Teacher Information: Elementary

Nutrislice (Our menus!)

To see daily menu descriptions, filter common food allergens, translate the menu into another language, create a menu PDF to print, view carb counts and calories, and much more, go to https://kalamazoopublicschools.nutrislice.com/. Elementary schools will have 2 main entrees to choose from each day. Choice 1 will be an assortment of kid favorites such as mac n cheese, breakfast for lunch, and pizza with a few new concepts sprinkled in to encourage adventurous eating. Choice 2 will be a “fun lunch” that changes daily. One of the two options is vegetarianism.

REMEMBER: STUDENTS CAN GET 1 FREE BREAKFAST AND 1 FREE LUNCH. FOR THE MEALS TO BE FREE, THE STUDENT MUST TAKE A COMPLETE MEAL BASED ON THE USDA MEAL PATTERN GUIDELINES.

Click here for Examples of Complete Meals

Breakfast In The Classroom

Teacher Responsibilities

What is a Reimbursable Breakfast?

The teacher is responsible for monitoring that each student chooses a “reimbursable” breakfast. A reimbursable breakfast must include 3 “items” and 1 of those items must be 1⁄2 cup of fruit. Other “items” include 1oz protein, 1oz whole grain, and 8oz milk. Some items are 2 ounces and therefore count as 2 items. A full reimbursable breakfast will be available in each bag (1/2 cup of fruit and 2 other items). A variety of milk and an additional 1⁄2 cup of fruit will also be available options to students along with the breakfast bag. These additional items must be offered, but students do not have to take them.

Only breakfasts that meet the 3-item minimum (breakfast bags include the required 3 items) will be counted and reimbursed through the School Breakfast Program.
Incomplete meals will not be allowed.
- Single items like milk or fruit alone do not qualify.
If there is not enough of a certain item for the number of students wanting breakfast, contact your Food Service staff immediately.

Counting Reimbursable Meals

Breakfast meals are provided for all students in the classroom
Use provided Meal Count Sheet and put a slash through each number as students receive their meal, to ensure an accurate total.
*Best Practice: Keep breakfast bags just outside of the door or next to the teachers desk so as students grab a breakfast bag the teacher can claim meals to ensure reimbursable meals are being counted as meals are being taken. Meals should only be counted at point of sale (as students take them). Meals should not be counted, for example, after students are eating at their desks.

Leftover Food

Any student may decline to participate in the School Breakfast Program.
All leftover food items that were not served to students (including fruit/juice/milk and bagged breakfasts) must be set outside the classroom and food service will pick them up.
Share Table: After breakfasts are served, students may place items onto a share table if the teacher allows.
If you observe an on-going excessive waste issue in the school/classroom, please contact the Food Service staff.

How To Count A Reimbursable Meal

Meal Count Sheets are provided by the Food Service staff.
Teacher should put a slash mark through each number as each student takes a reimbursable meal (at least a breakfast bag)
Meal Count Sheets need to be completed and returned daily with the leftover food.
Meal Count Sheets should be completed based on how many reimbursable meals served. They should not be completed by using a classroom's daily attendance.

Head Start/ECSE/PEEP

Extra Meals

If you have received more meals than the number of students participating in a meal service, please send the extra meals back to your kitchen or with your next delivery if you are at an off-site location. Keeping extra meals is very much against the state and federal regulations and results in a loss of funding to our department and possible citations.

We appreciate your help and cooperation with this. Meals in the classroom can be challenging because of the shared responsibility and the logistics, which can contribute to increased risk of non-compliance and food waste. At this time, this is the best procedure in-place to ensure that our students have access to a balanced breakfast. If you would like further information or training on the SBP, please do not hesitate to reach out to KPS Food Services. Thank you for working together with us on this!

Special Dietary Needs

Allergy/special meal accommodations/preferences are available for students with an approved Diet Accommodation Form on file. Please see our Food Allergies page for the forms and more information.
IMPORTANT: Please contact Kirsten Strong or your school nurse if you have a student needing a modified diet. Please do not ask the on-site food service staff to make menu changes. All menu modifications for special diet requests must be verified first.
- Step 1: Turn in a completed Diet Accommodation Form to Kirsten or the school nurse. Do not give these forms to on-site food service staff. Please see our Food Allergies page for the forms and more information.
- Step 2: If needed, Kirsten will make a modified menu for this student.
- Step 3: Kirsten will communicate with the on-site food service supervisor the needs of the student, including sharing the menu (if needed) and a copy of the Diet Accommodation Form. If there is training needed to implement a modified menu, that will also take place at this time.
- Step 4: The on-site food service supervisor will let Kirsten know when they have all ingredients needed to implement the modified menu.
- Step 5: Kirsten will communicate with the school nurse that food service is ready to implement the menu. The school nurse will inform the students' family/guardians.

Adult price for lunch on the daily menu is $5 for lunch and $3 for breakfast. Staff can use their Meal Magic account to pay for meals. (see below)
Kitchen staff are not allowed to distribute free food to adults (teachers, activity helpers, custodians, principals, etc). This is a USDA law, and must be followed to maintain compliance.
Staff can manage their account including depositing funds, checking activity, and more.
If you do not have a staff account in Meal Magic, you can create one. Follow these instructions to create your account.
- Go to Meal Magic Family Portal site https://kalamazoo.mealmagic.cloud/
- Click on “My Account” and “I need to register as a FP user”
- Follow prompts to create account

Meal Magic Family Portal

These features are available:

Parents can apply for free and reduced price meal benefits
Please help to encourage parents to apply for free and reduced meal benefits.
- Although breakfast and lunch are free for all students, you are still strongly encouraged to apply for free or reduced price meals. This information is critical in determining the amount of money that our school receives from a variety of State and Federal Supplemental programs, including, but not limited to: Instructional supports, non-instructional services, professional learning for staff, parent and community engagement supplies and activities, and technology. Your family may also receive benefits outside of school such as reduced fees for activities, discounted internet service, and more.
Staff can manage their account including depositing funds, checking activity, and more. If you do not have a staff account in Meal Magic, you can create one. Follow these instructions to create your account.
- If you do not have a staff account in Meal Magic, please contact Matt Kusmack kusmackml@kalamazoopublicschools.net
- Go to Meal Magic Family Portal site https://kalamazoo.mealmagic.cloud/
- Click on “My Account” and “I need to register as a FP user”
- Follow prompts to create account

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KPS PreK & ELEMENTARY TEACHER INFORMATION FOR 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR