of the changes made over the summer – new meal pattern, NDFoods, six cents – we have decided to offer only two courses: Sanitation and Safety and Sanitation Update. Authorized reps and lead food service workers (LFSW) should make sure the information on the course listing is made available to all food service workers.

According to ND Code, the LFSW is required to attend a 10-hour Sanitation and Safety class within six months of being hired for that position. The LFSW must then complete a three-hour Sanitation Update training every five years thereafter. Each individual completing the Pathways trainings for Sanitation and Safety or Sanitation Update will receive a certificate of training. We recommend that a copy of this certificate be placed in the individual’s personnel file.

The Child Nutrition office keeps records of the trainings in a Pathways database. Names of the LFSW are taken from NDFoods. The person listed as the LFSW in NDFoods should be the “head cook” for the site. Since an email address is not a required field in NDFoods, whether or not a person has an email address does not qualify for why the person listed isn’t the head cook. Name changes of food service personnel due to marriage, divorce or other legal proceedings should be reported to our office so we can update the Pathways database.

There are a few other courses that can be taken instead of the Pathways version. Approved sanitation trainings can be found on the Child Nutrition & Food Distribution web site under the Training tab and clicking on the Sanitation Training Requirements link. If sanitation training other than Pathways is taken, a copy of the certificate verifying training was completed must be sent to the Child Nutrition office (either by mail or fax to 328-9566) so credit for the training can be input into the Pathways database.

Direct Certification

LEAs need to access the STARS system to find their Direct Certification list. No other Direct Certification/SNAP/Food Stamp lists will be provided. The STARS system provides a very easy-to-read list of all directly certified students.

This system provides up to date direct certification information based on each LEA’s enrollment entered into STARS. The system is more interactive, to ensure eligible students receive meal benefits as soon as possible. Enroll all of your students in STARS before checking the direct certification site. Student matches cannot occur unless they are enrolled in a school on STARS.

Direct Certification users will receive e-mail notifications of the names of children eligible for free school meals that may be enrolled in their district. The user must access the Direct Certification system in STARS to indicate whether or not that child is actually enrolled in the district.

To access the direct certification application on STARS, LEA administrator to give permission to those persons responsible for maintaining free/reduced price eligibility information, through the Report Permissions section. For Direct Certification, the users will need “Can View, Can Add/Edit Data” and “Can Export” permissions. If a user needs to view the Direct Certification checkmark in the enrollment file, the user will also need the Direct Certification special.

Direct Certification is listed under the Reports menu section on the main page. The user chooses Direct Certification and then the LEA name. Finally, choose the appropriate school year in the Direct Certification dialogue box. Once in the Direct Certification system, the user will be able to view the Broadcast Notification and the Matched Notifications.

Make Every Tray Count

USDA recently changed the Offer vs. Serve policy. Schools are still required to offer all five components, the student must take at least three components, one of the three selected components must be a fruit or vegetable or a mixture of fruits and vegetables. Students must select at least half a cup of fruit and/or vegetable to make a reimbursable meal. We have developed a sign that can be posted in your lunchroom to explain the rule. The sign is on our website under New and Hot at the link below.

http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/child/new/choose_your_plate.pdf

North Dakota Pride of Dakota School Lunch Day Coming Up October 2

The Pride of Dakota School Lunch Day has been moved to October 2 to take advantage of local foods harvested this fall. Schools across the state are encouraged to serve North Dakota products such as fresh produce, beef, pork, corn, potatoes, wheat, sunflower seeds, honey, milk, cheese and beans during this special week. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture will be sending information out about how to participate in the program. You can visit the ND Agriculture Department website at: http://www.prideofdakota.com/

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