Category: Nutrition

Department school nutrition team provides reminders to districts

School Food Service Enrollment

Enrollment numbers in the National School Lunch Program are collected every November when a district files its October claim information.  The food service enrollment includes all grades that are offered a meal.  This year, districts will need to enter elementary and secondary grades (defined as grades 9-12) enrollment and eligibility numbers. This information is used for the yearly ED534 Report that is used for grants in several District applications.  For more information or technical assistance, please contact Maine DOE Child Nutrition Specialist Nanci Kitredge at nanci.kitredge@maine.gov.

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School food service employees recognized for years of service

The Maine DOE and Maine School Nutrition Association recently honored several local school food service staff members for their 20 years or more of service at their fall conference. Local districts, Department staff and local businesses attended the ceremony.

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Maine DOE applying for federal school nutrition pilot program

The Maine DOE is applying to be part of a pilot program that would enable local food service departments to utilize part of their USDA food entitlement funds (PAL) to purchase unprocessed products. Eight states will be selected for the pilot program nationwide and one from the northeast region.

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Maine DOE offers Infinite Campus, state reporting & school nutrition training sessions

The Department’s Maine Education Data Management System  (MEDMS) Helpdesk Team is partnering with the School Nutrition Team to provide joint training sessions throughout the state in August for Maine schools. Both Infinite Campus District Edition users and non-Infinite Campus system users are encouraged to attend.

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Student lunch prices set for 2015 school year

The maximum price students can be charged for school lunch in School Year 2015 is $3 per lunch. Districts who wish to exceed this amount must complete a price waiver request form and submit it on behalf of their legal agent/superintendent to Maine DOE’s Office of Child Nutrition.

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Maine DOE announces 2014-15 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program recipients

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded 170 Maine schools $2,022,150 for distribution during the 2014-15 school year to provide fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost to students. The USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides funds to school districts where 50 percent or more of their student population in grades pre-k through eight are eligible for free and reduced price meals.

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School nutrition standards to become effective July 1

Federal school nutrition standards adopted in 2010 will become effective on July 1. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA) requires that all foods sold on a school campus outside of the school meal program must meet the Smart Snacks nutrition standards set forth in the interim final rule titled “National School Lunch Program (NLSP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP): Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as required by the HHFKA of 2010.”

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Maine DOE to offer trainings on National School Lunch Program improvements

Maine DOE Child Nutrition Program staff will be offering training sessions this summer to update local school unit nutrition program staff on federal and State improvements to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). A regional training schedule will be available in June and published in the Commissioner’s Update and on the Department’s professional development calendar.

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Portland food service director wins state award

Ron Adams, food service director for the Portland Public Schools, has won the School Nutrition Association (SNA) Outstanding Director of the Year Award for Maine. Adams will be honored at a red carpet awards ceremony in July at SNA’s national conference in Boston.

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