Does your scholar need a meal accommodation due to a disability? Please submit a completed Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodation Form signed by a state licensed healthcare professional to: info@johnadamsacademy.org.
In the state of California, a state licensed healthcare professional is a:
- licensed physician
- physician assistant
- nurse practitioner
- registered dietitian (RD)*
*Effective April 1, 2025: registered dietitians (RD) are permitted to complete and sign a written medical statement for school meal modifications due to a disability.
Special Diet Accommodations FAQ Sheet
Nutrition Overview
John Adams Academy strives to offer healthy, well-balanced meals that are required to meet the strict nutritional guidelines and standards for the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs governed by the USDA. Scholars must select at least 3 components from the 5 offered components to comprise a reimbursable lunch; meat/protein, grain, milk, fruit, and vegetable. At breakfast, scholars must select 3 out of the 4 components.
1. Who is eligible to receive a special diet accommodation?
John Adams Academy (JAA) is dedicated to meeting the nutritional needs of its scholars, including scholars with documented medical disabilities. USDA regulations require that substitutions or modifications be made in school meals for children whose disabilities restrict their diets when that need is certified by a licensed healthcare professional. Under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 a “person with a disability” means any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.” The term “physical or mental impairment” includes many conditions including but not limited to: Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Diabetes, Food Anaphylaxis (severe food allergy), Heart Disease, and Phenylketonuria (PKU). The licensed healthcare professional who completes the “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form needs to indicate if a child’s medical condition is considered a disability.
A “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form is only needed when a menu needs to be modified or substituted and the scholar is planning on eating school meals. A form does not need to be completed if the scholar is not planning on eating school meals, but there is a food allergy concern.
Families wanting to manage diabetes, food allergies, etc., without submitting a “Medical Statement” form, may view information regarding nutrition, carbohydrate content, and major food allergies by accessing our online menu.
2. The doctor states that my child is allergic to something but he/she eats it at home. Do I have to get the form completed?
It is your choice whether or not to have the “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form completed. However, once this form is approved, we must follow the licensed healthcare professional’s orders to the full extent until the parent/guardian cancels the accommodation or by bringing in a note from their physician.
3. Can I complete the form without having a licensed healthcare professional complete and sign the form?
No. In order for meal substitutions or modifications to be made, there must be a medical reason documented by a licensed healthcare professional. There are 2 sections on the “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form that must be completed. Part I is to be completed by the parent or guardian. Part II is to be completed and signed by a licensed healthcare professional. Any forms not completed and signed by a licensed healthcare professional will be returned to the parent or guardian to be signed.
In the state of California, a state licensed healthcare professional is a licensed physician, a physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered dietitian (RD).
4. Where can I find the “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form?
A current “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form is available on our website under FAMILIES on the navigation bar across the page. Parents/legal guardians can also obtain a copy from the front desk at their scholar’s campus.
5. Where do I submit the completed “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form?
Submit this form by:
- Email: central.kitchen@johnadamsacademy.org
- Mail: Academy Nutrition Services, 1 Sierra Gate Plaza, Roseville, CA 95678 Attn: Meloni Luck
You may submit this form to the school nurse, front office, or cafeteria manager, but doing so may delay the processing of your request.
6. How often do I need to have this form completed?
It is not necessary to provide a new form every school year if there are no dietary updates or changes. It is necessary to provide a new form if the licensed healthcare professional marks the “This diet order is Temporary” box on the “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form.
7. Will JAA Nutrition Services determine how much of a nutrient my child should have (i.e. carbohydrates, sodium, fat, etc.)?
No. The licensed healthcare professional completing the “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form must include the specific diet information that your child needs to follow for school meals.
8. What steps do I need to take if a change is needed to my child’s current special diet accommodation request?
A new “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form is required to make any changes to a scholar’s current diet order. Diets can be cancelled by parents in writing, which could include an email to central.kitchen@johnadamsacademy.org. Any modifications to the diet order must come from a licensed healthcare professional. Once a special diet order is cancelled by a parent, a new “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form, completed and signed by a licensed healthcare professional, will be required before the diet can be reinstated.
9. What types of milk substitutions are provided for scholars?
We can accommodate medical disabilities that require the avoidance of dairy; however, we do not provide milk substitutes. Scholars are not required to take milk as part of their meal. Therefore, those scholars who need to avoid dairy can simply decline the milk portion of their meal while still choosing three items from the fruit, vegetable, grain, and meat/meat alternate groups. Scholars have access to water (drinking fountain or cup) every day in the cafeteria to drink with their meals. Water bottles will not be an available substitute for milk. According to USDA regulations, juice is not a nutritionally equivalent beverage for milk and therefore cannot be provided as a substitution in a meal.
10. Can I bring special diet food items to school and store them in the school cafeteria?
We cannot store outside food in the cafeteria. There are many factors that affect this including food storage space, food safety, and cross-contamination issues.
