Welcome to Food Services
Welcome to Wayne Central Food Services
At Wayne Central, we understand that healthy eating fuels student success—in the classroom and in life. That’s why our Food Services team is committed to providing meals that are nutritious, balanced, and enjoyable every day.
Our mission: To nourish students for a brighter, healthier future—one meal at a time.
Free Meals for All Students
We’re excited to share that every student will receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day during the 2025–2026 school year.
Wayne Central participates in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast program and utilizes the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
This program ensures all students have access to healthy meals—at no cost to families.
Please Note: Extra items such as snacks, drinks, or additional entrées are not free and can be purchased separately.
What’s in a School Meal?
Our meals are designed to meet federal and state nutrition standards through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program, administered by the USDA.
Breakfast includes:
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Grains or protein
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Fruits
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Milk
→ To qualify as a complete (free) meal, students must take at least 3 items, including ½ cup of fruit.
Lunch includes:
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Meat or meat alternatives
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Grains
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Vegetables
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Fruits
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Milk
→ Students must choose at least 3 components, including ½ cup of fruit or vegetables, to qualify as a complete meal.
Nutrition You Can Count On
Wayne Central meals meet strict USDA guidelines, including:
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Age-appropriate calorie limits
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Larger servings of fruits and vegetables (many are fresh)
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A variety of vegetables (dark green, red/orange, and legumes)
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More whole grains
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Lower sodium
Contact Us
Together, we’re nourishing students for a brighter future. If you have any questions or specific dietary needs, we’re here to help!
Any questions, please call the Food Service office at 315-524-7060 or 315-524-1041.
Food Service Information
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- Food Service Main Office
Anna Flynn, Director of Food Services
315-524-1041
- James A Beneway High School
Traci Schouten, Cook Manager
315-524-1067
- TCA Armstrong Middle School
Amanda Stryker, Cook Manager
315-524-1094
- Wayne Elementary
Sharon Oddi, Cook Manager
315-524-1133
- Wayne Primary
Karl Rosenzweig, Cook Manager
315-524-1155
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Meal Modifications
The Wayne Central School District is committed to ensuring all students, including those with disabilities or medically documented dietary needs, have access to safe, nutritious meals that support their health and well-being.
In accordance with Federal regulations—including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and USDA Child Nutrition Program guidelines—the District will provide reasonable dietary accommodations as needed.
Requesting Special Meals
To request meal accommodations, parents or guardians must:
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Submit a written request for special meals to the school nurse or Food Service Director;
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Provide a medical certification signed by a licensed physician (M.D. or D.O.).
Medical Certification Requirements
The physician’s statement must include the following:
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A description of the child's disability;
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An explanation of how the disability restricts the child's diet;
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The major life activity affected by the disability (e.g., breathing, digestion, immune response);
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The food(s) to be omitted from the child’s diet;
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The food(s) or substitutions that must be provided.
Medical documentation must be kept on file with the school nurse and food service department. If the child's needs change, updated documentation must be submitted.
Meal Modifications for Non-Disabling Conditions
For dietary preferences or medical conditions that do not meet the definition of a disability under federal law (e.g., lactose intolerance, vegetarianism), the school will make reasonable efforts to accommodate requests but is not required to provide modified meals unless supported by medical documentation that classifies the condition as a disability.
Important Notes
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All special meal requests must be coordinated through the school nurse or the Food Services Coordinator.
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Modifications will begin once all required documentation has been reviewed and approved.
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Meals will be prepared in accordance with USDA guidelines and the child’s medical needs.
For more information or to start the process of requesting a special meal, please contact:
Anna Flynn, Director of Food Service
315-524-1041
aflynn@waynecsd.org
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Wayne Central School District is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children's health, well-being and the ability to learn by fostering healthy eating and physical activity before, during, and after the school day.
The District has established a wellness committee that meets at least four times per year to establish goals for, and oversee the development of, the district's local wellness policy. The Committee will make policy recommendations for review and adoption by the Board. The District Wellness Committee includes, but is not limited to, representatives from each of the following groups:
a) Parents and caregivers;
b) Students;
c) Physical Education teachers;
d) School health professionals;
e) District food service program;
f) School Board;
g) School administrators;
h) General Education teachers; and
i) Members of the public.
The District Wellness Committee will also be responsible for assessing current activities, programs, and policies available in the District, and providing mechanisms for implementation, evaluation, and revision of this policy. In so doing, the Wellness Committee will evaluate and make recommendations which reflect the specific needs of the District and its students.
If you are interested in joining the District wide Wellness committee please contact the Director of Physical Education:
Anthony Carusone, Director of Physical Education
315-524-1060
acarusone@waynecsd.org
Files
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MEAL CHARGING AND PROHIBITION AGAINST MEAL SHAMING
It is the District's goal to provide students with access to nutritious no- or low-cost meals each school day and to ensure that a student whose parent/guardian has unpaid meal charges is not shamed or treated differently than a student whose parent/guardian does not have unpaid meal charges.
Unpaid meal charges place a large financial burden on the District. The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with federal requirements for the USDA Child Nutrition Program and to provide oversight and accountability for the collection of outstanding student meal balances to ensure that the student is not stigmatized, distressed, or embarrassed.
