Do vending machines have to
be relocated or removed from the school?
No, the policy does not address vending machines or other methods of service
and does not require that schools
remove or relocate vending machines. If vending
machines are located in an area that is accessible to students
they may be
re-stocked with more nutritious items, such as water, juice or sports drinks
that are not prohibited
by the policy.
May students bring prohibited
FMNV from home? This policy does not address a student bringing such items to school
as long as the student is not selling, or
providing the items to other
students. However, the school is encouraged to prohibit this by local
policy.
Does this policy cover sales
or give away by teachers, school organizations or other individuals? Yes, in elementary schools the policy prohibits the sale or give
away of prohibited food and beverages by anyone
or any organization,
anywhere on school premises during the school day. Middle school campuses
may not serve
or provide access to FMNV anywhere on school premises
during meal periods.
If meals are prepared for student
field trips, may FMNV be provided on the bus?
No, during a field trip the bus becomes an extension of the school and FMNV
may not be made available.
Does this policy include sports
drinks, tea, or other similar beverages?
No, the policy only covers prohibited carbonated beverages. Sports drinks,
bottled waters, and tea are not
carbonated and therefore not covered by the
policy.
What would be the restriction
in a K-12 school?
Access to FMNVs for students in grades K-6 would have to be prohibited all
times anywhere on schools premises.
Access to FMNVs for students in grades
6-8 would have to be prohibited during meal periods anywhere on school
premises.
The school should have a written policy and all students must be informed of
the policy.
What would be the restriction
in a 7-9th grade school? The FMNV policy for middle school
would apply to this
campus (7-9th grade) since the most of the
students are in the 7-8 grade range. Therefore the students may
not have
access to FMNVs anywhere on campus during meal periods.
May soft drink machines be available
for student use on certain days of the week, or certain times of
the
day, at teacher discretion, for reward purposes WITH PARENTAL
PERMISSION?
No, parental permission or teacher discretion does not relieve the school from
compliance with the FMNV policy.
May the school nurse give out
cough drops to individual students?
Yes, if the school nurse determines that cough drops are necessary on a case
by case basis.
What is the definition of "school
day"?
The school day would be from the start of the first breakfast period until
the end of the last class period of the day
(last bell). School activities,
athletic functions, etc. that occur after the normal school day are not covered
by the
amended FMNV policy.
What is the current FMNV policy
for high schools?
The current policy for high schools has not changed. Therefore, FMNV may not
be available in the foodservice areas
during meal periods. Foodservice area
is defined as any area where Child Nutrition Program meals (breakfast, lunch
and snacks) are either served or consumed.
We can’t find candy
products to sell in our vending machines that meet the 1.5 ounce
portion
requirement. Manufacturers are resizing their products,
but they will not be available by the beginning
of school. What
candy products can we sell in the vending machines in our high
schools and junior
high/middle schools? As a result of extensive analysis
and consultation with the medical and nutrition communities, TDA
believes that the
appropriate size and weight for candy bars and
packaged candy is 1.5 ounces. We have received positive feedback
from major candy and snack food manufacturers who are working on
resizing and reformulating their product lines to
be more nutritious
and to comply with the Texas policy. However, some currently sold
products will not be resized
and available by August 1, 2004.
To give schools additional flexibility and because of these manufacturers’ cooperative
efforts, TDA will allow a
phase-in period of up to one year to implement the candy bar and packaged candy portion size
requirement for candy sold in vending machines. Schools should comply
with the nutrition policy’s portion size
requirement as soon
as possible, but they may phase in the smaller (1.5 ounce) portion
size candy as it becomes
available. However, all schools must comply
with this portion size requirement by the beginning of the 2005-06
school year.
Who may sell water and
juice to students during the school day? The
intent of the policy is to encourage the availability of plain
bottled water and 100 percent fruit and vegetable
juice at any
time anywhere on campus. There is no portion size or serving time
restriction on non-carbonated,
unflavored, bottled water at any
school level. There is no restriction on serving time and location
for 100 percent
fruit and vegetable juice; however, the portion
size is limited to 12 ounces. It is permissible for the school
food
service, school or school-supported
organizations to sell plain bottled water and 12-ounce (or smaller)
100 percent
fruit and vegetable juices in vending machines or through
other means throughout the school day on all campuses.
My district provides a snack to elementary students at a minimum cost.
Does the policy now require me
to provide that same snack at no
cost? The policy provision allowing a nutritious snack in elementary classrooms
should not be interpreted as a requirement
for schools to provide
a free snack for students. The provision was intended only to allow
a nutrition break for younger
students. If the teacher, parents or
other groups provide the snack there should be no charge. If the
school food
service provides the snacks we encourage them to be at
no cost to the students, but a small fee to cover costs is
permissible
Non-Discrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly. In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call 800-795-3272 or 202-720-6382 (TTY). Pearland ISD is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