11. Is John Adams Academy peanut or nut free?
No. While it is not possible to guarantee a “peanut-free” or “nut-free” school, designating areas in the cafeteria “peanut safe” or “nut safe” is reasonable and appropriate. Please keep in mind there are no restrictions on the products other scholars can bring in their lunches from home and JAA is not responsible for ensuring lunches brought from home are peanut free.
12. How do I advise the cafeteria when my child plans to bring his/her lunch or is not going to be at school?
Special diets often come with added time, effort, and costs to JAA. It is important for parents to communicate with the cafeteria manager. Parents can email the cafeteria manager directly prior to breakfast and lunch meal service: EDH.cafeteria@johnadamsacademy.org, LIN.cafeteria@johnadamsacademy.org, ROS.cafeteria@johnadamsacademy.org. Calling in an absence to the school front office is not sufficient as the office does not advise the cafeteria of absences.
13. How long does it take for a special diet to get started?
Once JAA has a completed “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form on file, it can take 10-15 business days for a diet to become available at the scholar’s campus. This gives Nutrition Services time to modify menus that meet the child’s needs, ensure that the appropriate foods are available, and instruct cafeteria managers & staff in regards to each special diet. Parents are encouraged to review with their child the approved special diet menu.
PLEASE NOTE: John Adams Academy cannot guarantee a fully allergen-free cafeteria or school environment due to several factors including scholars and staff bringing meals from home. If your child has a severe allergy, it is important to communicate with his/her school nurse, cafeteria manager, and appropriate school staff.
For questions about the “Medical Statement for Special Dietary Accommodations” form or special diets in general, please contact central.kitchen@johnadamsacademy.org.
Applications are to be submitted each school year. Previous year benefits end 30 school days after the school year begins.
Although school meals will be free to all scholars in California, regardless of income, our Academy's school funding is still tied to the percentage of scholars who qualify for the free and reduced meal program based on completed meal applications. Please complete an application today, thank you.
To complete the Free & Reduced Meal Application, please visit the Linq Connect Home Page and scroll over "School Services" located on the right of the page; select Free & Reduced Meal Application. Many languages are available.
Please note: Be sure to complete all fields on the online form (birthday, campus, etc) when adding scholar(s) or they will not be included on your auto-generated eligibility letter. Be sure the email you input on the application is correct so your eligibility letter will be emailed to you. Thank you.
Hard copies of the Free & Reduced Meal Application are also available and can be completed and turned in at the front desk on campus. A meal application can be downloaded below, completed and emailed to info@johnadamsacademy.org
Senate Bill (SB) 708 amended EC Section 49557 to allow LEAs the option to offer households the use of an online F/RP application. Public school districts and county offices of education (COE) opting to offer an online application must include web links to the following resources that are not required with the paper application:
- Translated meal applications from the USDA with instructions in the appropriate language
- Online application for CalFresh benefits
- State health care system
- Summer Meal Programs within the same city or school district and the CDE Summer Meal Programs web page
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children with instructions on how to apply
SB 708 requires that an LEA’s online application comply with the privacy rights and disclosure protections established by the federal National School Lunch Act and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. This bill also prohibits an online application from being made available or accessible if the online application allows for the information provided by an applicant to be used by a private entity for any purpose not related to the administration of a school food program, or if the online application requires an applicant to waive any right or to create a user account in order to submit the application. The intent of SB 708 is to improve access to translated school meal applications, streamline eligibility determination process, add hyperlinks to connect households with support programs such as CalFresh, add privacy protections for applicants, and include clear instructions to households.
Eligible for free and reduced pricing with the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program.
Questions? Contact tammy.scott@johnadamsacademy.org
Please note, this is a 10-key keypad, which is different than the keypad on a phone or mobile device!
Be sure to practice using the Enter button after inputting the PIN.
The scholar PINS used during meal service, can be located via your Aeries Parent Portal.
- Log into your Aeries Parent Portal.
- Click DEMOGRAPHICS on the left side of screen.
- ELEMENTARY SCHOLARS: In the middle of the screen, under LOCKER, this is the PIN # to enter on the 10-key pad at the POS terminal.
- SECONDARY SCHOLARS: PIN # is their STUDENT ID #. The number is directly located under their name on the left of the screen and also located on their ID card and schedule printout.
Please note: if there are any issues with the number, or if your scholar doesn't have their number memorized, they will be able to use their names to check out. No scholar will be denied a meal because they don't have or know their code.
When school is not in session, the Summer Meals Program (SFSP) provides free meals to kids and teens in low-income areas. Click the link below to quickly and easily find summer meal sites near your home.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027 (PDF), found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 866-632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
- mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; - fax:
202-690-7442; or - email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
All families and staff are invited to participate in the development, review, update and implementation of the Local School Wellness Policy. Please contact info@johnadamsacademy.org for more information.
At the July 17, 2025 Board Meeting, the Board Policy on Wellness was updated in the following manner:
- The leadership designee was updated
- The USDA nondiscrimination statement was updated to current
2024-2025 SY
The School Wellness Committee met on May 19, 2025 at 11am via ZOOM. The committee reviewed the policy together. Below is the full report which include the minutes to the meeting.