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Northfield Public Schools

Alert :

» COVID-19 Updates for Families | Click here for updates, archived messages, and helpful links
» 2020-2021 School Year Learning Model Guide: View our Striving Together document | (en Español)

  • Yogurt Parfaits
    Fruit and Yogurt Parfait
  • Green Beans
    Farm Fresh Green Beans
  • Students sampling smoothies
    Students sampling smoothies
  • Lunch Tray
    Lunch Tray with Fireside Apple, Whole Grain Chicken Sandwich, Farm Fresh Squash and Fresh Vegetables
  • Fruit and Veggie Bar
    Fruit and Veggie Bar
  • Students Eating Lunch Meal
    Students Eating Lunch Meal
  • Watermelon
    Farm Fresh Watermelon
  • Lunch Tray with Ferndale Farms Turkey Breast, Whole Grain Dinner Roll, Vegetables and "Super Food" Blueberries
  • Celebrating World Language Week- HS Lunch Tray with Bean or Chicken Burrito, mango salsa, guacamole and cinnamon spiced plantains.

Child Nutrition Services

Fueling Student Learning With Nutritious Food

Our mission is to provide quality nutritious meals that support the growth and development of our students to fuel their learning. Our cafeterias continue to meet challenging federal nutrition standards for school meals and snacks, ensuring that they are healthy and well balanced and include fresh, local foods.

For questions regarding payments, account balances or invoices, please contact Stephanie DeAdder at 507.663.0618 or Stephany Stromme at 507.645.3432. Please place calls to the kitchen managers before 10:30 a.m. or after 12:30 p.m.

Child Nutrition Services Staff

What’s Happening

Distance Learning Meals

Our free meal program has been extended through December 31, 2020, as provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. All students enrolled in the school district — regardless of the learning model — can receive free breakfast and lunch every day. It is possible that the program could end before December 31 if the funding is depleted. 

Even though all students will be receiving free meals during this time, it is essential that you complete the meal benefit application.  Families will return to paying full price for meals on January 1, 2021 (or earlier, if the funding is exhausted) if they do not qualify for free or reduced meals.

Please see menu section below for specific meal information at your child’s school.

Menus

FARM to school

We continue to grow our Farm-to-School initiative, with local products indicated by a MN logo on the menus.  We will be serving all-beef grass fed hot dogs from Thousand Hills and apples from Fireside Orchard.  We will also be working with The Good Acre to provide produce from several local farms such as Open Hands, Sogn Valley and Seed’s Farm.  All schools serve both hot and cold vegetables daily to offer a wide variety of choices.

 

Burrito Line – Discontinued until further notice due to Covid-19 restrictions

We will be offering a “Build Your Own Burrito” line at the high school on Tuesdays and the middle school on Wednesdays located in the salad bar line.  Students have the option of creating a whole grain, soft-shell burrito or a burrito bowl with a variety of fresh vegetable toppings.

Grill line – Due to COVID 19 Restrictions we will be Serving Items from this line directly to the students.

We will be offering a Raider Nation Grill’d Greats line daily at the high school and middle school. This line will allow students to choose an entree from a two week menu rotation and select a variety of fresh fruits and veggies to make a complete meal.

Natural Breakfast Cereal

Child Nutrition Services continues looking at ways to incorporate more foods with cleaner labels.  As part of this initiative many of our cereals and hot breakfast items will have no artificial colors and no artificial flavorings.

Smart Snacks

We continue to make annual changes to our snack and ala carte products to meet the USDA competitive foods final rule and the Healthier US School Challenge guidelines. We will continue to make changes to be in compliance with guidelines and to provide nutritional alternatives to supplement our main menu.

Apply for Free/Reduced Lunch

Free or reduced price meals are available for students whose family qualifies. The appropriate form must be completed each school year and submitted to Child Nutrition Services for review and approval. Applications are available online, at each principal’s office, each school kitchen and are mailed to each household in August. If an application is needed in a different language please contact Child Nutrition Services.

Minnesota Health Care Programs (Spanish form) also have free and low-cost health insurance for families who qualify.

