Charlotte Davis, RD, LD, SNS
Child Nutrition Director
Searcy Public Schools
Searcy, AR
Searcy Public Schools
 Located in Searcy, AR, population 23,000, north-
central part of state
 6 schools (one 9-12 high school, one 7-8 junior high
school, one 4-6 middle school, and three K-3
elementary schools) with meal preparation on-site in
all 6.
 District enrollment of 4200
Searcy Public Schools (Cont’d)
 50% of students qualify for free/reduced price meals
 Child Nutrition Program staff of 36 full-time
employees (7-7.5 hours/day)and 5 part-time
employees (3-4 hours/day). Majority of contracts are
183 days (178 school days + 5 additional).
 NSLP & “Severe Need” SBP in all schools (some “grab
& go” and “second chance”)
 FFVP grant in one elementary school
START with a Food Safety Plan
 Child Nutrition Programs MUST have a Food Safety
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Plan in place
Not just a “book on the shelf”—CRITICAL!
Utilize resources such as NFSMI’s Standard Operating
Procedures (http://sop.nfsmi.org)to help complete
your plan; these are based on guidelines from
USDA/FDA
“Customize” S.O.P.’s for your program
Check with your State Agency for additional
recommended food safety resources for YOUR state
Examples of SOP’s
 Personal Hygiene
 Washing Hands
 Cooking Potentially Hazardous Foods (now sometimes
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referred to as “Time & Temperature Controlled for
Safety Food”, or TTFS food)
Cooling Potentially Hazardous Foods
Holding Hot & Cold Potentially Hazardous Foods
Preventing Cross-Contamination During Storage and
Preparation
Receiving Deliveries
Examples of Food Safety
Tools/Forms
 Food Safety Checklist (also available on NFSMI
website with SOP’s)
1. Use as a monitoring tool at LEAST monthly
2. Use “as needed” when potential problems are noted
3. Assign to EACH employee at some point
 Temperature Logs for Potentially Hazardous
Foods (Buy Adequate Thermometers!)
1. Document cooking/holding temps consistently
2. Document cook temps for ALL pans of each item
Tools/Forms (Continued)
 Temperature Logs for Refrigerators/Freezers
1. Customize to each kitchen situation
2. Required for USDA Commodity Storage areas
 Daily Work Schedules that include food safety
responsibilities (e.g. documenting food temperatures)
 Manager & Employee Job Descriptions and
Evaluation Forms
1. Include/list food safety responsibilities
2. Break out into specific tasks for each position
TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN!!!!
 Begin during recruitment/hiring process (be sure to
note differences from retail food establishments if
previous food service work experience)
 Include food safety in (at least) ANNUAL training of
all Child Nutrition employees. Use skits/roleplaying/games/case studies to keep it interesting
 Don’t forget to train SUBSTITUTES!
TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN (Cont’d)
 Include food safety topics in regular manager meetings, (at
least Q & A time) along with work safety issues/discussion
of accidents, etc.
 Attend State Agency’s Child Nutrition Directors
conferences/training for updates
 Send managers/assistant managers to State Agency
training when offered
 DOCUMENT all training provided/received with
date/topics covered
MONITOR—Just Do It!
 Food Safety Checklists—set schedule for completion
and check to be sure they are done
 Complete manager and employee evaluations at
least ANNUALLY, with formal plan for improvement as
needed for food safety performance issues
 Maintain CONSTANT communication with Child
Nutrition Program managers/employees regarding
potential food safety issues
TAKE HOME MESSAGES
 Food safety must be a very high, if not the highest priority for
your program. CREATE A “SECURE CLIMATE” in which
managers/employees feel free to ask questions or voice concerns.
 TRAIN REPEATEDLY regarding Food Safety. The employees
usually won’t do what they haven’t been taught….
 Remember that it takes EVERY PERSON working in your Child
Nutrition Program to help assure that all of the food served is
safe, from the time he/she walks in the door until the time to go
home--tell employees how VALUABLE they are to the food safety
process!
QUESTIONS?