Reasonable Modification:

Any meal modifications must be documented by a physician's prescription or registered dietitian indicating the dietary restriction and the specific accommodations required.

To protect students with severe allergies and to promote a safe and healthy environment, food sharing will not be permitted. Please know that this policy does not restrict the food you send with your child for their personal consumption during mealtimes. As always, the health and well- being of our students remain our highest priority. 
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact: Katherine Lynch, School Food Service Director at katherine.lynch@ouboces.org I 845-291 -0100 ext. I0642 

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) aim to provide all participating children, regardless of background, with the nutritious meals they need to be healthy. This includes ensuring children with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the NSLP and SBP.

Federal regulations require schools and institutions to serve meals at no extra charge to those children whose disability restricts their diet in such a way that they cannot fully participate in the food service program without some modification to the foods offered or the scheduled menu. If you believe your child needs substitutions because of a disability, please get in touch with us for further information. You must request meal modifications from the school and provide the school with a medical statement from a State licensed healthcare professional (including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, or a registered dietitian). This medical statement must contain but is not limited to the following: 

• Information about the child's physical or mental impairment that is sufficient to allow the school to understand how it restricts the child's diet,
• An explanation of what must be done to accommodate the child's special dietary need,
• The food or foods to be omitted and recommended alternatives, in the case of a modified meal

Orange-Ulster BOCES will be implementing a meal certification option available to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs for 2026-2027 school year.

What does this mean for your child(ren) attending the school(s) identified above?

All students enrolled at Orange Ulster BOCES locations at: Amy Bull Crist Center, Including Communities, Main Street, Marlboro, Pine Island Elementary, and Regional Education Center are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge to your household each day of the 2026-2027 school year. No further action is required of you. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at 845-291-0100 ext 10642. 

Students in grades 1-5 at Middlehope and Pine Island Elementary Schools have been awarded a grant to take part in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2025-26 school year. Primary School students in grades 1- 5 have received a grant to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2026-2027 school year.

The goals of this grant program are to:

• Create healthier school environments by offering healthy choices.
• Expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience.
• Increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Make a difference in children's diets to impact their current and future health

Beginning the week of Sept. 15, students in grades 1-5 will be offered a fresh fruit or vegetable to try twice weekly. FFVP snacks will generally be served outside your child's regularly scheduled lunch time.

Participating classrooms will be provided with supplemental nutrition education material to increase students' knowledge of the health benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. The FFVP is an excellent way to supplement other wellness programs in our schools that promote health, nutrition, and physical activity.

You can support your student's efforts to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption in many ways. For example:

• Take your student grocery shopping. Let your student select a new fruit or veggie to try.
• Give your student options! Let your student choose which veggie to serve at dinner.
• Keep fruits and vegetables where your student can see them, such as on the counter.
• Take your student to a local farmers' market and discover fruits and vegetables in season.
• Be a role model! Let your child see you regularly eating fruits and veggies.

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/ad-3027.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: 

• Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
• Fax: 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
• Email: program.intake@usda.gov

 This institution is an equal opportunity provider.