Breakfast/ Lunch Program Policies

BREAKFAST/ LUNCH PROGRAM POLICIES

Glasscock Elementary School offers breakfast and lunch to all staff and students. Since the school participates in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and/ or the Donated Food Program, federal and state policies and regulations must be followed.

To implement required policies and regulations, these procedures will be followed for student participants: 1. Free and reduced-price meals will be granted on the basis of need as determined by state and federal guidelines. 2. Letters explaining the School Food Service Program shall be sent to all parents each year at the opening of school and as needed throughout the year. An application form for free and reduced-price meals will accompany the letter. Applications will be kept on file for a period of three (3) fiscal years and are subject to audit by state and federal officials. 3. If school personnel have knowledge of a student who is in need of free or reduced-price meals but does not have parents’ cooperation to submit an application, an application shall be submitted in the student’s name by the Principal, SFS Director, Lunchroom/ Cafeteria Manager, or Superintendent or designee. The parents shall be notified that the child has been certified eligible to receive free/ reduced-price meals. (This would be on a temporary, monthly basis.) 4. The application review and written notification process will be followed in accordance with district policies and procedures. 5. If the parent or guardian is dissatisfied with the decision regarding free and reduced-price meals, an appeal may be made to the Superintendent/ designee. 6. It is the parent’s responsibility to notify the school of any changes in salary or employment which may qualify or exempt the family from the free or reduced lunch program. 7. Random verifications are made of the free and reduced lunch program applications each year. It is the parent’s responsibility to provide documentation of all wage or income information if it is requested by the school. Failure to supply this documentation will result in a student(s) being taken off the free or reduced lunch list and having to pay full price.

All school personnel regularly assigned to a school may have access to meals served in the School Food Service Program. The cost of the meal shall be determined by the Board. Charges for adult meals shall be as follows: 1. Those adults who are assigned to work full or part-time in the School Food Service Program and whose salaries are paid entirely from food service funds may receive meals at no cost. 2. All other District employees who do not provide a service in the operation and administration of the School Food Service Program and all other adults shall pay the full adult meal price. All funds received as payment for meals and federal and state reimbursements shall be used only for food, labor, equipment, and supplies for the operation/ improvement of the school food service program.

PAYMENT/ CHARGES

Students are issued a food card on which they can apply funds and charge meals. Parents are asked to deposit money into the card account on a regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly, etc…). Deductions are made from the card balance each time the student makes a purchase of a meal or food item. Students will be notified when the card balance reaches zero.

Letters will be sent home to parents on a weekly basis when the card balance is at or below zero. Parents will be sent two written notices. If the school is not contacted within ten days of the second notice, the District Food Service Director will be notified to pursue further action. In addition, the student may be served a sandwich meal rather than the daily hot meal until the account balance is paid in full or until a payment agreement is reached with the parent. The food service program is a self-supporting, nonprofit program. The program cannot offer free meals to students who do not meet qualifications.

RETURNED CHECKS: When a check is returned we attempt to submit it a second time before sending a letter home. The letter requests cash or a money order in the amount owed (often more than the original check if the student is continuing to charge on the account) within ten days. If the balance is not paid within ten days, the District Food Service Director will be notified to pursue further action. In addition, the student may be served a sandwich meal rather than the daily hot meal until the account balance is paid in full or until a payment agreement is reached with the parent.