Food Program

Pao Thaopaot@csemn.orgFood Service Manager

Encouraging Students to Try New Fruits and Vegetables


The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is an important tool in our efforts to combat childhood obesity. The program has been successful in introducing elementary school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample. The various partnerships that FNS and state agencies have developed in the public and private sectors, as well as the dedicated work of school administrators, have contributed to the overall success and acceptance of the program. FFVP is consistent with and supports the Health and Medicine Division (HMD) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s recommendations to provide healthier snack choices in schools.


Community School of Excellence has received FFVP funds from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) to implement a fresh fruit and vegetable snack program for grades PreK-8th.


What does this mean?

This means that food service will be providing snacks of fresh fruit and vegetables for students before and/or after lunch.  These are not large helpings but small, snack sizes that are pre-packaged for students. We will be providing this 3-4 times a week due to the limited funds.  

Snacks will be delivered to the classrooms for grades Prek - 5 and will be provided at the "T" zone for Middle School. 


Will we deliver FFVP snacks every day? 

We will deliver FFVP snacks up to 5 days a week or as funding allows.  We will inform the teachers that if it is in the classroom to hand out.  If they don't have that day then they don't have.  We just don't have the funds to do it on a daily basis yet.  


Is FFVP available for 9th-12th graders? 

No we do not have the funds to provide for high school students. 


When is the FFVP program available? 

The program starts on Tuesday, November 1st to mid April 2023. Fruits and vegetables will be provided four days out of the week.


A separate FFVP menu will be available monthly.


_____     _____     _____     _____


Food Service Information

The goal of the Food Service Program at CSE is to provide students with healthy and nutritious meals that meet federal nutrition guidelines. Research shows that children who eat breakfast have an increased ability to learn, better academic performance and a decreased risk of being overweight.
A. BreakfastAt CSE, all school breakfasts will contain milk and/or fruit juice and a main dish that includes grains and/or a source of protein. CSE’s breakfast must meet current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and must provide at least 1/4 of a child’s daily requirement for calories, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C.
For the breakfast meal to be reimbursable to CSE, students must select the required portion size for their age group and required number of items as outlined by the federally regulated USDA breakfast program. School breakfast monitors must position themselves at the end of the food service line (the “point of service”) and must check each student’s food selections to ensure that each meal is properly reimbursable. This item check shall be performed before a student enters his/her PIN number into the Infinite Campus system, indicating that the meal is reimbursable.
All students that enter the building before 9:00 a.m. should go directly to their designated area for breakfast. CSE Cafeteria for grades K-3 and CSE Big Gym for grades 4-8.
ALL STUDENTS ARE OFFERED FREE BREAKFAST AT 8:30 A.M. Students who do not wish to take free breakfast should not go through the breakfast line and should take a seat in the cafeteria/gym until dismissal to class. Students will be dismissed to their homerooms by their breakfast supervisors. Classroom instruction begins promptly at 9:05 a.m. in the morning.Staff members are expected to assist with bus or breakfast duties or to be in the hallways by their classrooms to assist with student supervision during morning transition from breakfast to homeroom.
B. LunchALL STUDENTS ARE SERVED FREE LUNCH. Students who do not wish to take free lunch should not go through the lunch line and should take a seat in the cafeteria until dismissal to class. Teachers are expected to give bathroom breaks and supervise hand washing prior to lining up students for lunch. Middle School students may go to lunch on their own at their designated tie by their teachers. Teachers must escort students from recess back to the classroom in a timely manner so instructional time is not lost. Teachers who have recess duty will eat with their students. Students cannot bring additional snacks including chips, candies, pop, etc. to the school, their classroom, the lunchroom or to recess.
If your child has additional dietary restrictions due to medical reasons or allergies please contact the school health provider so we can consider and alternative menu for your student. This request must be accompanied by a doctor’s note listing acceptable food recommendations.
C. Student MealsStaff may NOT offer or give food other than school food to any student. Staff cannot take any student away from campus to buy a different breakfast or lunch. Food cannot be taken out of the cafeteria unless prior approval has been made with staff/administration.
D. Snacks—After School ProgramSnacks will be handed out and monitored by the cafeteria supervisors in the After School Program. Students will go to pick up snacks in the cafeteria and enter their PIN number into Infinite Campus. Students who do not want to eat snacks will not come into the cafeteria prior to the After School Program. Students who do not want to eat snack will go directly to their after school activity or enrichment class. They may not take snacks into the hall or home on the bus. Snacks will be served in the After School Program only.

Application for Education Benefits:  Word Doc  |  PDF

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

JPG  |  PDF

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.