If a student comes to school without a lunch, the District will provide a reimbursable meal (that is available to all students) so that he or she does not go hungry that day. The student’s meal account will be charged accordingly.

a) What may be charged:

• The only item permitted to be charged is a complete meal. A la carte items such as milk, snacks, ice cream or similar items must be paid/prepaid.

b) System used for identifying and recording charged meals:

• The District’s point-of-sale system will track all charges and payments.

c) Outstanding Balances:

• As appropriate, Food Service administration or designee may contact appropriate building staff to inform of an outstanding balance;
• As appropriate, designated district staff may contact Social Services to report a student’s consistent failure to arrive at school with a meal.

d) Parents/guardians will be notified that a student’s meal card or account balance is exhausted and has accrued unpaid meal charges within 5 days of the charge and then every week thereafter:

• Unpaid meal charges will be addressed directly with the student’s parent or guardian who is responsible for providing funds for meal purchases; discreet notifications of low, exhausted, or deficit balances will be sent at appropriate intervals during the school year. The notification may include a repayment schedule, but will not charge any interest or fees related to meals charged during the grace period. District administration will further consider the benefits of attempted collections and the costs that would be expended in collection attempts.

e) Staff, Parents/Guardians:

• Adults may not charge and must pay for their meals at the time of service or set up pre-paid acoounts.

• To obtain a refund for a withdrawn or graduating student, a written or e-mailed request for a refund of any money remaining in the student’s account must be submitted. Students who are graduating at the end of the year will be given the option to transfer any remaining money to a sibling’s account through a written request.
• Unclaimed funds must be requested within one school year. Unclaimed funds will then become the property of the District Food Service Program.