Purpose:
It is our goal as a public school district to feed our students nutritious and balanced meals to support their classroom learning and quality of life. We recognize that on occasion, students may forget to bring lunch money to school, but due to the nature of our federally funded National School Lunch and Breakfast program, we are required to make a policy addressing the concerns of unpaid meal charges. Unpaid meal charges place a financial strain on the Food Service department and it is our goal to address this appropriately at each grade level in order to continue operation of our program. The USDA and Washington State OSPI do not require us to provide meals to students once their account is insufficient.
Scope of Responsibility:
The Food Service Department: Responsible for maintaining records of meal charges and alerting households of meal account balances by way of calls, emails, and letters.
The School District: Responsible for assisting the Food Service Department in collection of unpaid funds as well as intervention on an administrative level if deemed necessary.
The Parents/Guardians: Responsible for maintaining a positive meal account balance for students or delegating responsibility to adult students.
Policy:
At all grade levels:
1. No charging for a la cart items are allowed (extra milk/entrée, water, chips). Purchase of a la carte items with cash will not be allowed until meal account is in good standing.
2. Households will receive several automated meal balance notifications via emailing and calling. Households may customize Skyward notifications regarding their students meal account balances to what they prefer.
3. All Food Service account charges are expected to be paid by the end of the school year.
For High School Students (9-12th):
1. No students will be denied a meal under any circumstance. Students will never receive an alternate meal based on meal account balance.
2. Students will be reminded by food service staff to bring in money once their account reaches +5.00 or less, and every transaction following until account is in good standing.
3. Once the student’s negative balance exceeds $-25.00 the household will receive a personal call home from a designated school employee informing them of their delinquent account. Principals and school administrators will investigate the household situation to determine if further assistance is required.
4. If school administrators determine that a Student/Family is in need of free/reduced meals, they must contact the Nutrition Services Department for guidance on how to proceed.
For Middle School Students (6-8, 5th at City School):
1. No students will be denied a meal under any circumstance. Students will never receive an alternate meal based on meal account balance.
2. Once the student’s negative balance exceeds $-25.00 the household will receive a personal call home from a designated school employee informing them of their delinquent account. Principals and school administrators will investigate the household situation to determine if further assistance is required.
3. If school administrators determine that a Student/Family is in need of free/reduced meals, they must contact the Nutrition Services Department for guidance on how to proceed.
For Elementary School Students (K-5):
We believe that Elementary school students should not be involved in the conversation of their lunch account balance as they have no control over their account and it may cause unnecessary stress and worry. Because of this, more action will be taken on an administrative level.
1. No students will be denied a meal under any circumstance. Students will never receive an alternate meal based on meal account balance.
2. Once the student’s negative balance exceeds $-25.00 the household will receive a personal call home from a designated school employee informing them of their delinquent account. Principals and school administrators will investigate the household situation to determine if further assistance is required.
3. If school administrators determine that a Student/Family is in need of free/reduced meals they, must contact the Nutrition Services Department for guidance on how to proceed.
For Staff:
Meal charging is not allowed. All meals must be pre-paid. Substitute staff without Skyward accounts may purchase an adult meal voucher through the school office in order to receive a meal.
Payments may be made online through West Valley Nutrition Services, or via cash or check at the school secretary’s office.
National School Lunch Program free and reduced applications are available online through WVSD Nutrition Services, and may be filled out at any time during the year.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your students account, please contact Nutrition Services at:
509-232-6092
