Nutrition News

September 2024

Child Nutrition Newsletter

Where are our menus? They are available at each building and can be requested from any kitchen. We have installed a new menu software program and are still working on getting a link we can post to the JSD #171 Nutrition webpage. This link will give parents the ability to interact with the menu and view the various menu options their student has.

How do I know if my student qualifies for free or reduced meals? This year we are utilizing Skyward to notify parents of their students' lunch status. They will receive an email with their parent letter of notification. Their letter will also be posted to their Skyward Family Access page. Parents will be able to access it anytime and print if needed. We encourage parents to review their information listed in Skyward so there is no delay in receiving school related notifications.

Why is Child Nutrition (CN) staff visiting my classroom? We are currently in the middle of site reviews. A site review is when CN staff visits each location where school meals are served. They ensure students receive a complete reimbursable meal, all students are treated equally, training has been completed, food is handled correctly and meals served are credited to each student's account.

Who oversees school district CN programs? USDA requires each state department of education to review each school district on a five year rotation. This is a guarantee that School Food Authorities are staying in compliance with all USDA requirements. JSD 171 will be receiving a SDE review this school year.

How do we know our children receive safe meals at school? All CN staff complete annual training, attend conferences and collaborate with other CN professionals. To ensure food safety and sanitation, each district school, as well as the CN warehouse receive two health inspections per year. Inspection results are made available online through the health department.

What’s new? The walk-in cooler has arrived and is up and running. This unit is located at the CN warehouse and will provide storage for refrigerated items. This was made possible through grants and community support. Both the School Pantry and the CN program will share this space. See photos below.

What is the School Pantry? This program is a partnership between JSD #171 and the Idaho Food Bank. The school pantry provides food for students and their families on a weekly basis. Food bags are sent home in student backpacks each Thursday. It is intended to provide meals for students over the weekend and help families meet the nutritional needs of children, adults and seniors. Our school pantry will begin distributing food mid September. We estimate 50 families will be provided meals the first week of distribution. This is the first year we will have some families pick up food from the CN warehouse instead of sending it home with their students.

What’s next? Plans for an open house are in the works. We would like to give the community the opportunity to visit the CN warehouse and view the new cooler they supported through a lot of hard work, fundraising and donations. We are excited to give families an opportunity to visit, gather information and have a little fun at the same time.

Carmen Griffith

Child Nutrition Director

Joint School District #171

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

August 2024

Child Nutrition Newsletter

Our new Child Nutrition warehouse is coming together nicely. Final projects are getting completed as we prepare for the 2024-25 school year. Pallet shelves were assembled, floors were seal coated, temperature monitoring was installed, food in the warehouse was moved 100 TIMES (maybe only 5). The warehouse is filling up and we have begun shipping and receiving food.

We are anxiously waiting for the new walk-in cooler to arrive. This will give us cold storage for cheese, yogurts and fresh produce. This was made possible through our community supporters, grants and donations.

Menus received a facelift through our new menu software program which was made available through a Mini Technology grant. Some of the changes will be in appearance, food variety and nutrition information that will be available to the public. New items have been added this year and we look forward to creating more throughout the year.

Meet Chef Palani. His main hangout is at OES but this year he will be moving around our kitchens creating new things and interacting with students. We are excited to have a Sous Chef on staff and hope to have a fun year creating and learning new things.

Breakfast is offered to all students throughout the district at no charge. Lunch will include entree options along with fruit, vegetables, grain and a variety of milk. The K-6 grade lunch price is $3.35. The 7-12 grade lunch price is $3.65. Adults may purchase a meal for $5.00.

The Idaho State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition team has been able to work with the Department of Health and Welfare to link students on Medicaid to the Direct Certification of free or reduced school meals. The first download was run in August. We saw a 25% increase of students who qualify with the Medicaid eligibility included. Those Medicaid students can qualify for reduced meals as well. This is the first time we will actually have Direct Certified Reduced meals as an option.

Lunch applications are being processed for the 2024-25 school year. Applications can be picked up at any school site, on the district's Child Nutrition page or completed on-line through Skyward family access. REMEMBER, lunch applications expire each year, so it is important to get a new form turned in asap. Parents will be notified through email and Skyward family access of their child's eligibility status.

Our school pantry had a very busy summer. We had great volunteers who were committed to bagging, transporting and distributing food. We saw an increase in program participation with 35 families utilizing the summer food pantry. We are currently taking applications for the school pantry/Backpack program. Applications can be picked up at any building or the CN office.

