Child Nutrition Annual Checklist

March - April

Submit request for breakfast exemption. (Approval based on supporting documentation.) See the Breakfast Exemption Memo on the Child Nutrition Knowledge Center (CNKC)².

• July 1

July  -August

Conduct the 1^st Direct Certification Matching Process (DCMP). For further information, refer to the CNKC.

• August 31

May - August

If contracting with a Food Service Management Company (FSMC), submit fully executed food service management company contracts or extensions for approval for the upcoming school year. Use the appropriate checklist and Power Point training to ensure that required documents are submitted.

• Prior to the beginning of the school year

April - August

Complete the required Annual Renewal on the Child Nutrition Management System (CNMS)³.

*If the start date of your program(s) is changing from September to July or August, submit a letter on your SFA’s letterhead explaining the educational nature of the program(s) being offered. This cannot be done on-line through the renewal process.

• Prior to LEAs start date each year

September

Mandatory reporting of SNAP and Medicaid eligible students on CNMS.

• September: prior to or with the September claim

September

• September 30

September - October

Submit Health Inspection Report (for the previous school year) on CNMS.

Indicate the number of health inspections received by each school/site within the LEA, even if none were received (enter zero for none received).

Please ensure that all buildings operating under your SFA’s jurisdiction are in compliance with the New York State Sanitary Code for Food Service Establishments which can be accessed at: https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/indoors/food_safety/regs.htm

• October 15

June - October

FNS-874 for SFAs selected to conduct an independent review of applications required by the Healthy Hunger–Free Kids Act 2010.

• November 15

October - December

Submit the FNS-742 Verification Collection Report (Attachment G of the Income Verification Booklet) on CNMS.

• December 15

January - February

Submit the A-133 audit to the Office of Audit Services (OAS).  www.oms.nysed.gov/oas/

• March

General deadline, follow OAS submission requirements

April

Submit a written request with accompanying documentation to SED if you want to participate in Provision 2.

• June 30

April

Submit application materials if applying for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), or submit an application if not at 100% free reimbursement in year 1 of the cycle.  CEP is an alternative for those SFAs and schools with at least 40% identified students as of April 1^st enrollment using DCMP.

• June 30

July - June

Professional Standards Training Requirement for State and Local School Nutrition Programs Personnel as Required by the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 - Final Rule.   For further information, refer to the CNKC.

Annually

June - August

Produce and distribute Public Announcement, including both the free and reduced price scale, to the Newspaper, One Stop Employment Center and large area employers contemplating layoffs.  Keep on file a copy of the Public Announcement, the date, and where it was sent.

Prior to LEAs start date each year

June - August

Notify the local Health Department with a list of sites and addresses that are serving meals within your SFA that two health inspections are required for participation in the NSLP/SBP. Keep a copy of this letter on file.

Please ensure that all buildings operating under your SFA’s jurisdiction are in compliance with the New York State Sanitary Code for Food Service Establishments which can be accessed at: https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/indoors/food_safety/regs.htm

At or near the beginning of the school year

June - September

Produce and distribute free and reduced price application and parent letter (include the reduced price scale only and the nondiscrimination statement).

SFAs cannot accept and process applications before the beginning of the federally defined School Year (July 1 through June 30). Year-round schools usually follow the July 1-June 30 school year, therefore, they would distribute notification letters in June.  SFAs should conduct DCMP prior to processing applications, to reduce the burden of paperwork for both the SFA and families. This process certifies eligible children for free meals/milk without families needing to complete an application.

At or near the beginning of the school year

July - September

Establish eligibility for students based on the previous year application through the first 30 operating days, or until families submit a new application. Approve applications as they are received from families, and establish a master list of students with current benefits.

The master list should indicate student eligibility status and method of determining the status [i.e. DCMP, categorically eligible, application].

First 30 operating days of school

July - September

Establish a parent/student/staff food service advisory board (mandatory for schools using FSMCs).

At or near the beginning of the school year

Year-round

Conduct the 1st Afterschool Snack Program Review. For further information, refer to the CNKC.

During the first 4 weeks that the program is in operation

July - October

Change benefits to the paid category for all students who do not have a current year application on file. Update the master list as students submit new applications and they are accurately approved.

31^st operating day of your LEAs school year

September

Annually review and update Food Safety Plans as required.

At or near the beginning of the school year

October

Complete Civil Rights training and retain the Civil Rights Power Point presentation and record of the annual training which includes a sign-in sheet, the date, location, and who provided the training. The power point is available on the CNKC.

This is a requirement for all staff, including front line cafeteria staff who deals directly with program applicants and participants.

At or near the beginning of the school year

October

Begin the verification process by counting the total number of current free/reduced applications on file as of October 1st and selecting a sample pool of those applications to be verified.  Refer to the Income Verification Booklet for instructions. Do not include eligibility carryover from the previous year in the sample pool on October 1st.

October 1

October - November

As required for the verification process, the SFA must make at least one follow-up attempt to contact the household when the household does not adequately respond to the request for verification. The follow-up attempt may be in writing (including to the parent’s/guardian’s email) or by telephone, and the SFA must document that a contact was attempted.

October - November

October - November

Direct verification (optional) is using records from public agencies to verify income and/or program participation. Direct verification may be completed at the local level.  Schedule time accordingly for this process.  If the child(ren) is not verified by public agency records, the SFA must proceed with regular verification activities. See the Income Verification Booklet for further information.

November 5

October - November

Notify families of the result of income verification and if program benefits are being decreased. Notification (10 calendar day advanced notice) must be in writing. (Provide time for the appeals process.)

Prior to November 15

October - November

Complete the verification process.  Make necessary changes to benefits (including applications, master lists and notification of necessary site staff) as a result of verification. Summarize verification efforts.

November 15

October - November

Conduct the 2nd DCMP.  For further information, refer to the CNKC.

November 30

October - January

Begin annual self-review in SFAs with multiple sites. Conduct a self review summary in each building, for both the breakfast program and the lunch program, scheduling follow up reviews within 45 days for any sites with critical problems. Complete and keep records on file. See the CNKC website for the annual self-review memo and review form.

February 1

January - February

Conduct the 3rd DCMP.  For further information, refer to the CNKC.

February 28

January - June

Conduct the 2nd Afterschool Snack Program Review. For further information, refer to the CNKC website.

Prior to the end of the Afterschool Snack Program operations

January - June

Register for Managing Professional Cooking and Professional Cooking Workshops. For further information, refer to the CNKC.

On-going until spaces are filled

February - March

Provision 2 extension requests should be made in writing to SED.

Before the end of the school year

March - April

Determine eligibility for the CEP based on April 1st enrollment using DCMP, if considering applying for the following school year.

April 1

April - the end of the school year

Review your SFA’s paid lunch revenue to assure compliance with the Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) requirement.  Refer to the PLE tool on the CNKC.

Prior to new school year

April

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) awarded SFAs should begin preparation for the coming school year. Operation of the FFVP must begin by the second week that school is in session.

June 30