  • Application Timeline

    Child Nutrition Services will review applications on a timely basis, however, it may take 7-10 days for an application to be reviewed.  A response will be sent to the parents/guardian by email.  Letters are also available on the Skyward Family Access account under the Food Service tab. Please save this letter as proof of benefits for other school programs.  If a letter is not available a WAIVER OF CONFIDENTIALITY FORM (Spanish form) will need to be completed before Child Nutrition Services can release your child’s meal eligibility status.  Benefits from the previous school year will be carried over until October 19, 2020. Applications may be completed at any time throughout the year, however, any family that has not reapplied by October 19 will be changed to full-priced meals until a new application is received to determine meal eligibility. Families receiving MFIP, Food Stamps or FDPIR and enrolled in Northfield Public Schools by June 15 for the following year will be directly certified by the State of Minnesota to receive free meals and may not need to complete an application. Payment will be required for any meals purchased prior to the approval of the application.

    In 2014, Minnesota was the second state to pass into law that all children who qualify for free or reduced priced meals will receive meals for free. Minnesota continues to lead with these efforts to eliminate childhood hunger and ensure that we provide children the food they need to be successful.

    Households qualifying for free and reduced price meals for the 2020-21 school year will continue to receive breakfast & lunch at no charge.  The bill referenced above also included the financial resources to provide all kindergartners with free breakfast regardless of their household eligibility.

  • Online & Print Applications
    Online Applications

    Families can now complete the educational benefits application online through Family Access. If you wish to complete your application online, you must first login to Family Access. After logging in, click the Food Service button located on the left side of the screen and select a child’s name. Click the applications tab and follow the prompts to complete the application.

    English –
    2020-21 Educational Benefits Application
    2020-21 Educational Benefits Application Instructions

    Spanish –
    2020-21 Educational Benefits Application
    2020-21 Educational Benefits Application Instructions

     

Payments & Pricing

Students and staff may purchase meals and food items by submitting a payment to their meal account or by making a payment at the time of service. New students and staff are assigned an individual meal account with a 4-digit personal identification number (PIN). Returning students use the same PIN as in the previous year.

For questions regarding payments, account balances or invoices, please contact Administrative Support Assistant Stephanie DeAdder, at 507.663.0618, or Child Nutrition Director Stephany Stromme, at 507.645.3432.

  • How to Pay/Negative Balance Procedures/Request Refunds

    Families may pay for meals using cash, check or our online payment systems. Checks may be made out to Northfield Public Schools and must include the student’s first and last name and personal identification number (PIN). All schools have payment envelopes and collection boxes placed in the Child Nutrition area for receipt of payments. Cash payments will be accepted in a sealed envelope with the student and parent’s first and last name, PIN, and the amount of payment written on the outside of the envelope. Payments may also be mailed to Northfield Public Schools, Child Nutrition Office, 1400 Division Street South, Northfield, MN 55057.

    Online Payment

    Payments using a debit/credit card or a checking account can be made online through Family Access.

    Family Access Payment Steps
    • Go to northfieldschools.org and click on Payments or click the button below. You can either login to Family Access to continue or apply for a Family Access account if you do not have one.
    • After you have logged into Family Access, you will need to click on the Food Service tab to the left of the screen.
    • This will bring up your child/children. Click “Make a Payment” (next to the child’s name),
    • Next click update payment amount for the student.
    • Enter the amount and click on update cart.
    • Complete these steps for each additional child or if your order is complete click the “Pay with Vendor” button located on the top right of current page.
    • Click “Go to check out” button.
    • Set up an account with RevTrak using your email address.
    • Continue to follow prompts to complete billing and payment information.
    • Now available with RevTrak is the auto replenish option.  Please remember to turn this option off at the end of the year if you do not want your account to automatically replenish your food service account.  This is especially important for seniors who will be graduating.

    Make a Payment

    Account Balance Statements

    Parents or guardians are responsible for monitoring their student’s meal account balances. Child Nutrition Services will make every reasonable effort to notify families of the need for a meal account payment. We utilize an automated school messenger system to contact families about low and negative balances using both phone calls and email notifications.

    Family Access will allow you to view meal account balances, payments and purchases. Statements will be made available upon request or can be printed using Family Access. To request a statement, parents, guardians and staff may contact the kitchen at each school or the district office. We will make every reasonable effort to contact you if your students account balance is running low or negative. Please review the following procedure for any questions that you may have concerning your students account balance.

