Nutrition

All schools in the Sayville UFSD will follow School Food Authority policies when communicating about school meal services, eligibility, options and changes in operations. All communications will be provided through a variety of communication methods including website, social media, emails, robocalls, newsletters, and regular mail and translated into the languages spoken by families.

Families will be reminded in food service communications during the summer and periodically that they can submit a new application for free and reduced-price meals any time during the school year. Applications are available in each school building, on our website and through email or regular mail as needed. Phone in and in-person support to complete the application is available from our Food Service Director.

School meals will continue to be available to all students, including those attending school in-person and those learning remotely.

The Food Service Department will ensure compliance with Child Nutrition Program requirements.

Meals Onsite

For students onsite, meals will be provided while maintaining appropriate social distancing between students. Students do not need to wear face coverings when seated and eating so long as they are appropriately socially distanced.

The district will ensure social distancing between individuals while eating in the school cafeteria. If not feasible, meals may be served in alternate areas (e.g., classrooms) or in staggered meal periods to ensure social distancing and proper cleaning and disinfection between students.

The sharing of food and beverages (e.g., buffet style meals, snacks) is prohibited, unless individuals are members of the same household. Adequate space will be reserved for students, faculty, and staff to observe social distancing while eating meals.

The District will provide breakfast and lunch offerings in all K-12 District facilities. All school kitchens will be appropriately cleaned and sanitized in accordance with Food & Nutrition Guidelines. All food service workers will be provided with proper PPE supplies such as masks, face shield, gloves, aprons, etc… . Hand sanitizer and sanitizer wipes will be provided staff to frequently clean touched surfaces throughout the school day.

In the Elementary Schools, breakfast and lunch offerings will be served in student classrooms as an alternate location.

In the Secondary Schools, breakfast and lunch offerings will continue to be served in the designated cafeterias.

The preparation of all meals will be completed in the kitchens of each cafeteria. Meals, whether breakfast or lunch, will be individually packaged in the kitchens by our food service staff. All staff will adhere to the existing safe food handling practices currently in place. The Food Service Director and conjunction with Lead Food Service workers will ensure all food supplies are maintained in accordance with Department of Health requirements for proper food temperatures.

Standardized meals will be provided according to age groups and will consist of all five required nutrition components: milk, fruit or juice, vegetable, grain and meat/meat alternative.

Elementary Breakfast and Lunch

At the start of the school day, faculty will record the total number of students, per class, wishing purchasing school lunch on any given day. A food service worker will visit each classroom space for the collection of orders.

Elementary lunches will be served on food carts and brought to each classroom at the scheduled times. Prior to receiving meals, students will be instructed by staff to clean their hands. This can be accomplished by using soap and water at a hand washing station (sink), hand sanitizer or sanitizer wipes located in each classroom. Signage will be posted detailing hygiene practices to follow.

Students will eat lunch at their desks. For instructional purposes, classrooms have already been set up to observe the 6’ social distancing guidelines. If a student or staff needs to move around the area/room, masks should be worn.

After meal times are complete, all trash will be removed from the classrooms in an orderly fashion observing social distancing, and placed in common area containers which will be located conveniently in hallways.

Staff will again instruct students to clean their hands using the same procedures and protocols as outlined above prior to eating.

Secondary Breakfast and Lunch

Secondary (Middle School and High School) lunches will be served in the existing building cafeterias.

Prior to entering lunch rooms supervising staff will instruct students to clean their hands. This can be accomplished by using soap and water at a hand washing station (sink), hand sanitizer or sanitizer wipes located in convenient areas. Signage will be posted in the cafeterias detailing hygiene practices to be followed.

Students moving through the lunch line must wear a mask and observe 6’ social distancing. The District will have markings on the floor to assist students and staff with distancing requirements and direction, flow and movement of individuals.

Students will sit at tables, a minimum of 6’ apart, while eating their meal(s). After eating, students will collect their own garbage/debris and place it in the appropriate containers which will be located in the cafeterias.

Staff will again instruct students to clean their hands using the same procedures and protocols as outlined above prior to eating.

After each scheduled lunch period at the secondary schools, the custodial staff will provide a general cleaning to floors, and a thorough sanitizing of all table tops, chairs and frequently touched surfaces throughout the cafeteria.

Meals offsite/remote

Students that are home and/or offsite engaged in distance learning will be entitled to purchase and pick-up a Grab-N-Go meal at Sayville High School as the designated school. Parents/Guardians and students will be provided with standardized meal selections, and pick-up times, on the District website.

When arriving at the school, at the designated pick-up point, all individuals must be wearing masks and observe all social distancing requirements.