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Lunch and Breakfast Menu for All Schools |
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INFINITE CAMPUS
Infinite Campus is a secure, online student data system that allows parents/guardians instant access to accurate, current, and confidential information about lunch balances, students’ grades, schedules, assignments, and more. It also allows you to send on-line payments directly to your students’ school lunch account by credit card, debit card, and/or e-check.
ABOUT THE NUTRITION DEPARTMENT
Welcome to the Central DeWitt Community School District’s Nutrition Department!
About our Program
We serve approximately 39,749 Breakfasts and 230,337 Lunches every year. That is 270,086 meals that fuel our students for their school year. Our goal is to support student learning with a healthy and pleasant mealtime. Our Nutrition Services website has tons of information about our menus, nutrition education and even some fun and games regarding healthy foods and activities.
Program Costs
Commodities meet approximately one-fifth of the total food costs for School Nutrition Services. The remaining costs are covered by reimbursements from USDA and from income generated from ala carte sales and meal sales. Adult meals and visiting children meals are not subsidized and are sold at a price that covers all costs
School Meals
The Central DeWitt CSD creates its menus to be in compliance with new meal regulations set forth by the federal Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Lunches are planned to provide an average of one-third of the key nutrients and calories a child needs a day. Breakfasts are planned to provide one-quarter of the key nutrients and calories recommended daily for children.
The goal is to increase the amount of fruits, vegetables and whole grains on school menus while also ensuring age-appropriate calorie ranges – all designed to give students healthier eating options.
School lunches are made up of five components: a meat/meat alternate, bread/grain, fruit, vegetable and milk. Students are required to take three of these components including one that is a half-cup of fruit or vegetables for the meal to count as an approved “school lunch.”
School breakfasts are made up of four components: an entree (which counts as two components), a fruit and/or fruit juice and milk. Students are required to take three components for it to qualify as a “school breakfast,” one of which must be a fruit or fruit juice. Contact your school for the weekly breakfast menu or check it out on our Nutrislice Menu System or download the app on your phone or mobile device.
Skim chocolate milk and 1% white milk and skim white milk are offered daily. Side dishes are prepared with low fat ingredients to balance the fat offered in popular entree items. All purchased fruits are in light syrup or fruit juice when available. Desserts are offered once or twice a week.
Student Wellness
The Central DeWitt CSD promotes healthy students by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment. The district supports a healthy environment where students learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. Click here to see the district’s Student Wellness Policy.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding the Nutrition Department, please contact Dede Wagener, Nutrition Services Director, at dede.wagener@cd-csd.org or by phone at 563-659-4725.
More information on the Nutrition Program through the Iowa Department of Education can be found on this link, including: Food Safety, Nutrition Latest News, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, School Nutrition Standards, the Iowa School Breakfast Challenge, and much, much more.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946. Click on the link to learn more.
Choose My Plate is a website by the United States Department of Agriculture full of information about Healthy Eating Tips, Physical Activity, Food Groups, and much more. Click here for ChooseMyPlate.gov
SPECIAL DIETS / ALLERGIES
Diet Modification Request Form: Required for students who have severe allergies or need food substitutions.
We have several students in our school district with a variety of food allergies, some of them life threatening. The most common severe allergies are those pertaining to peanuts/peanut butter, and tree nuts. To protect our students from experiencing severe food allergy reactions, we are requiring that parents no longer provide homemade treats for school snacks or events for students in grades preschool through 6th grade, beginning August 14th, 2014. (This will include Ekstrand as well as our Intermediate School.)
We will accept prepackaged foods only (except fresh fruits and vegetables) that contain a label that may be reviewed by school staff before snacks are distributed. A letter will be sent home if there is a student in your child’s classroom that has a specific allergy. This will tell you what foods we ask you to refrain from sending (in addition to not sending homemade foods).
This has been working well for parents and teachers, but most importantly, it is protecting our students. There are NO peanut or nut products served in the school prepared meals at Ekstrand and Central DeWitt Intermediate School. SunButter will be used in place of peanut butter.