    Negative Balance & NSF Procedure

    Refunds

    Balances remaining on accounts at the end of the school year will be automatically carried forward when school reopens. Balances follow students to their next building assignment.  Positive senior meal balances will be transferred to a younger siblings account or Angel funds account if no other siblings attend Northfield schools and a refund is not requested.  Refund requests must be submitted in writing by completing the refund request form. A check will be issued in the amount of the refund. No cash refunds will be made.

  • Meal Prices

    Our free meal program has been extended through December 31, 2020, as provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. All students enrolled in the school district — regardless of the learning model — can receive free breakfast and lunch every day. It is possible that the program could end before December 31 if the funding is depleted. 

    Even though all students will be receiving free meals during this time, it is essential that you complete the meal benefit application.  Families will return to paying full price for meals on January 1, 2021 (or earlier, if the funding is exhausted) if they do not qualify for free or reduced meals.  

    From September through December we will be operating under the summer food service program.  Meals will be portioned and served to students to limit contact.

    When we resume offer vs serve: Federal regulation requires that students be offered five food components comprising the lunch meal. Students may choose three, four or five lunch items based on their preferences. A student is required to include at least 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable as one of their components. Students will be offered four food components at breakfast and must choose at least three. Federal regulations require meals to be priced as a complete unit and students must pay the full price even if they did not choose the complete meal.

    Elementary Student Meal

    Main line, salad bar or pre-made salad and cold sandwich option are all priced the same.

    Breakfast Lunch Both
    Full Price $1.70 $2.65 $4.35
    Free/Reduced Free Free Free

     

    Secondary Student Meal

    Main line, salad bar line, sandwich line and grilled line meals are all priced the same.

    Breakfast Lunch Both
    Full Price $1.70 $2.80 $4.50
    Free/Reduced Free Free Free

     

    Staff / Adult / Visitor / Second Meal

    Parents, guardians and other family members may eat with students during their meal time. All visitors are required to sign in at the school office. Staff meals, visitor meals and second student meals are priced higher because Child Nutrition Services does not receive any federal or state reimbursement for those meals, as we do for a student’s first meal.

    Breakfast Lunch Both
    Full Price $2.20 $4.00 $6.20
  • Milk Prices & Milk Break Form

    Milk is included in the price of a breakfast and lunch meal. Students who take milk only or an extra milk at meals will be charged $0.50 per carton.

    Milk Break Program (Grades K-5)

    Students in grades K-5 may have the opportunity to drink milk during their morning or afternoon break. The cost for grades 1-5 is $0.50 per day and is deducted weekly from the student’s lunch account.  The classroom teacher determines if their class will participate in the milk break program on an annual basis.

    The milk break program is tracked daily with classroom checklists, and the milk for the week is charged to the student’s account the Monday following the prior week. For example if you see a charge for “3 milk breaks” on your student’s account, that indicates that your child participated in milk break on three days the prior week.

    This program is optional and not part of the educational meal benefits program. Each student who participates will be charged the same amount of $0.50.  Kindergarten students will pay a flat fee of $10 for the year unless they qualify for free or reduced priced meals; then there is no cost.

    Milk Break Form for school year 20-21 will be made available in August.
    English / Spanish

  • Snack Cart Pricing & Forms
    Due to Covid-19 we will not be providing the snack cart for the 2020-21 school year.  We look forward to providing this option again in the future.

    at all the elementary schools will have the opportunity to sign up to receive a healthy snack every school day for a total cost of $75 a year. It is a way to offer students and families the opportunity to select fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and other nutritionally sound choices for a minimal price to encourage students to make good eating decisions for optimal health. The program is completely optional for all families and is not part of the educational benefits application that provides school meal benefits to families who qualify.

    Due to Covid-19 we will not be providing the snack cart for the 2020-21 school year.

    Bridgewater: English / Spanish
    Greenvale Park: English / Spanish
    Sibley: English / Spanish

Menus and Mealtimes

Northfield Public Schools participates in the National School Breakfast and School Lunch Program. This program makes available a nutritious breakfast and lunch daily at a reasonable cost. One half pint of milk is included with every meal. Menus are planned using the USDA Menu Planning Guidelines.

