Training Requirements for School Food Authority Staff

The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU) has adopted the following training standards, through guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service's Professional Standards for School Nutrition Program Professionals, for it's School Nutrition Program (SNP) Director and staff who support the SNP:

All program directors hired on or after July 1, 2015 must meet minimum hiring standards based on the School Food Authority's (SFA) student enrollment. Hire date is the date the SFA employee began the role of director, which may be later than the date this individual was originally hired by the SFA. The hire date for the Food Service Management Company (FSMC) director is the date that the FSMC employs a food service director who meets the SFA's minimum hiring standards for education and experience, including these specifications in contract language. New directors must also complete eight (8) hours of food safety training within 30 days after their hire date if they did not complete food safety training within the prior five (5) years. Food safety training must be renewed every five (5) years thereafter.

All directors (whether employed by the SFA or the FSMC) must accrue annual training hours to meet professional standards. Eight (8) hours of food safety training must be completed at least every five (5) years as part of their annual training. Food safety training hours completed to meet hiring standards do not count toward annual training hours during the first year as director. Acceptable food safety training hours can be obtained through the following sources:

* ServSafe - https://www.servsafe.com/ServSafe-Manager (may involve a fee)
* Food Safety in Schools through The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) -  https://theicn.docebosaas.com/learn/course/external/view/elearning/21/food-safety-in-schools (free)
* National Registry of Food Safety Professionals – NRFSP https://www.nrfsp.com, CERTIFIED FOOD SAFETY MANAGER

The following annual training requirements are required of Managers, Other Staff, and Part-Time Staff working in/with the SNP:

* Managers: At least 10 hours of annual continuing education/training.
* All Other Staff (work at least 20 hours or more per week): At least 6 hours of annual continuing education/training.
* Part-Time Staff (work <20 hours per week) - At least 4 hours of annual continuing education/training, regardless of the number of part-time hours worked.

* Annual training requirements apply to the 12 months between July 1 and June 30.
* If hired January 1 or later, an employee must only complete half of the required training hours.

Additional information about U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Professional Standards for School Nutrition Program Professionals can be found on their website.