Orofino Elementary and Timberline Elementary schools were awarded the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2024-25 school year. The FFVP provides all children in participating schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options.

Carmen Griffith

Child Nutrition Director

Joint School District #171

Civil Rights Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

October 22, 2020

JSD171's Child Nutrition services is happy to announce, USDA has extended free meals for children 1-18 years of age through June 2021. This is a great opportunity for children to receive nutritious meals while offsetting family food budgets and giving them time to catch up any previous lunch balances.

If you would like to receive meals for your children 1-18 years of age, who are not attending face to face instruction please call Mrs. Hodges (Timberline) @ 208-476-0506 or Mrs. Hernandez (Orofino) @ 208-476-0431.

View video for more great information. HERE

This Institution is an equal opportunity provider.

September 14, 2020

No, really. Take the meals!

USDA announced they are extending funding on emergency feeding programs through December 2020 (or until funds have been exhausted), to help schools get food to children.

All Joint School District 171 students attending face-to-face learning will be offered breakfast and lunch meals at NO cost. This will also provide additional time for parents to catch up any accounts that may be in the rears. Students wishing to purchase a la carte items will be charged for those items. Only complete breakfast and lunch meals will be available at no charge during this time.

JSD #171 will also be providing FREE meals for all children ages 1-18. Meals will be available Monday through Thursday. Parents wishing to take advantage of these meals will need to pick those meals up at Timberline or Orofino Jr/Sr High kitchens. Parents are encouraged to call the kitchen where they plan to pick up meals between 7:00 am and 10:00 am. This will ensure enough meals are prepared and what time to pick those meals up. Each child will receive both breakfast and lunch at the same time.

Reasons why you should take advantage of the free school meals being offered:

* It extends your food budget and saves you time preparing meals.

* It's comforting and familiar to your kids to have food from school.

* It's not just for low-income families.

* You're helping the local school nutrition program stay financially afloat.

* You're helping the nutrition program and local farms use up food inventory=less food waste.

Please call Timberline kitchen 208-476-0506 or OJSH kitchen 208-476-0431 to place your orders.

Call Carmen Griffith at 208-476-0500 with any other program questions.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

fax: (202) 690-7442; or

email: program.intake@usda.gov.

2020-21 School Lunch Updates August 27, 2019

Dear Parents/Guardians:

We are so excited to see all the smiling faces back in school. It is a scientific fact that students learn better and have less behavioral issues when their bellies are full. The Child Nutrition department has made a few changes in the way meals will be served but overall your child will continue to receive nutritious meals at all JSD171 sites.

Look for new menu items and encourage your child to try something new. We believe they are going to love every one of them. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. Welcome back!

To see our Provision 2 breakfast public release, click HERE.

2019-20 School Lunch Updates August 28, 2019

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Welcome back to a new school year! The JSD171 school district food service staff is looking forward to serving your children nutritious, great-tasting meals that support their achievements in school and promote healthy lifestyles. We strive to provide outstanding service and high quality “kid friendly” meals that meet the latest federal and state requirements. Some of the goals I have for this year is adding more options for JR/HS level. Please encourage your children to participate in tasting these new items. They just might become a new favorite! We will also be offering the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program at TES, OES & PES. This is a great opportunity to introduce new and exciting items while offering a nutritious afternoon snack for K-6 students. I am always available for comments, questions or concerns and we look forward to seeing the students on the first day of school!

To see the 2019-20 newsletter click HERE.

Carmen Griffith
Director of Food Services
griffithc@jsd171.org
208-476-0500

2017-18 School Lunch Applications Expiring October 16, 2018

Parents and students of JSD171, time is running out. The 2017-18 lunch applications will expire on October 17, 2018.

Lunch applications are not just about receiving free meals at school. They are one of the deciding factors that contribute to funding received by Joint School District #171. Some examples would be, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grants at OES and TES ($26,370), e-rate funding for our technology department ($531,000), Title funds district wide ($290,341) and other grant funding in district as well as throughout our communities.

Starting October 18, all students without a new application on file will be charged $2.50 (K-6) or $2.70 (7-12) for school lunch. If you have not submitted a 2018-19 school lunch application, please do so ASAP. Forms may be found on the district web site http://www.sd171.k12.id.us/ under the Nutrition Services tab or at any of the district schools.