The intent of this policy is to establish procedures to address unpaid meal charges throughout the District in a way that does not stigmatize, distress, or embarrass students. The provisions of this policy pertain to regular priced reimbursable school breakfast, lunch and snack meals only. Charging of items outside of the reimbursable meals (a la carte items, adult meals, etc.) is expressly prohibited.
Access to Meals
Free meal benefit eligible students will be allowed to receive a free breakfast and lunch meal of their choice each day. A la carte items or other similar items must be paid/prepaid.
Reduced meal benefit eligible students will be allowed to receive a breakfast of their choice for $0.00 and lunch of their choice for $0.00 each day. A la carte items or other similar items must be paid/prepaid.
Full pay students will pay for meals at the District's published paid meal rate each day. The charge meals offered to students will be reimbursable meals available to all students, unless the student's parent or guardian has specifically provided written permission to the District to withhold a meal. A la carte items or other similar items must be paid/prepaid.
Ongoing Staff Training
Staff will be trained annually and throughout the year as needed on the procedures for managing meal charges using the State Education Department (SED) Webinar or the District's training program.
Staff training will include ongoing eligibility certification for free or reduced price meals.
Parent Notification
Parents/guardians will be notified that a student's meal card or account balance is exhausted and has accrued unpaid meal charges within 5 (five) days of the charge and then every week thereafter.
Parent Outreach
Staff will communicate with parents/guardians with five or more unpaid meal charges to determine eligibility for free or reduced price meals.
Staff will make two documented attempts to reach out to parents/guardians to complete a meal application in addition to the application and instructions provided in the school enrollment packet.
Staff will contact the parent/guardian to offer assistance with completion of meal application to determine if there are other issues within the household causing the student to have insufficient funds, offering any other assistance that is appropriate.
Minimizing Student Distress
Staff will not publicly identify or stigmatize any student in line for a meal or discuss any outstanding meal debt in the presence of any other students.
Students with unpaid meal charges will not be required to wear a wristband or handstamp, or to do chores or other work to pay for meals.
Staff will not throw away a meal after it has been served because of the student's inability to pay for the meal or because of previous unpaid meal charges.
Staff will not take any action directed at a student to collect unpaid meal charges.
Staff will deal directly with parents/guardians regarding unpaid meal charges.
Ongoing Eligibility Certification
Staff will conduct direct certification through the New York Student Identification System (NYSSIS) or using SED Roster Upload to maximize free eligibility. NYSED provides updated direct certification data monthly.
Staff will provide parents/guardians with free and reduced price application and instructions at the beginning of each school year in the school enrollment packet.
If the District uses an electronic meal application, it will provide an explanation of the process in the school enrollment packet and instructions on how to request a paper application at no cost.
The District will provide at least two additional free and reduced price applications throughout the school year to families identified as owing meal charges.
The District will use its administrative prerogative to complete an application on a student's behalf judiciously, and only after using exhaustive efforts to obtain a completed application from the student's parent/guardian. The District will complete the application using only available information on family size and income that falls within approvable guidelines.
The District will coordinate with the foster, homeless, migrant, and runaway coordinators to certify eligible students. School liaisons required for homeless, foster and migrant students will coordinate with the nutrition department to make sure these students receive free school meals, in accordance with federal law.
Prepaid Accounts
Students/Parents/Guardians may pay for meals in advance via www.myschoolbucks.com or with a check payable to Wayne Central School Lunch Fund. Further details are available on the District's webpage at www.waynecsd.org. Funds should be maintained in accounts to minimize the possibility that a student may be without meal money on any given day. Any remaining funds for a particular student will be carried over to the next school year.
To obtain a refund for a withdrawn or graduating student, a written or e-mailed request for a refund of any money remaining in the student's account must be submitted. Students who are graduating at the end of the year will be given the option to transfer any remaining money to a sibling's account through a written request.
Unclaimed funds must be requested within one school year. Unclaimed funds will then become the property of the District Food Service Program.
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Guidelines for Food in School
Classroom Celebrations / Shared Snacks
We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all of the children at our school. There are many children in our district that have life-threatening food allergies. In an effort to protect these students we are asking that all foods brought into school, to be shared with students, be store bought. Please be sure to include the product ingredient label. This will allow staff members to review prior to serving the snacks to our children. We appreciate your cooperation in this new policy.
For more detailed information regarding this policy, please refer to the link below.
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Summer Food Service Sites
FREE MEALS for Kids & Teens!
School’s Out !
Power UP for Summer Fun !
Did you know there are free activities and
meals available in your community for
your kids and teens this summer?
Find a site near you!
Call: 1-866-348-6479
Visit: www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks
Text: “Summer Meals” to 97779
No cost or enrollment required.
Open to all children under 18.
U.S. Department of Agriculture | Food and Nutrition Service | FNS-490 | January 2018
USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
United States Department of Agriculture
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Non-Discrimination Statement:
This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and US Department of Agriculture (USDA), civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 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 Englis. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communicationsto obtain program informatiom (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Langueage), should contact the responsible statre or local agency that administers teh 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 P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, From any USDA office, bycalling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complaintants name, address, tepephone number, and a written description or the alleged discriminatory action in suffcient detail tp inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date or an alleged civil right 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 of Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
programintake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.