HOW THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM OPERATES IN STOW-MUNROE FALLS CITY SCHOOLS AND THE BENEFITS THAT WE RECOGNIZE AS AN APPROVED PARTICIPANT
Before the start of every new school year, Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools (SMFCSD) must make application to the Ohio Department of Education, Child Nutrition Service (ODECNS) to participate in the NSLP. As part of the application, our Administration must sign an agreement with ODECNS, which states we will follow and meet their guidelines as published for food safety, nutritional analysis of meals, and financial record keeping and reporting. To ensure that we are following the ODECNS guidelines, we are audited by ODECNS and an outside dietary company every five years. Our last audit was 2011-2012. We passed all areas of the audit, including nutritional analysis of our menus. Our next audit will be spring of 2015-2016.
Once we receive approval from ODECNS, free/reduced lunch instruction packets and applications are sent to each school to be distributed to all families the first day of school. Families who believe they qualify for the free/reduced lunch program, based on the income guidelines provided in the instruction packet, may complete an application and send it back with their child(ren) the next day. All applications are processed for approval through the Point of Sale (POS) computer system, in the main office of the Food Service Department. Applications are usually processed within 24 hours of their receipt.
If a family is approved to participate in the free/reduced ($.40/meal) lunch program, their child’s account will be coded in such a way that will let our cashiers know whether the student qualifies for free, reduced or full price lunch. Coding is confidential. Only the cashier knows what to charge a student for their lunch. Students in front of, or behind your child in the serving line will have no way of knowing whether their friend is on the program or if parents had put money in the student’s account by another means. This anonymity is of great importance to students at the Middle and High School level.
A reimbursable student meal consists of one entrée, one milk (whether skim or 1%– white or chocolate), and up to two side dishes. (Students may purchase only one reimbursable meal/day.) Side dishes vary at each school depending on availability, however, some type of fresh fruit and/or vegetable is offered every day, at every school as a side dish. Fresh salads, side and specialty (as an entrée), are offered daily except right before a school break or summer break. In response to student requests, our High School has begun offering a line of nutritious, meatless lunch selections every day, which include a Veggie Wrap and Hummus.