Please see the Snack List with suggested snacks that meet the healthy kids guidelines. Included in that Snack List for Special Occasions is an order form that will provide parents with the opportunity, if desired, to take some of the hassle out of purchasing and sending treats to school by ordering safe snacks through our Nutrition Services Dept. These snacks will be available at a cost to the parent and will be delivered to your child’s classroom by the Nutrition Services staff. These snacks must be pre-ordered and paid for 1 week in advance.
The following website is an excellent resource for finding snacks that are peanut, tree nut, and egg free. It is very extensive and updated weekly to reflect new products on the market: https://snacksafely.com/safe-snack-guide
Middle and High Schools: Be aware that peanut butter and some nut products will still be available at the Middle and High Schools through the school lunch program and may also be present in foods prepared in Family Consumer Science and possibly other classes.
Click here for a list of Carbohydrate Content for various foods
A PARENT’S ROLE
The school day just got healthier thanks to changes to school meals. As a parent, you have the ability to help make the school meal changes a positive and exciting experience for your child. The new school meals have more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; low-fat milk; and less salty and fatty foods. School meals now do a better job of giving your kids the healthy foods they need. To learn more about how to play an important role in shaping your children’s eating habits click here.
Other resources for parents
Being a Role Model for School Wellness
Kid Friendly Veggies and Fruits
Be A Healthy Role Model for Children
Ten Tips to Choose a Great Plate
FUN & GAMES
Interactive Nutrition Games
https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/nutrition-age/children/kids-corner
Click here to learn 40 fun ways to be an Active Family
FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE MEALS
Students in all grade levels from pre-k through high school are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals (breakfast and lunch) in accordance with USDA guidelines.
Students also may be eligible if the family receives benefits from SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps).
Students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals may also be eligible to receive fee reductions or waivers for other services. Student fee waiver eligibility is based on how you qualify for free and reduced-price meals (or other eligibility factors). Fees will automatically be waived or reduced based on eligibility. There is not a separate form to complete.
To apply for the free and reduced-price meals program, you must:
- Complete and submit the Free & Reduced Meals Application located near the top of the Parent Information and Forms page of this website. Please complete only one form per family or household. Forms are also available at any school district office. For more help, please refer to the How to Apply/Application Instructions or the Information Letter/Frequently Asked Questions also located on the above link.
- Pay particular attention to the following:
Part 2 – List all children, name of school(s) attending and grade level(s). Where applicable, list the Food Stamp Case Number or FIP Number.
Part 3 – List everyone living in the household (including those not in school) and their age, complete Gross income (income before taxes) for everyone in the household. Also include the last four digits of the social security number for the adult completing the application.
Part 4 – Be sure to print the name of the adult completing the form, include a complete address and sign the form.
All forms must be completed in full to be considered for eligibility.
Your application cannot be processed without the above information.
- Deliver your completed application to any Central DeWitt CSD office or send by mail to:
Food and Nutrition Services
Central DeWitt Community School District
P.O. Box 110
DeWitt, Iowa 52742
A new application must be completed each and every school year unless you receive Direct Certification from DHS. Applications may be submitted at any time during the school year if income changes.
If you have other questions or need more information regarding Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications, please contact the food and nutrition services department at 563-659-4725. For fee waiver questions, contact the Business Manager at 563-659-4704.
PAYMENT GUIDELINES
The policy of the Central DeWitt Community School District is to offer breakfast and lunch to all students within the district. As a student’s account balance approaches a zero balance or becomes negative, the Negative Balance Procedures stated in Policy No. 710.4 will apply.
Parent Volunteers/Lunch Buddies/Watch Dogs
- These adults will be asked to pay cash as they come through the line. Please do not charge a meal to your child’s account.
Employees
- Employees may also establish meal accounts. If an employee chooses to charge a meal to their account the account balance should not fall below zero
Federal Civil Rights Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital Status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html. Or at any USDA office, or call (866)632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202)690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).
Iowa Nondiscrimination Statement
It is the policy of the Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition, Health and Transportation Services not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or religion in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code section 216.7and 216.9. If you have questions or grievances related to compliance with this policy by the Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition, Health and Transportation Services, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50319-1004; phone number 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; website: http://www.state.ia.us/government/crc/index.html