 

 

  • Portage Menus

    Northfield Public Schools Child Nutrition Services will have breakfast and lunch available for curbside pick up every Wednesday for students learning in the Portage Program. These meals are intended only for K-12 students who are at home five days per week completing distance learning via Portage.

    Currently we are planning for ONE drive-thru pick-up location from 11:30AM – 12:30 PM on Wednesdays at Northfield High School.

    Every Friday we will email out a new pre-order form to be completed by 9 am the following Monday with your order. Orders will include 5 school days worth of lunches and 5 school days worth of breakfast.  Your form needs to be submitted by the date and time indicated on the form if you would like your child to receive meals.

    USDA waiver extensions allow breakfast and lunch meals to be served free through December 31, 2020 or until funding is exhausted.  Meals at Northfield Schools will be free to all enrolled students during this time.

    After December 31, 2020: Please note that if your family does NOT receive free or reduced-price meal benefits, your child’s meal account will be charged for each meal that is picked up. Meal prices for the 2020-21 school year are as follows:
    Elementary breakfast: $1.70 (kindergarten breakfast is free)
    Elementary lunch: $2.65
    Secondary breakfast: $1.70
    Secondary lunch: $2.80

     

    Fall Breakfast | Nutritional Information 
    September Lunch | Nutritional Information 

    Please Remember To Keep Hot and Cold Foods Safe.

    We ask that you follow these guidelines when picking up meals for distance learning days:

    *Consume hot foods within 2 hours.
    *Consume or refrigerate cold foods within 2 hours.
    *Foods for other days should be stored in the refrigerator or frozen until eaten or reheated.
    *If re-heating foods, ensure they are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
    *Discard all refrigerated foods after 7 days of receiving it.
    *Contact Stephany Stromme, Director of Child Nutrition Services, at sstromme@northfieldschools.org if you have questions regarding ingredients on a particular food item.

     

  • Elementary Menus
    Main Menus

    Fall Breakfast | Nutritional Information 
    September Lunch | Nutritional Information

    Alternate meal choices

    Students have the option to select the alternative meal lines if they do not like the featured meal on the menu. Pricing is the same as a mainline meal.

    Cold Sandwich:  Due to Covid 19 all sandwiches will be pre-made, individually packaged and provided as a complete meal.

    A cold sandwich meal is available including whole wheat turkey or whole wheat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. These meals include a fruit, a vegetable and a milk.

    Salad: Due to Covid 19 all salads will be pre-made and provided as a complete meal.

    The salad meal includes a fruit choice, a whole grain bread option and a milk.
    Salad of the Day:
    Monday: Grilled Chicken Caesar
    Tuesday: Chef
    Wednesday: Taco Salad
    Thursday: Crispy Chicken
    Friday: Mandarin Chicken

  • Middle School Menus
    Main Menus

    Fall Hybrid and Distance Learning Breakfast | Nutritional Information Hybrid Days ; Nutritional Information Distance Learning Days
    September Hybrid Lunch: In school learning days | Nutritional Information
    September Hybrid Lunch: Distance learning days | Nutritional Information

    Please Remember To Keep Hot and Cold Foods Safe.

    We ask that you follow these guidelines when picking up meals for distance learning days:

    *Consume hot foods within 2 hours.
    *Consume or refrigerate cold foods within 2 hours.
    *Foods for other days should be stored in the refrigerator or frozen until eaten or reheated.
    *If re-heating foods, ensure they are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
    *Discard all refrigerated foods after 7 days of receiving it.
    *Contact Stephany Stromme, Director of Child Nutrition Services, at sstromme@northfieldschools.org if you have questions regarding ingredients on a particular food item.

    Alternate meal choices

    Students have the option to select the alternative meal lines if they do not like the featured meal on the menu. Pricing is the same as a mainline meal.

    SANDWICHES “4 THE TAKING”:
    Cold Sandwich:  Due to Covid 19 all sandwiches will be pre-made, individually packaged and provided as a complete meal.

    A cold sandwich meal is available including whole wheat turkey or whole wheat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. These meals include a fruit, a vegetable and a milk.

    Sandwich of the Day: Not available at this time
    Monday: Gyro
    Tuesday: Crispy Chicken
    Wednesday: Italian Sub
    Thursday: Meatball
    Friday: BBQ Pork

    SALAD “ENRG XPRS”
    Salad: Due to Covid 19 all salads will be pre-made and provided as a complete meal.

