About School Meals

Refunds from student meal accounts are granted upon request. The parent/guardian must complete a Parent Refund form and email to foodservices@pausd.org or mail to the district office Attention: Food Service.

Due to the required audit documentation, please allow 4-5 weeks for refunds to be completed.

• All students will be allowed to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each day. No student will be allowed to receive second meals.

Elementary Schools

Students who want school meals go to the MP room to pick up their breakfasts and lunches at morning recess and lunch time, respectively.

Secondary Schools

Students go to the cafeterias to select their choice of food items during brunch or lunch hours. They need to enter their student ID number. Please contact Food Services or your school office for your student’s ID number.

Here are some fun facts about school breakfast:

• It’s easy! Instead of running around in the morning trying to make sure your children eat a healthy meal, let us do the work. They can get a great breakfast at school, and there will be no dishes for you to wash!
   
• It’s tasty! Schools now have more variety to choose from when deciding what to offer your children for breakfast. Request a menu so you can view what your child may be eating at school.
   
• It’s good for the brain! Research suggests that not having breakfast can affect children’s intellectual performance (CDC).

The USDA regulations based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2012 recommends that school meals be healthier and more nutritious.

Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has been making similar changes to its menus for several years. Many of PAUSD's menu items are now made with healthier ingredients, such as whole grains. PAUSD is also reducing the sodium and saturated fat in its recipes.

Under the new regulations, students will be offered foods from five food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, and dairy). They must take at least 3 of the 5 menu items, and they must always take at least half a cup of a fruit or vegetable.

PAUSD encourages parents to talk to their children about the USDA ChooseMyPlate. This is a visual guide that helps people build healthier meals. Visit the USDA ChooseMyPlate website for more information.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for overseeing the Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) nationally. In California, the federal CNPs are administered by the California Department of Education (CDE). This includes federal policy guidance pertaining to meal modifications to accommodate a participant’s disabilities, as well as options to accommodate special dietary needs.

The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) states that physical or mental impairments do not need to be life-threatening to constitute a disability. For example, a food allergy does not need to cause anaphylaxis in order to be considered a disability. Furthermore, a non-life-threatening allergy may be considered a disability and require a meal modification, if it impacts a major bodily function or other major life activity. A child’s impairment also may be considered a disability, even if medication or other mitigating measures reduce the impact of the impairment.

In addition, Nutrition Services has the option to accommodate children with special dietary needs, even if they do not rise to the level of a disability. This includes those accommodations related to religious or moral convictions or simply a personal preference.

Medical Statement for Children with Special Dietary Needs

Each special dietary request must be supported by a statement explaining the requested food substitution and must be signed by a recognized medical authority. The Medical Statement must include:

• An identification of the medical or other special dietary condition which restricts the child's diet;
• The food or foods to be omitted from the child's diet; and
• The food or choice of foods to be substituted.

If we do not receive a medical statement from a recognized medical authority, your child will receive a regular lunch. Medical statements completed by parents or guardians will not be accepted.

Medical Statement to Request Special Meals And/Or Accommodations

Site Monitoring

A Site Monitoring Review (CDE Form SNP-25b for SSO) is completed at all sites that are serving meals. This review must be completed, at a minimum, during the first week of operation. The completed review form is kept on file. The Site Monitoring Review may be a desk audit but an in person audit is preferred.

A pre-operative review will be conducted by Food Services one week prior to a site opening to make sure all cold and hot food storage equipment is in operating order, equipment temperature logs are onsite, and Justice for All Posters are posted at the meal service location. The Food Services Leads will make sure the site has the menu, menu production records, and tally forms.

Staff training is conducted throughout the year that align with the Professional Standards requirement to include, but not limited to, production records, meal components, what constitutes a reimbursable meal, MCCP / Integrity Plan and food safety.