If you are not sure you have a valid form on file please contact Carmen Griffith, Food Service Director at 208-476-0500 or email. griffithc@jsd171.org.

JSD#171 – Food Service Update: FFVP September 7, 2018

Exciting things are happening at Orofino and Timberline Elementary Schools. Each of these sites have been awarded the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant for the 2018-19 school year.

This is nothing new for Timberline Elementary. They have been a recipient of the FFVP since 2009. Orofino Elementary got a “taste” of the program in 2016-17 but was not awarded the program last year.

The FFVP grant provides funding that is designated to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for 1-6 graders. This program is separate from the breakfast and lunch programs and can not be served during those meals.

Kitchen staff prepares the fresh fruits or vegetables daily and distributes them to the classrooms for a healthy afternoon snack. This program also gives teachers and staff the opportunity to create discusses with students on the variety of fruits and vegetables as well as the importance of eating healthy.

USDA describes the program as follows.

“FFVP is an important tool in our efforts to combat childhood obesity. The Program has been successful in introducing school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample. The various partnerships that FNS (Food and Nutrition Service) and state agencies have developed in the public and private sectors, as well as the dedicated work of school administrators, have contributed to the overall success and acceptance of the program. FFVP is consistent with the and supports the Health and Medicine Division (HMD) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s recommendations to provide healthier snack choices in schools.”

The Program is Nation-wide in selected schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Cross your fingers that this opportunity continues for years to come.

JSD171-Food Service Update: Exciting Changes August 28, 2018

New and exciting things are coming! When students return to OJSH and TJSH on August 27^th they will see a change in their food options for lunch. A salad bar will be in place at both sites with a variety of fruits and vegetables to choose from. This will allow students to choose their own fruits and vegetables. It will also provide students a vegetarian option. Along with the full salad bar, students will have more than one entrée option when they purchase the full meal.

In addition to the salad bar and choice of entrees, students will have the option of purchasing items from a A La Carte line. This line will carry Smart Snack approved items such as pizza, beef sticks, cheese sticks, yogurt parfaits, whole grain chips along with a few surprise items. With the variety of food items offered, there will be something for everyone. Students will need to come prepared with the necessary funds to purchase these items. Students will not be allowed to charge for items from the a la carte line or extras in the lunch line.

PayPal payments can be made through the district web site. This has proven to be very successful and provides a much-needed convenience for our customers. This year we will be taking it one-step further by setting up card scanners at each kitchen. This will give us the ability to take debit card payments at each site.

With good changes coming, there is also some not so good changes. JSD171 has been able to offer Provision 2 breakfast district wide since 2006. We were required to run a new base year in 2017-18 school year. In order to qualify for the Provision 2 breakfast program free and reduced meals served were tracked at each site. OJSH did not purchase enough free and reduced meals to financially justify running the program. The district has three options: End the breakfast program at OJSH; allow all OJSH students to continue receiving free breakfast at a cost of $40,000 to the district or continue to offer breakfast to OJSH students at a cost to the student. All other schools in the district will continue the Provision 2 breakfast program.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Students who eat breakfast are able to concentrate better and it improves their ability to learn. Ending OJSH’s program would greatly impact a significant number of students who rely on this meal.

With that being said, breakfast will continue to be offered to all students at OJSH but at a cost to the student. Those qualifying for free lunches will also qualify for free breakfast. Those who qualify for reduced lunches will be charged .30 for breakfast. Those who qualify for paid lunch will be charged $1.80 for breakfast.

Students should come to school prepared to eat breakfast before the bell. OJSH breakfast will be served 7:30 am – 8:00 am. They will not be eating in the classroom, nor will their teacher be bringing them to the cafeteria to receive breakfast. Students at OJSH have received provision 2 breakfast all of their school years so this will be a big change for them.

With the increase in lunch charges we ask that students do not charge breakfast meals. Please send the appropriate funds needed with your student, or use the PayPal option on the district web site.

It is very important that everyone completes a lunch application annually. The Income for eligibility has increased this year so do not assume you will not quality.

The lack of applicates that qualify greatly impact the school’s ability to operate these programs. They also generate E-rate funding for our technology department, Title Funds and Grant funding for the community as well as our schools.

Lunch applications will be available during registration. They can also be found on the district web site, through the Food Service Department or at any building.

Lunch prices for the 2018-19 school year will be $2.50 (K-6); $2.70 (7-12). Reduced meal prices will remain at .40. Lunch prices are determined by a formula provided by the state department.