SWR School District 2026 lunch program directives

Students who hop on the cafeteria line at Shoreham-Wading River schools this year will have the opportunity to grab a free meal, as long as there are at least three items on their plate. 

Shoreham-Wading River Central School District cafeterias will be required to provide a complete meal to any student who asks for one under the state’s universal free school meals program starting this year. The state program follows the National School Lunch Program as a criteria for nutrition at meal time in schools. 

The national program has an established list of dietary specifications for calories, sodium and saturated fat, and meal pattern requirements for the program’s five meal components. The list details the minimum daily intake for fruits, vegetables, grains, meats or meat alternatives, and milk for K-12 age groups. 

A complete meal, at a minimum, consists of three components or items based on federal regulations. Students who take just an item or two at the cafeteria would not meet the quota for reimbursement under the NSLP and would have to be charged at an individual cost for those items, assistant superintendent of finance and operations Glen Arcuri said. 

“So, the food service staff is going to be a little pushy for students to take a complete meal because if they don’t get them to take a complete meal, we are unable to file a claim for reimbursement for that meal,” Mr. Arcuri said. “It is important to note your student might actually come home and say ‘I’m taking stuff that I’m not eating.’”

Sara Paolino, director of food service for the district, added that cafeteria staff will help direct students to a complete meal so they avoid the charge for a la carte items.

In years past, the district has allowed families’ Nutrikids accounts to go negative because the district wanted to feed kids if they didn’t have lunch, but would not allow a la carte items to be purchased to the point of a negative balance. This year, the ability to go into the negative has been disabled, as all students are entitled to a free complete meal. 

Since this is the district’s first year participating in the program, Mr. Arcuri said it will be audited for its compliance with the national program’s criteria. “We are [making] certain that they see we are cognizant that we are not going to be in the National School Lunch Program, but still deliver our original program which exceeded a lot of the national school lunch requirements,” he said. 

Families who feel they are eligible to receive free and reduced meals should complete an application to help the district define its ratio for federal reimbursement of free and reduced meals supplied, Mr. Arcuri said. As of Aug. 26, more than 190 families have applied. 

Parents can access the application at swrschools.org/school-lunch-program. Once completed, that application can be returned to the district at 250B Route 25A, Shoreham. For help with the application, call 631-821-8120.

The district will be reimbursed at the state-reimbursement level for the remaining number of students who grab a reduced or free meal at school. 

“It’s important as a base year to have our free and reduced count as high as it possibly can be,” Mr. Arcuri said. “If you’re unsure [whether you are eligible], complete the free and reduced application for us.”

Parents throughout the district have been sent letters regarding the lunch changes this year, Mr. Arcuri said. 

He added that parents have been confused why they’re being asked to fill out the application, but he said it is important for the district to establish its base rate for reimbursement for the program. Oct. 1 would be an “ideal” deadline for families to submit their application, Mr. Arcuri said. However, families will be able to fill out an application at any time during the year.

Fundraising efforts during school hours should also be compliant with the NSLP guidelines, Mr. Arcuri said. After school fundraisers would not have to follow the same stringent guidelines.

For more information on the district’s lunch program, contact the district at 631-821-8100.