Under Act 127, state of Vermont is utilizing a new Household Income Form (HIF), which will allow the district to access federal and state education dollars to will help support important programming across CVSD. Please complete the form by using this link.

Smart Snacks in School
USDA’s “All Foods Sold in Schools” Standards

Printable pdf

USDA has established practical, science-based nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold to children at school during the school day. The standards allow schools to offer healthier snack foods to children, while limiting junk food. The health of today’s school environment continues to improve. Students across the country are now offered healthier school lunches with more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The Smart Snacks in School standards build on those healthy advancements and ensure that kids are only offered tasty and nutritious foods during the school day. Smart Snacks in School also supports efforts by school food service staff, school administrators, teachers, parents and the school community, all working hard to instill healthy habits in students.

Nutrition Standards for Foods 

• Any food sold in schools must:
  • Be a “whole grain-rich” grain product; or
  • Have as the first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food; or
  • Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable
• Foods must also meet several nutrient requirements: • Calorie limits:
  • Snack items: ≤ 200 calories
  • Entrée items: ≤ 350 calories
• Sodium limits:
  • Snack items: ≤ 200 mg
  • Entrée items: ≤ 480 mg
• Fat limits:
  • Total fat: ≤35% of calories
  • Saturated fat: < 10% of calories
  • Trans fat: zero grams
• Sugar limit:
  • ≤ 35% of weight from total sugars in foods

Nutrition Standards for Beverages

• All schools may sell:
  • Plain water (with or without carbonation)
  • Unflavored low fat milk
  • Unflavored or flavored fat free milk and milk alternatives permitted by NSLP/SBP
  • 100% fruit or vegetable juice and
  • 100% fruit or vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without carbonation), and no added sweeteners. ●
• Elementary schools may sell up to 8-ounce portions, while middle schools and high schools may sell up to 12-ounce portions of milk and juice. There is no portion size limit for plain water. ●
• Beyond this, the standards allow additional “no calorie” and “lower calorie” beverage options for high school students.
  • No more than 20-ounce portions of
  • Calorie-free, flavored water (with or without carbonation); and
  • Other flavored and/or carbonated beverages that are labeled to contain < 5 calories per 8 fluid ounces or ≤ 10 calories per 20 fluid ounces.
  • No more than 12-ounce portions of
  • Beverages with ≤ 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces, or ≤ 60 calories per 12 fluid ounces.

Other Requirements

• Fundraisers
  • The sale of food items that meet nutrition requirements at fundraisers are not limited in any way under the standards.
  • The standards do not apply during non-school hours, on weekends and at off-campus fundraising events.
  • The standards provide a special exemption for infrequent fundraisers that do not meet the nutrition standards. State agencies determine the frequency with which fundraising activities take place that allow the sale of food and beverage items that do not meet the nutrition standards. 
• Accompaniments
  • Accompaniments such as cream cheese, salad dressing and butter must be included in the nutrient profile as part of the food item sold.
  • This helps control the amount of calories, fat, sugar and sodium added to foods by accompaniments, which can be significant.

It is the policy of the Champlain Valley School District to recognize any financial operational deficits in food service operations in the year which they occur. The Fiscal Services staff is instructed to make appropriate transfers from the general fund at the close of the fiscal year to cover deficits within the authority of the school board, and not roll said deficits forward to subsequent years.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

Individuals and groups are never discouraged from submitting a complaint of discrimination. Complaints may be written or verbal. Complaints may be anonymous.
The USDA instructs program participants to send complaints of discrimination directly to the USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR). The complainant must file within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The superintendent or appointed designee is responsible for implementing the Civil Rights Complaint Procedure. The complainant can file on their own directly with the USDA or report the complaint to the School Food Authority (SFA) or sponsor.

The contact information is found on the “And Justice for All” nondiscrimination posters which are prominently displayed in all required areas.

 1. All complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), or disability will be forwarded to the USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights immediately.

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442
email: Program.Intake@usda.gov

Complaints should be put into writing, by the complainant, using the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at:
https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint.
The complaint form is available in a number of languages on the same website as the translated nondiscrimination statements, in the column titled “AD-3027 Complaint Form” found online at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cr/fns-nondiscrimination-statement.

2. In the event that a complainant makes the allegations verbally or in person and refuses or is not inclined to place such allegations in writing, the person to whom the allegations are made must record the details of the complaint for the complainant. Every effort will be made to have the complainant provide the following information:
a) Name and contact information for the complainant.
b) The date(s) during which the alleged discriminatory actions occurred or, if continuing, the duration of such actions.
c) The specific location and name of the entity delivering the service or benefit.
d) The nature of the incident or action that led the complainant to feel that discrimination was a factor.
e) The basis on which the complainant feels discrimination exists within any of the protected classes.
f) The names, titles, and business addresses of persons who may have knowledge of the discriminatory action.

3. If the USDA determines that a civil rights compliant warrants an investigation, it will occur based on established FNS policy and procedures, and then finalized into a report. They will investigate the complaint and this is the sole responsibility of the USDA.

4. In addition to submitting the complaint to the USDA, the SFA will keep a Civil Rights Complaint Log on site. Maintaining confidentiality is crucial. As much information as possible will be documented, including:
- Name and contact information of complainant
- Description of incident including date, time, location, and persons present
- Relevant Protected Base(s)
- Name of organization and individuals alleged to have engaged in discrimination
- Date of referral to USDA
- The findings of any investigation conducted
- Description of the final disposition of the complaint including any corrective action planned or taken

5. The SFA will also notify Child Nutrition Programs at Vermont Agency of Education of any complaints of discrimination. The State Agency maintains the information in a confidential database with limited access. Child Nutrition Programs does not investigate complaints of discrimination, but ensures complaints are received by the USDA and will cooperate in the tracking, processing, and resolving of complaints of discrimination.

6. The Vermont Agency of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, marital status, sex, disability, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. Complaints alleging discrimination related to the Vermont Agency of Education protected bases of religion or martial/civil union status, will be sent to Emily Simmons, General Counsel, at emily.simmons@vermont.gov or (802)-828-1518.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.