Appendix C26. School Nutrition Manager Introduction Letter (Full Outlying Areas)

C26. SCHOOL NUTRITION MANAGER INTRODUCTION LETTER

(FULL OUTLYING AREAS)

This page has been left blank for double-sided copying.

OMB Control Number: 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

<DATE>

<SNM_FN> <SNM_LN>

<School>

Dear <SNM_FN> <SNM_LN>:

[SCHOOL NAME] was selected for the Outlying Areas Cost Study (OACS) as part of your school food authority’s required cooperation with the study. Mathematica Policy Research and Insight Policy Research are conducting the OACS, a sub-study of the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II), for the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The study will determine the cost of producing reimbursable meals for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, including indirect and local administrative costs.

The principal has also been notified of these activities.

We are scheduled to collect data from your school during the week of: [DATE]. During this week, you will be asked to participate in the following components of the study:

• Menu Survey. You will be asked to complete a detailed Menu Survey. This web-based or hard-copy survey will collect information on the foods offered and served in reimbursable lunches and breakfasts during the week of [DATE]. Instructions will be available with the survey and technical assistants will be available by phone and email to answer any questions. You will receive up to a $100 gift card as thanks for completing the survey ($75 for filling out the Menu Survey, and $25 for answering follow-up questions from the technical assistants). A technical assistant will get in contact with you about the menu survey three weeks prior to your scheduled target week. This person will be available to assist you with the menu survey.

• School Nutrition Manager Cost Interview. A data collector will interview you over the phone about the types of work kitchen staff do, and what their wages are.

Cooperation with the study by selected States/Territories, districts, and schools is required under Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. Your participation in this study is extremely valuable, and we appreciate the time and effort that you and other school staff will devote to the study. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our project team at [PHONE NUMBER], or email [CONTACT]@mathematica-mpr.com.

We look forward to working with you on this important study.

Sincerely,

Mary Kay Fox

OACS/SNMCS-II Project Director

Mathematica Policy Research