Check the attached documents for your use in the school and for staff catering or class room celebrations and a staff Wellness Newsletter!

The new Field Trip bag lunch contains a Turkey and Cheese Sandwich, Applesauce, 100% Fruit Juice along with a milk and fresh carrots.  Meal carb content is listed on the related documents section to the right.

FAQ

For Administrators about Food Services

Link from Maine Dept of Education concerning confidentiality of this information:  http://www.maine.gov/education/sfs/conf.html

Unauthorized Sharing:
7 CFR  Part 456.6 - Determining Eligibility:   ...any individual who publishes, divulges, discloses or makes known in any manner, or to any extent not authorized by statute or this section, any information obtained under this section will be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for up to 1 year, or both.

 How do parents find out about Meal Benefits (free and reduced price meals)?

Food Service prints and distributes to all schools over 11,000 Day 1 packets.  The packet has information about changes in the program, instructions for completing the Meal Benefit Application and the Application itself which is color coded by year.  Additional packets must be available in your school office and can be completed at any time.

The majority of families are qualified automatically through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services computer list, about 2500 students.  These families all get a letter from Food Service letting them know not to file any additional paperwork. 

The remaining 1,000 students must turn in a paper application to their teacher or kitchen team leader.  Completed applications are processed by the approving officers and a letter is mailed to each home that qualifies.

What type of training does Food Service staff receive?  

All team leaders and their assistants must now be certified in Sanitation under the Health Code.  This is a 12 hour course followed by a 2 hour exam which they must pass with a score of 75 or more.

Team Leaders attend a meeting the first Wednesday of each month at the Central Kitchen to review paperwork, sanitation, standard operating procedures, and changes.  Additionally, there was now a full day of training in August centered on customer service and the new regulations as well as a full staff meeting each May to review the year and preview the coming changes in the program.

Agendas are available to administrators by request.

What schools are offering free meals for every student?

As of September 2014, the following schools are offering free breakfast for every student (and staff if they are eating with students in the class room):

East End, Riverton, Presumpscot, Lincoln, Moore, King Middle, Reiche, and Hall School are offering free breakfast to every student.

We also offer free breakfast every day at Portland and Deering High Schools.