Join us for the next California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) Tuesday at 2 Town Hall, scheduled for Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at 2 p.m. During the Town Hall we will share an overview of federal and state policies, funding and training opportunities, and best practices for operating Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs).
This month’s Town Hall features Judi Shils, Executive Director of Turning Green and Conscious Kitchen, who will share some helpful tips and insights into organic purchasing in School Nutrition Programs (SNP).
Draft webinar slides will be available by 10 a.m. on the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) web page on the date of the Town Hall.
Town Hall Webinar PowerPoint
Use the following steps to access slides on the CNIPS web page after 10 a.m. on the morning of the Town Hall:
- For School Food Authorities (SFA): Select Applications and Download Forms.
- For Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) operators: In the SFSP Module, select Applications and Download Forms.
The Town Hall slides in CNIPS are marked “Draft” and are subject to change. If updates are needed, the CDE will upload the revised slides in the same location following the Town Hall.
After the Town Hall, the CDE posts the final Town Hall PowerPoint slides on the CDE Food Service Staff Education and Training web page under the Town Halls tab.
Background
The Tuesday at 2 Virtual Town Hall events typically occur on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise noted. The Town Halls provide an opportunity for schools to learn about policy guidance, program requirements, and best practices for operating CNPs. The desired audience includes CNP Operators and Food Services Directors.
Participation Information
Date and Time
Tuesday at 2 School Nutrition Town Hall
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Registration and Cost
This town hall is free to attend. Register in advance for this webinar
.
After registering, you will see a screen that says Webinar Registration Approved with a link to the webinar. You will also receive several emails with information about joining the webinar. First, you will receive confirmation the day you register and then you will receive two reminders one day and one hour prior to the webinar. If you cannot find the email confirmation, or do not receive the reminders, you can always reregister.
Tip for Attendees
To save time before the meeting, check your system to make sure it is ready to use Zoom.
- Visit the Zoom test link
.
- If you experience issues, visit the
Zoom Help Center web page
for assistance.
If you receive an error message that the host has declined your webinar registration, try using an alternate email address. While not ideal, you may also join by phone if you have technical issues logging in from your computer.
Professional Standards Crediting Information
- Key Area: Administration (3000)
- Training Topic: Program Management (3200)
- Learning Objective: Manage Staff Work Including Scheduling (3210)
- Instructional Hours: 1.5 hours
Reasonable Accommodation
Pursuant to state and federal statutes, individuals with a disability may request reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in the Tuesday at 2 School Nutrition Town Hall. Send direct requests for reasonable accommodation to the CDE by email at NSDTownHalls@cde.ca.gov no later than seven days prior to the event. Live captioning will be available during the webinar.
Town Hall Information Links and Resources Provided on June 24, 2025
The following resources were shared in the chat during the recent town hall:
- A current list of School Nutrition Program (SNP) Specialists is available on the CDE School Nutrition Program Specialist Directory – School Nutrition web page or SNP staff can be reached via email at SNPInfo@cde.ca.gov.
- Find your assigned Child Nutrition Assistant or Consultant information by visiting the CNIPS web page in the Application Download Forms section and using the Form ID Caseload.
- Send your celebration photos with Town Hall staff by email to NSDTownHalls@cde.ca.gov.
- Read the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) blog, “West Contra Costa’s Summer Meal Programs Provide Food and Community” on the PPIC Blog Post web page
.
- Find SNP Guidance and Management Bulletins (MB) on the CDE Legislation, Regulations and Policies web page.
- Access the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Policy Memo SP 13-2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs
is available on the USDA’s web page.
- For Local Agency Procurement Review questions, email the team at NSDProcurementReview@cde.ca.gov.
- Access the Local Agency Procurement Review List of Operators and the Steps in the Local Agency Procurement Review on the CDE Procurement in the Child Nutrition Programs web page.
- Find the MB SNP-08-2025; SFSP-08-2025; FDP-08-2025: Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements on the CDE SNP MBs, Summer Food MBs, and the Food Distribution MBs web pages.
- Find SUN Bucks resources on the following web pages:
- CDE SUN Bucks web page
- California Department of Social Services SUN Bucks
web page
- CDE Universal Benefits Application on the CDE Universal Benefits Application Now Available web page
- CDE California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System or CALPADS Flash #297
- CDE SUN Bucks Inbox (local education agency inquiries only): SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov
- SUN Bucks Helpline (household inquiries): (877) 328-9677
- For questions regarding this SY 2025–26 Food Distribution Program contract packet in CNIPS email to the team at fooddistribution@cde.ca.gov.
- Submit your School Food Best Practices questions to SFBP@cde.ca.gov.
- Submit your Kitchen Infrastructure and Training questions to KITfunds@cde.ca.gov.
- Check out the 2024 Farm to Summer Celebration Week Awardees on the CDE Farm to Summer Celebration Week web page.
- Email your Farm to Summer Celebration Week questions to the team at Farm2School@cde.ca.gov.
- Find the Learning Management System self-registration instructions on the CNIPS web page under, Applications > Download Forms section > Forms LMS Reg 001 and LMS Reg 002.
- For learning site questions or support, contact the CDE’s learning team at NSDLearning@cde.ca.gov.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this subject, email NSDTownHalls@cde.ca.gov.