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About Us...
The Child Nutrition program at Region 17 is a service provided to all school districts throughout the region and is designed to provide information, technical assistance, and support for program compliance, nutrition and management. Assistance is available through workshops, training sessions, and direct on-site contact with child nutrition program personnel and administrators. A major function is the safe, efficient, and effective operation of the school/child nutrition program. 
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WELCOME

Child Nutrition is administered through the Texas Department of Agriculture. The Texas Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Division administers 12 federal child and special nutrition programs for the State of Texas. TDA supports providers of nutrition assistance by helping ensure accountability and the efficient use of taxpayer dollars to nourish Texans in need. These nutrition programs exemplify "eating right" for Texans of every age and background and help them build a bridge to success. TDA resources are available online at www.squaremeals.org.

The Child Nutrition program at Region 17 is a service provided to all school districts throughout the region and is designed to provide information, technical assistance, and support for program compliance, nutrition and management. Assistance is available through workshops, training sessions, and direct on-site contact with child nutrition program personnel and administrators. A major function is the safe, efficient, and effective operation of the school/child nutrition program.

In addition, districts are offered the opportunity to participate in the multi-regional West Texas Food Service Cooperative.  WTFSC operates two components, food purchasing and commodity processing, that assist participating members to administer fiscally sound food service operation while providing appealing, nutritious meals. 
NSLP Square Meals

Region 17 Child Nutrition Team

Tricia Hays

Tricia Hays, Coordinator

Child Nutrition Specialist
NSLP/SBP
806-281-5835
thays@esc17.net
Katherine Artho
Katherine Artho

Child Nutrition Specialist
NSLP/SBP
806-281-5809
kartho@esc17.net
Tarrah Moreno
Tarrah Moreno

Child Nutrition Specialist
CACFP & SFSP
806-281-5811
tamoreno@esc17.net

IMPORTANT DATES AND TRAININGS

Click the arrows to browse the upcoming deadlines and trainings being offered each month.
Click the links below each training title to be directed to the registration page and to view more detailed information. 

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ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

About the Review

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, as amended by the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, requires the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to conduct an Administrative Review (AR) of School Nutrition Programs (SNP). TDA conducts Administrative Reviews (ARs) on a four-year cycle. As a new federal requirement, the AR is designed to conduct specified parts of the review off-site and others on-site. TDA will evaluate compliance with the following program requirements in the Critical and General Areas of Review which include: Meal Access and Reimbursement, Meal Pattern & Nutritional Quality, Resource Management, General Program Compliance and the operation of any other applicable SNP federal programs.

CE Staff involved in the operation of SNP will be heavily involved the review process (off-site and on-site) to respond to questions and provide documentation regarding the operation of SNP. The AR begins approximately 12 weeks prior to TDA doing an on-site review of program operations with the off-site portion of the review. The review is risk based, gathering information and documentation samples during the off-site review and then conducting a more targeted review on-site. CE Staff will be asked to utilize the Texas Unified Nutrition Programs System (TX-UNPS) when providing written responses to questions and uploading requested documentation.

Administrative Review Resources

 
2023-2024 Region 17 Administrative Reviews

 

Brownfield ISD
Dawson ISD (Welch)
Garza County RJC
Morton ISD
                                                                                                 

New Deal ISD
O'Donnell ISD
Post ISD
Seminole ISD

 

 

Shallowater ISD

Slaton ISD

Springlake-Earth CISD

Spur ISD

  
 
Important Note: The Administrative Review schedule is subject to change. Click here to view the most recent schedule on the Square Meals website. 

PROCUREMENT REVIEWS

Procurement Review

TDA will conduct the Procurement Review as part of the Administrative Review.

2023-2024 Region 17 Procurement Reviews

 

Brownfield ISD
Dawson ISD (Welch)
Garza County RJC
Morton ISD                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

New Deal ISD
O'Donnell ISD
Post ISD           
Seminole ISD
                                                                                                                                               
 Shallowater ISD                                                  Slaton ISD                                                         Springlake-Earth CISD                                           Spur ISD                                                       
Important Note: The Procurement Review schedule is subject to change. Click here to view the most recent schedule on the Square Meals website. 

CYCLE MENU TOOLKIT

2023-24 Cycle Menu Toolkit Now Available
The Cycle Menu Toolkit was developed to assist Contracting Entities (CE) using the meal patterns and nutrition standards prescribed in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 in providing Texas school children with nutritionally-balanced school meals. These school breakfast and lunch meals were designed using a variety of menu items intended to be tasty, student-friendly, colorful, and with consideration given to ease of preparation and production.

The complete toolkit includes PreK-12 Breakfast Menus and a Lunch Menu for PreK, K-8 and 9-12, corresponding food production records, and recipes. Click each folder to the right for printable versions of each component of the toolkit. Requests for additional information can be submitted to Tricia Hays at thays@esc17.net.
SY 2023-24 Cycle Menu Toolkit

NSLP NEWSLETTER

Other newsletters and past versions of the TDA NSLP newsletter are available on Square Meals. 

To subscribe to the Region 17 ESC Child Nutrition mailing list, please email Tricia Hays at thays@esc17.net. 

IMPORTANT LINKS

CHILD NUTRITION RESOURCES

FOOD SAFETY RESOURCES

Check this page for food safety training information and resources.

 

Food Safety Training

HACCP Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Thank you for visiting the Region 17 Child Nutrition website.  Everyone plays a role in teaching children the 3E's of Healthy Living — Education, Exercise and Eating Right.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.