<p> CN11-G-011</p><p>To: Food Service Directors</p><p>From: Connie Harlow, Senior Consultant, 303-866-6650</p><p>Date: October 19, 2010</p><p>Subject: Serving Students through the Seamless Summer Option (SSO)</p><p>The Seamless Summer Option (SSO) may be used to provide meals during school non- traditional vacation periods for year-round schools. The school must be on a year- round/continuous schedule, and the off-track breaks must be officially part of the school schedule. School Food Authorities (SFA’s) administering the NSLP or SBP may participate in the SSO. The SFA must be able to demonstrate administrative capability and financial viability to properly operate during school vacation periods.</p><p> A current Seamless Summer Option (SSO) application must be submitted and approved.</p><p> Sites participating in the SSO must be area eligible fifty percent or greater free and reduced. Any month during the school year documenting over 50 percent free or reduced price eligibility may be used.</p><p> The SFA may operate the SSO during any scheduled break of 10 or more school days. A scheduled break is part of the year-round/continuous schedule and does not include “traditional” winter or spring breaks. </p><p> Two types of meals may be claimed per day.</p><p> Meals must follow the SBP or NSLP meal pattern used during the school year.</p><p> Time frames for meal service follow NSLP rules, not SFSP; therefore meals are not disallowed if served outside of scheduled meal times.</p><p> Meals must be consumed on-site.</p><p> Meals served under the SSO are reimbursed at the “free” rates prescribed by USDA for the NSLP and for the SBP. Qualifying schools will continue to receive the severe need breakfast rates under the SSO.  SSO meals are to be claimed for reimbursement in the Colorado Department of Education Nutrition Unit’s automated claim system.</p><p> The School must differentiate between meal counts for on-track (NSLP/SBP) and off- track (SSO) children.</p><p> SFAs are required to review all of their SSO sites at least once during their operation each year. The SFA must review the sites’ compliance with meal counting, claiming, menu planning, and food safety requirements.</p><p> Edit checks are not required for SSO sites during the period of time that the SFA is operating the sites under the SSO policies. However, SFAs must ensure that meal counts match participation and that claims reflect the number of meals served.</p>