Food Services

Berkley School District Food Service Department Allergy Information

The Berkley Schools Food Service Department takes food allergies and student safety very seriously. If a student has any food allergies and they want to eat breakfast and/or lunch at school that requires special accommodations, a physician must fill out the MDE Dietary Needs Form and return it to the food service office.

The form must be filled out correctly for the food service department to make any accommodations. Below are the four pieces of information that are necessary:

1. Food or allergen to be avoided
2. Explanation of how exposure to the food or allergen would affect the participant
3. Food(s) to be substituted
4. Signature of state licensed MD, DO, PA, NP

If a student has an allergy listed in an individual education plan (IEP), the food service department still needs the four pieces of information above to be included for any accommodation to be made.

Once the form is received by the food service department, the Food Service Director will reach out to the parents about what the child requires for meals. Staff at the school will be trained on the students' needs.

• We have vegetarian options available daily at all schools.
• At Elementary Buildings, there is no pork on the menu.

For students with a fluid cow’s milk allergy: Juice or water are not acceptable substitutes per USDA guidelines. If a student is requesting either option or requires a milk substitute such as soy milk or almond milk, the Special Diet Statement form must be filled out and the requested substitute must be filled in.

We do the best we can to accommodate all requests but there may be some limitations.

We do not make any accommodation for any student that does not have a medical form on file with our department. The Food Service Department is unable to track students with food allergies unless we have the Special Diet Statement form on file.

Please email the food service department with questions.

Special Diet Statement Form

Accommodations for Children with Special Dietary Needs

Are schools required to make menu substitutions for children who cannot eat the regular lunch or breakfast?

Federal law and the regulations for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program require schools to make accommodations for children who are unable to eat the school meal as prepared because of a disability. Accommodation generally involves substituting food items, but in some cases, schools may need to make more far reaching accommodations to meet the needs of children. For example, some children may need to have the texture modified.

In order to make substitutions for items in reimbursable meals, the school must have on file a written statement signed by a licensed physician indicating what the child’s disability is, what foods must be omitted from the child’s diet, and what foods must be substituted.

Schools may, at their option, make substitutions for persons who have special needs that do not meet the definition of disability under Federal law. In these instances, the school must have a written statement signed by a recognized medical authority (e.g., nurse or physician’s assistant) indicating what foods should be substituted.

The purpose of requiring a written statement is two-fold. First, it ensures that the nutrition integrity of the school meal will not be compromised by the substitution. More importantly, it ensures that decisions about specific food substitutes are made by persons who are highly qualified to prescribe them. Therefore, this requirement helps to protect both the child and the food service personnel who are working to meet the child’s needs.

Who qualifies as a physician or other recognized medical authority?

A physician is a person licensed by the state to practice medicine. The term includes osteopathic physicians or doctors of osteopathic medicine. These are fully trained physicians who are licensed by the state to prescribe medication or to perform surgery. A recognized medical authority is a licensed physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or other health professional specified by the state agency.

Summer Food Service Programs

Here at Berkley School District, we are dedicated to ensuring that our students receive healthy nutritious meals during the school year.  We want to encourage our students to continue with those healthy and nutritious meals during the summer as well.  That is why we would like to direct you to Summer Food Service Programs available in your area. Please visit www.michigan.gov/meetupeatup to find a Summer Food Service Program that is close to you.

• 2024 Oakland County SFSP Sites and Information

Summer-EBT

This summer, Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) will be available to families with eligible school-age children to purchase groceries in the summer months. This program is similar to the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP). 

Although meals are free for all students this school year, not all students will be eligible for Summer EBT benefits. Families must complete an Electronic Benefits Form (EBF) online or currently be approved for these benefits by Count Day, February 14, 2024. 

 The best and easiest way to fill out a Free/Reduced Meal Application is online through the MISTAR Parent Portal. 

Please use these instructions to help you fill out the application for free or reduced-price school meals. You only need to submit one application per household, even if your children attend more than one school in Berkley School District. The application must be filled out completely to certify your children for free or reduced price school meals. Please follow these instructions in order! Each step of the instructions is the same as the steps on your application. If at any time you are not sure what to do next, please contact the Food Service Director, 248-837-8122.

Please use a pen (not a pencil) when filling out the application and do your best to print clearly.

Step 1: List All Household Members Who Are Infants, Children, and Students Up to and Including Grade 12

Tell us how many infants, children, and school students live in your household. They do NOT have to be related to you to be a part of your household.

Who should I list here? When filling out this section, please include ALL members in your household who are:

• Children age 18 or under AND are supported with the household’s income;
• In your care under a foster arrangement, or qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway youth;
• Students attending Berkley Schools, regardless of age.

1. List each child’s name. Print each child’s name. Use one line of the application for each child. When printing names, write one letter in each box. Stop if you run out of space. If there are more children present than lines on the application, attach a second piece of paper with all required information for the additional children.
2. Is the child a student at Berkley Schools? Mark ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ under the column titled “Student” to tell us which children attend which school. If you marked ‘Yes,’ write the grade level of the student in the ‘Grade’ column to the right.
3. Do you have any foster children? If any children listed are foster children, mark the “Foster Child” box next to the child’s name.  If you are ONLY applying for foster children, after finishing STEP 1, go to STEP 4.
   Foster children who live with you may count as members of your household and should be listed on your application. If you are applying for both foster and non-foster children, go to step 3. 
4. Are any children homeless, migrant, or runaway? If you believe any child listed in this section meets this description, mark the “Homeless, Migrant, Runaway” box next to the child’s name and complete all steps of the application.

Step 2: Do Any Household Members Currently Participate in SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR?

