(After posting a complaint from a participant in a Region One seminar for principals where the question of whether the Brownsville Independent School District had erred kin providing free after-school lunches (in italics below the BISD response), we were set a missive from Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas to the board disputing the consultant's assertions. We print her response below.)
To: Carlos Elizondo; Cesar Lopez; Dr. Atkinson; Joe Rodriguez; Laura Perez-Reyes; Minerva M. Pena; Philip T. Cowen; Philip T. Cowen
Cc: Patricia Perez; balsalazar@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Request From Dr. Atkinson on the Supper Program
Board Members,
I asked Mr. Johnson, former interim director of FNS, to contact the Food and Nutrition, Department of Agriculture with the State of Texas to verify that our supper program was in compliance with all requirements.
It was under his administration at FNS that we pushed for more participation in the supper program. We have been informed that the supper program is in compliance. We were informed that students do not have to participate in after-school/enrichment activities to participate in the supper program.
The district is right in what it is doing to support the supper program for our students. Ms. Sarah Carlson, Assistant Director for School Operations, Food and Nutrition Texas Department of Agriculture provided her response to our questions. Below are her emails regarding this matter.
Thank you,
Dr. Esperanza Zendejas
A Region One consultant has told principals of the Brownsville Independent School District that the administration had broken the law by feeding everyone meals for supper because the federal program for free nutrition did not authorize it if the non-extended day or tutorial students were not staying for an after-school program.
As such, the BISD should not have been submitting invoices for reimbursement to the federal government. And some sources say that the district is now liable to repay the funds because the meals were not eligible for reimbursement.
Region One consultant Yvonne Salinas made these statements at a meeting today of the district's principals. Additionally, other sources close to the administration said the district – specifically Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas – had been made aware of the potential violations in correspondence prior to the disbursement of the meals.
We will stay on top of this development to see how things unfold.
The district is right in what it is doing to support the supper program for our students. Ms. Sarah Carlson, Assistant Director for School Operations, Food and Nutrition Texas Department of Agriculture provided her response to our questions. Below are her emails regarding this matter.
Thank you,
Dr. Esperanza Zendejas
(Original Post)
Various SourcesA Region One consultant has told principals of the Brownsville Independent School District that the administration had broken the law by feeding everyone meals for supper because the federal program for free nutrition did not authorize it if the non-extended day or tutorial students were not staying for an after-school program.
As such, the BISD should not have been submitting invoices for reimbursement to the federal government. And some sources say that the district is now liable to repay the funds because the meals were not eligible for reimbursement.
Region One consultant Yvonne Salinas made these statements at a meeting today of the district's principals. Additionally, other sources close to the administration said the district – specifically Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas – had been made aware of the potential violations in correspondence prior to the disbursement of the meals.
We will stay on top of this development to see how things unfold.
