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Guidelines for Ensuring Health and Safety for School Nutrition Staff and Children and Families Receiving School Nutrition Services

North Carolina State Board of Education (NCSBE) and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) are issuing the following guidelines that school districts and school nutrition employees must follow to ensure the health and safety of both school employees and children and families.
Published: June 10, 2021

Key Takeaways

  1. General Health for School Nutrition Programs
  2. Personal Hygiene for Employees
  3. Meal Preparation Areas

Many children in our state depend on the school setting to receive meals and our school nutrition programs are essential to address food insecurity in the community. Meals distributed during COVID-19 emergency-related school closures provide a lifeline to the state’s most vulnerable, economically disadvantaged children and families. The safety of school nutrition staff and others involved in providing meals for children is a top priority. Social distancing and other rules of personal hygiene are critical to minimize
the risk of exposure to both the staff and the children and families receiving meals.

To that end, the North Carolina State Board of Education (NCSBE) and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) are issuing the following guidelines that school districts and school nutrition employees must follow to ensure the health and safety of both school employees and children and families. It is important to note that each school district and local health department may have different or more stringent requirements, instructions, guidance and recommendations for staff involved in providing meals to children and families. These guidelines are not intended to supersede policies from local authorities. The more stringent policies, whether state or local, should be followed.

Read more about the guidelines

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A leading voice for educational excellence

The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) is our leading voice for educational excellence, for children and their families, and for the public schools they count on. As the public school employees union and the largest association of professional educators in North Carolina, our membership extends to all 100 counties and includes teachers, non-classified school staff, administrators, students, retirees, and community allies. NCAE believes that every child has a right to a high-quality education, an excellent teacher, and a well-funded school.