If anyone in your household (including you) currently participates in one or more of the assistance programs listed below, your children are eligible for free school meals:

• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Food Assistance Program (FAP).
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Family Independence Program (FIP).
• The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

A)  If no one in your household participates in any of the above listed programs:

• Leave STEP 2 blank and go to STEP 3.

B)  If anyone in your household participates in any of the above listed programs: 

• Write a case number for SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR. You only need to provide one case number. If you participate in one of these programs and do not know your case number, contact: your case worker or 1-855-275-6424

Go to STEP 4.

Step 3: Report Income For All Household Members

How do I report my income? 

• Use the charts titled “Sources of Income for Adults” and “Sources of Income for Children,” printed on the back side of the application form to determine if your household has income to report.
• Report all amounts in GROSS INCOME ONLY. Report all income in whole dollars. Do not include cents.
  • Gross income is the total income received before taxes.
  • Many people think of income as the amount they “take home” and not the total, “gross” amount. Make sure that the income you report on this application has NOT been reduced to pay for taxes, insurance premiums, or any other amounts taken from your pay.
  • Write a “0” in any fields where there is no income to report. Any income fields left empty or blank will also be counted as a zero. If you write ‘’0’’ or leave any fields blank, you are certifying (promising) that there is no income to report. If local officials suspect that your household income was reported incorrectly, your application will be investigated.
  • Mark how often each type of income is received using the check boxes to the right of each field.

  • 3.A. Report Income Earned By Children

    • Report all income earned or received by children. Report the combined gross income for ALL children listed in STEP 1 in your household in the box marked “Child Income.” Only count foster children’s income if you are applying for them together with the rest of your household.

    • What is Child Income? Child income is money received from outside your household that is paid DIRECTLY to your children. Many households do not have any child income.

  • 3.B. Report Income Earned By Adults

    • Who should I list here?
      • When filling out this section, please include ALL adult members in your household who are living with you and share income and expenses, even if they are not related and even if they do not receive income of their own.
    • Do NOT include: 
      • People who live with you but are not supported by your household’s income AND do not contribute income to your household.
      • Infants, Children and students already listed in STEP 1.

    • List adult household members’ names. Print the name of each household member in the boxes marked “Names of Adult Household Members (First and Last).” Do not list any household members you listed in STEP 1. If a child listed in STEP 1 has income, follow the instructions in STEP 3, part A.

    • Report earnings from work. Report all income from work in the “Earnings from Work” field on the application. This is usually the money received from working at jobs. If you are a self-employed business or farm owner, you will report your net income.

    • What if I have multiple jobs? List each job separately by entering your name and income from each job on a new line. Add an additional sheet of paper if necessary.

    • What if I am self-employed? Report income from that work as a net amount. This is calculated by subtracting the total operating expenses of your business from its gross receipts or revenue.

    • Report income from public assistance/child support/alimony. Report all income that applies in the “Public Assistance/Child Support/Alimony” field on the application. Do not report the cash value of any public assistance benefits NOT listed on the chart. If income is received from child support or alimony, only report court-ordered payments. Informal but regular payments should be reported as “other” income in the next part.

    • Report income from pensions/retirement/all other income. Report all income that applies in the “Pensions/Retirement/ All Other Income” field on the application.

    • Report total household size. Enter the total number of household members in the field “Total Household Members (Children and Adults).” This number MUST be equal to the number of household members listed in STEP 1 and STEP 3. If there are any members of your household that you have not listed on the application, go back and add them. It is very important to list all household members, as the size of your household affects your eligibility for free and reduced-price meals.

    • Provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number. An adult household member must enter the last four digits of their Social Security Number in the space provided. You are eligible to apply for benefits even if you do not have a Social Security Number. If no adult household members have a Social Security Number, leave this space blank and mark the box to the right labeled “Check if no SSN.”

Step 4: Contact Information and Adult Signature

All applications must be signed by an adult member of the household. By signing the application, that household member is promising that all information has been truthfully and completely reported. Before completing this section, please also make sure you have read the privacy and civil rights statements on the back of the application.

A) Provide your contact information. Write your current address in the fields provided if this information is available. If you have no permanent address, this does not make your children ineligible for free or reduced-price school meals. Sharing a phone number, email address, or both is optional, but helps us reach you quickly if we need to contact you.

B) Print and sign your name and write today’s date. Print the name of the adult signing the application and that person signs in the box “Signature of adult.”

C) Mail Completed Form to: Food Service Dept. Berkley Schools, 2325 Catalpa St., Berkley, MI 48072 or drop the application at your child’s school office.

D) Share children’s racial and ethnic identities (optional). On the back of the application, we ask you to share information about your children’s race and ethnicity. This field is optional and does not affect your children’s eligibility for free or reduced-price school meals.

The Berkley Food Service Department is hiring! School Nutrition is a wonderful place to work especially as a parent or community member. Interested? Call the Food Service office at 248- 837-8122. 

Current Open Positions

Food Service Worker at Norup International 8:45-1:45 (5hr position)

Kitchen Manager at Anderson Middle School 7:00-1:30 (6.5hr position)

Kitchen Manager at Pattengill Elementary School 7:00-1:30 (6.5hr position)

Food Service Overview

Berkley Nutrition Services and ARAMARK have teamed up to provide your students with the fuel that they need to have a successful academic career here at Berkley School District. We provide nutritious and delicious meals in accordance with USDA standards. We have different programs designed to help incorporate more whole grains, leaner meats and cheeses, and decrease the amount of sugar and fat your students eat. 

For more information about Aramark , please visit their website.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

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, 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
2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442
3. Email USDA

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Smart Snacks in Schools