    The salad meal includes a fruit choice, a whole grain bread option and a milk.
    Salad of the Day:
    Monday: Grilled Chicken Caesar
    Tuesday: Taco
    Wednesday: No in-school learning due to hybrid model
    Thursday: Grilled Chicken Caesar
    Friday: Taco

    “GRILL’D GREATS” – MENU

    fire-symbol

     

  • High School Menus
    Main Menus

    Fall Hybrid and Distance Learning Breakfast | Nutritional Information Hybrid Days ; Nutritional Information Distance Learning Days
    September Hybrid Lunch: In school learning days | Nutritional Information
    September Hybrid Lunch: Distance learning days | Nutritional Information 

    Please Remember To Keep Hot and Cold Foods Safe.

    We ask that you follow these guidelines when picking up meals for distance learning days:

    *Consume hot foods within 2 hours.
    *Consume or refrigerate cold foods within 2 hours.
    *Foods for other days should be stored in the refrigerator or frozen until eaten or reheated.
    *If re-heating foods, ensure they are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
    *Discard all refrigerated foods after 7 days of receiving it.
    *Contact Stephany Stromme, Director of Child Nutrition Services, at sstromme@northfieldschools.org if you have questions regarding ingredients on a particular food item.

    Alternate meal choices

    Students have the option to select the alternative meal lines if they do not like the featured meal on the menu. Pricing is the same as a mainline meal.

    COLD SANDWICH
    Due to Covid 19 all sandwiches will be pre-made, individually packaged and provided as a complete meal.

    A variety of pre-made whole grain sub sandwiches and whole grain wraps are available daily. The meal includes a fruit, a vegetable and a milk.

    SALAD
    Due to Covid 19 all salads will be pre-made and provided as a complete meal.

    The salad meal includes a fruit choice, a whole grain bread option and a milk.
    Salad of the Day:
    Monday: Grilled Chicken Caesar
    Tuesday: Taco
    Wednesday: No in-school learning due to hybrid model
    Thursday: Grilled Chicken Caesar
    Friday: Taco

    GRILL’D GREATS – MENU

    fire-symbol

     

  • Meal Times

    Meal times may vary.  Most of the cafeterias operate on a continuous serve basis during the entire meal period. Lunch times change every PLC Wednesday, starting 30 minutes later.

    School Breakfast Lunch
    ALC/Longfellow _________________ 12:05 p.m.-12:35 p.m./11:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
    Bridgewater 7:50 a.m. – 8:20 a.m. 11:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
    Sibley 7:55 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. 11:00 a.m. – 1:05 p.m.
    Greenvale 7:45 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. 11:10 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
    Northfield Middle School 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m. M,T,Th,F:10:46 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.; W: 11:09 a.m. – 12:59 p.m.
    Northfield High School 7:30 a.m. – 7:51 a.m. Flex Period M,T,Th,F: 11:11 a.m. – 12:11 p.m.; W: 11:43 a.m. – 12:33 p.m.

    After school: 2:45 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.

     

  • Food Allergies & Special Dietary Needs

    Child Nutrition Services may honor dietary restrictions due to allergies or intolerances with the proper documentation from a medical authority on file. The form for allergies and other special dietary needs is available below. For students with a lactose intolerance, a lactose reduced milk product will be provided at no extra charge on the written request of the parent or physician. Please contact your school nurse or the Child Nutrition Director if you have questions.

    Special Dietary Needs Form

    Lactose Intolerance Request Form

Wellness Policy

In 2017, Northfield Public Schools developed a wellness policy based on guidelines of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The policy includes changes that will apply or have already been applied to food served by Child Nutrition Services. It also includes food used in classrooms for rewards and celebrations and food sold by organizations for fundraisers during the school day.

Wellness Policy

Wellness Resources

Find ideas below for alternative, non-food options for school-day activities, plus snack suggestions and more.

Catering Requests

Child Nutrition Services offers a variety of catering options for events during the school year. We are a great choice to provide breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack for any size group at a reasonable cost. Please fill out a catering services request form and contact the kitchen manager with questions.

Catering Brochure

Health Inspection Reports