Special Dietary Needs
For any questions or concerns regarding the management of dietary restrictions, please contact the Registered Dietitian with Sodexo School Food and Nutrition Services, at rachel.walters@sodexo.com
School Food Service is required by law to accommodate disabled students' special dietary needs. In order to evaluate your request to modify menu offerings for your child, we will need more information from you.
If your child has a disability, as defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ASA of 1990, federal regulations require us to obtain a physician’s statement that identifies the following:
- The child’s disability and an explanation of why the disability restricts the child’s diet.
- The major life activity affected by the disability.
- The food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet and the food or choice of foods that must be substituted.
Food allergies and intolerance are considered a disability only if a life-threatening (anaphylactic) reaction occurs from ingesting the food item. Special requests for a child who does not have a disability, but does have a special dietary need, must be verified with a statement from a licensed medical authority (physician or nurse practitioner). The statement must include:
- An identification of the medical problem which restricts the child’s diet.
- The food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet and the food or choice of foods to be substituted.
Decisions about how to accommodate special dietary needs are made on a case-by-case basis by the school nurse, the Registered Dietitian, and the cafeteria manager. Food substitutions may be limited due to availability of items. Menu information is available on our website to allow parents to make decisions about food choices for their child.
Required documentation for providing meal accommodations for dietary restrictions is provided below: