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Nutrition Services

Highlights

Walla Walla Public Schools Farm to School Program featured in the “Washington Grown” TV Series Episode 3 on Oct 21. You can view the archive on Washington Grown website. (Walla Walla appears at 18:20 during the 22 min episode)

 

 

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Nutrition Services Department
1174 Entley Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362
ph: 509-527-3016 | fax: 509-527-3049 

 

 

 

 

National Milk Carton Shortage Impacting Schools

National Milk Carton Shortage impacting schools nationwide – WWPS developing solutions to minimize milk disruptions to local school meal programs
• November 3, 2023: Walla Walla Public Schools has been informed of a national supply chain disruption of cardboard packaging for half-pint milk cartons used for school meal programs. There is not a shortage of milk, only the cardboard containers it is served in. Walla Walla Public Schools is committed to communicating this situation transparently.
• The WWPS Nutrition Services Department is actively working with other suppliers to provide milk for school meal programs so students are not impacted by this national supply chain issue. The district is expected to have information about alternate sources by early next week or sooner.
• The national cardboard packaging shortage is a result of several complex factors, including disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic and increased demand for packaging materials, particularly in the e-commerce sector. While milk is still available in stores, the packaging we require for our half-pint cartons is becoming increasingly scarce, and the district must adapt to this challenge.
• The duration of this national disruption is uncertain but could range up to several months according to suppliers.

As a proactive measure, the district Nutrition Services Department is developing a contingency plan to minimize disruption while still providing good nutrition to our students.

The Contingency Plan Includes:
• Walla Walla Center for Children & Families (Preschool & Transitional Kindergarten): These programs will continue to offer milk by transitioning to gallon sized containers.
• All schools: They will continue to offer milk at BREAKFAST, if necessary transitioning to shelf stable milk at all sites. Soy milk will continue to be offered as a milk alternate.
• Elementary & middle schools and high schools: They will have juice and bottles of water will be available at LUNCH. Juice may contribute towards a fruit component (which is current practice).

Frequently Asked Questions about National Milk Carton Shortage
Q: Why is there still milk in the store but you can’t get it at school?
A: The shortage is with the packaging of half-pint cartons of milk, not with the milk itself.

Q: Why is there a milk carton shortage in the Walla Walla Public Schools, and how did this situation come about?
A: This is not a milk shortage, but a carton shortage, and it is affecting school districts throughout the nation. It is an issue with the carton manufacturer. WWPS is proactively seeking different suppliers to continue providing milk for school meal programs.

Q: How will the milk carton shortage impact my child's school and their daily routines?
A: There will be no impact to your child’s daily routines. If WWPS is not able to secure alternate suppliers to provide milk as usual, some change in beverage options could occur during breakfast and lunch.

Q: Can you provide more details about the expected duration of the milk carton shortage, specifically up to 2 months?
A: We have been informed the shortage could last up to two months or more, but we will keep you informed if that timeframe changes. WWPS is proactively seeking different suppliers to continue providing milk for school meal programs so there are no disruptions.

Q: What changes are being implemented in all schools regarding milk availability at breakfast?
A: If the district is not able to secure milk from alternate suppliers, it will activate a contingency plan, which includes: All schools will continue to offer milk at BREAKFAST, transitioning to shelf stable milk at all sites. Soy milk will continue to be offered as a milk alternate. Juice and bottled water will also be available at lunch.

Q: What is shelf-stable milk?
A: Shelf-stable milk is milk that has been through Ultra High Temp (UHT) pasteurization and packaged in an aseptic container so that refrigeration is not required. Aseptic packaging is made from different material and is not impacted nationally. We use that product during field trips when refrigeration is not always an option. Students will recognize the product.

Q: Will soy milk continue to be offered as an alternative to regular milk, and will it be available to all students?
A: Soy milk will be available at all schools, but students with dietary accommodation forms (food allergies) will be prioritized. With most school districts competing to find alternatives to milk cartons, there will not be enough supply of soy milk in the marketplace to provide milk to all students. There may not be enough for every student to have soy milk.

Q: Are there any additional changes or adjustments in school meal offerings that we should be aware of due to the milk carton shortage?
A: At this time the only adjustments are listed in the contingency plan noted above.

Q: How will parents be informed of any further developments or changes related to the milk carton shortage response?
A: The district website will remain updated with current information, and we will send ParentSquare messages to all families with updates.

Q: How can parents support the school's efforts to manage the milk carton shortage?
A: We encourage families to provide dairy at meals, and days outside of the school schedule as much as possible. Only the cardboard half-pint cartons are impacted, so milk will still be available in stores.

If you have questions please contact:
WWPS Nutrition Services
Pamela Milleson, Director
pmilleson@wwps.org
509 527-3016

Meal Program

Vision Statement:

To be recognized as the leader in school Nutrition by pioneering innovative methods of linking nutrition to lifelong learning.

Mission Statement

To nurture and nourish students in partnership with families, WWPS staff, and the community by providing nutrition education, exceptional customer service and appealing foods of good value, while exceeding federal standards for School Nutrition Programs. 

Our Services  

All schools offer students nourishing meals. Our professional Nutrition Services staff take pride in serving Walla Walla youth. Each day our staff prepares more than 4,000 meals for students at all grade levels. We continually receive superior inspection reports for cleanliness, quality and service. Stop by and join us for a hot, nutritious - and most of all - delicious meal. We strive to keep our meal prices to a minimum and our free and reduced-price meal program is available to eligible children.

Request For Special Dietary Accommodations

Federal law and USDA regulation require school nutrition programs to make reasonable modifications to accommodate children with disabilities. Under the law, a disability is an impairment which substantially limits a major life activity, which can include allergies and digestive conditions, but does not include personal diet preferences.

To request diatary accommodations please have your doctor complete the "Request for Special Dietary Accommodations" form and return to the school nurse or Pam Milleson, Director of Nutrition Services. If you have questions please call Pam at (509) 527-3016.

Request for special dietary accomodations form

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Civil Rights

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/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.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:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

07/25/2022

WALLA WALLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS • 364 South Park St. • Walla Walla, WA 99362 • Phone: 509-527-3000 • Fax: 509.529.7713

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