Food Safety and Sanitation

Decatur Township Child Nutrition has long prioritized student safety by adhering to stringent cleaning and sanitation standards. We take additional steps to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Our goal is to continue providing high-quality meals, while maximally reducing the risk of transmission of disease. We aim to provide a safe environment and adequate time for students to enjoy meals. Some of the additional steps we have taken are outlined below.

Back of House

ServSafe Certification

The Child Nutrition Department requires that the Director, Assistant Director, Site Supervisors, Managers and Assistant Managers maintain a current ServSafe Certification. This certification requires the successful completion of the standards set forth for the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Examination, which is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) - Conference for Food Protection (CFP). Certificates will be displayed in kitchen offices.

Handwashing

We will follow usual Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, or HACCP, policy with great diligence. This policy requires employees wash hands:

  • Before starting work
  • Before putting on gloves
  • Between prep areas
  • After touching face/body/hair
  • After handling raw meat/poultry/fish
  • After eating
  • After using the restroom
  • After sneezing/coughing
  • After sweeping/mopping/wiping counters
  • After handling trash
  • After handling money
  • Anytime the hands may become contaminated. 

Additionally, employees will wash hands:

  • Upon leaving the kitchen area
  • After removal of gloves
  • After touching something with bare hands that has been handled by coworkers or students
  • Before putting on a face covering, and after adjusting or removing it. 

Hand sanitizer will be used when hand washing is not accessible. 
 

Personal Protective Equipment
Glove Use

Gloves are an added level of protection when used in addition to frequent handwashing.

Sanitation

In addition to HACCP protocols, extra measures will be taken to ensure the kitchen, serving area, and cafeteria are safe. Current procedures require staff to clean surfaces every 2 hours, or when visibly dirty, with detergent or soap and water, followed by disinfectant.  Additionally, as time allows and between each meal period or group of students, high-touch surfaces in the serving area and all surfaces in the seating areas will be cleaned and sanitized. This includes cafeteria tables.
 

Front of House

Food Safety 

Food Service employees are held to a high standard of safety and cleanliness when handling food. We will maintain these standards, and add additional safety measures.

 

Food

Child Nutrition will continue to provide nutrient dense breakfast and lunch in the safest manner possible. Breakfast will continue in the classroom at the elementary and middle school level. Breakfast will be available in the cafeteria at the high school level. Lunch will be served in the cafeteria at all grade levels.

 

Water Access
  • During lunch, water fountains or water drink stations are available to all students in the cafeteria, per USDA guidelines.
  • Students are encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottle.

 

Hand Washing

Students and staff are encouraged to thoroughly wash hands and/or sanitize hands before entering the cafeteria and upon leaving the cafeteria.

 

Lunch Procedures
Elementary
  • Students should enter the cafeteria by class and wait their turn in line while keeping an appropriate distance. Floor markings may be used to help with line order.
  • Kitchen staff and building staff will collaborate with students in the serving line.
  • Custodial staff will clean and sanitize tables after each use.
Secondary
  • Lunch periods and times are set forth by the High School Principal. Students are assigned their lunch blocks during registration.
  • Students may enter the serving lines and are expected to keep a reasonable distance from others while making their selections. Courtesy and respect should be shown to others while waiting in line.
  • Kitchen staff and building staff will collaborate with students in the serving line.
  • Custodial staff will clean and sanitize tables after each use.
     
Payment
  • Cash transactions should be limited. Kitchen staff handling money (managers and cashiers) will not handle food before washing hands and changing gloves.
  • Secondary students may use PIN Pads. Elementary and Secondary students may be issued ID cards with name and lunch number. Designated kitchen staff (cashiers) will scan the ID cards to complete transactions.