The National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs are integral in ensuring that students have access to nutritious meals to support their academic success.  All students are encouraged to keep a balance on their accounts to purchase meals or a la carte items. It is important to treat all students with dignity and respect while promoting parental responsibility for meal payments and self-responsibility of the student. Students approved for free or reduced-price meals will not be overtly identified at the point of service and will not be denied a meal if they have a negative balance on their cafeteria account. All student households will receive this policy in our annual mailing at the beginning of each school year. Students transferring schools will receive the policy from the school when enrolling.

• When an Elementary School student charge is more than $15.50 (5 meals) they will receive a limited meal choice. This meal will be charged to the student’s account. 
• When Middle or High School students charge is more than $6.80 (2 meals), they will receive a limited meal choice. This meal will be charged to the student’s account. 
• Students are not permitted to buy a la carte items if they do not have money on their account. Students are not able to purchase a la carte items for cash if a charge is outstanding. Money collected will be credited to the student’s account.  
• Adults must have money on their account or cash to purchase any foods. Adults will not be allowed to charge.

Note: Negative account balances at the end of the school year will be forwarded to the new school year.

On occasion, students may not have money available in their meal account. This plan establishes a process to address situations when children have insufficient funds to pay for school meals and the collection of unpaid meal charges and delinquent account debt. It also complies with Federal guidelines and maintains a system for accounting for charged meals.

1. Students are reminded daily of their balance. 
2. If a student has a negative balance equal to or greater than $15.50 for elementary and $6.80 in middle or high school:  

• • A letter with the balance will be sent home with the student or mailed to the student’s home. 
  • Phone calls and/or emails will be used to remind parent(s)/guardian(s) to send money for charges or a low balance. 
  • If a student’s balance reaches $15.00 a letter will be mailed to the student’s home. 
  • The school’s Principal/Administration will be notified and asked to assist in communicating with the parent(s)/guardian(s). A meeting may be scheduled between a school representative and the parent(s)/guardian(s) to discuss payment.

Every effort will be made to contact parents prior to changes. Meal balances may be obtained by setting up an account at School Meals.

Request a balance transfer or refund of money on your student(s) meal account(s).

In an effort to curb the cost and time our District bears each year in returned checks (Non Sufficient Funds/NSF, Account Closed, Fraud and Stop Payment), Food and Nutrition Services has contracted with Check-Redi.

Check-Redi provides this service to numerous School Districts around the country. They are in charge of collecting checks for our District that are not honored by check writers’ banks. For NSF checks, Check-Redi will electronically monitor a bad check writer’s account, and have authorization to make electronic attempts for the Face amount of the check plus a state authorized Return Fee as follows:

• Amount of Check Written Return Fee 
• Checks written up to $50 incur a fee of $25
• Checks written between $50 - $300 incur a fee of $30
• Checks written for $300 and more will incur a fee of either $40 
  or 5% of the face amount of the check whichever is greater

If you have questions, please contact Check-Redi at (877) 524-7334.