3100 Food Services Account

Policies

Middletown Public Schools                                                               No. 3100

Food Services Account Policy

FOOD SERVICES ACCOUNT POLICY

The Middletown School Department recognizes that all children need nutritious  meals in order to learn. The goal of this policy is to establish guidelines for the purchase  of school meals and to define how the Middletown Public Schools shall collect and  manage unpaid meal charges and to ensure it complies with its legal obligations under  the National School Lunch Act and associated regulations.

The goals of this policy are:

∙ To establish consistent district-wide procedures regarding meal charges and  collection of such charges

∙ To establish procedures whereby all students are treated with dignity in the  serving line regardless of the status of their meal accounts

The procedures of this policy shall be published in student handbooks and other  school notifications to ensure parents/guardians are aware of the potential  consequences of meal debt.

In the event that food service personnel and/or district administration believe a  student is not receiving suitable nutrition because of enforcement of this policy,  appropriate actions beyond the measures covered within this policy should be initiated,  as per state and federal regulations.

I. NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

The Middletown School Department participates in the National School Lunch  Program (NSLP), which allows the school department to offer free or reduced lunches to  families that qualify. As a participant in this program, the School Department shall  adhere to all current provisions and regulations of NSLP including, but not limited to,  income eligibility guidelines, civil rights awareness training requirements, and reduced  meal pricing.

II. MEAL PRICES

On an annual basis, the Business Manager shall submit recommended meal prices  to the School Committee for review and approval. Reduced meal prices are set annually  by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

III. MEAL CHARGES AND UNPAID BALANCES

The School Department recognizes that on occasion students may forget or lose  meal money or have no available electronic payment balances. In such cases, the  student’s statement of need shall be accepted and the meal will be charged to the  student’s account regardless of availability of funds. This designated menu alternate will  be charged to the child’s meal account at the standard rate. A student charging lunch  shall receive a meal-pattern compliant lunch from the available menu options for that  day, including milk. Elementary, middle school, and high school students may not charge “a la carte” items or snacks. Additionally, students may not purchase “a la carte”  items or snacks until all charges on the account have been satisfied. Elementary, Middle  and High School students will be allowed a maximum charge of $10.00. No students  shall be denied a meal. After the $10.00 threshold, students will be provided a designated  menu alternate.

IV. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY

** The Food Services Department**:

∙ Responsible for maintaining meal charge records, enforcing the parameters  of this policy associated with meal charges, and notifying the School  District of outstanding balances, as well as providing a menu-alternate meal when required.

** The School District**:

∙ Responsible for notifying the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) with written  documentation of overdue meal accounts and implementing appropriate  courses of action to collect unpaid charges

*The Parent(s)/Guardian(s): *

∙ Responsible for prompt payment in accordance with the Food Services  Department’s published guidelines. If financial issues develop, early  contact with the District’s Business Office is advised to avoid fees and  penalties.

V. ADMINISTRATION

Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are responsible for payment to the Food Service Program  for all meal charges. In cases of extenuating circumstances, the Business Office may  exercise discretion in commencing implementation of the resolution sections of this

policy if there is high expectation that payment in full will be made in a reasonable  timeframe.

A. Notification

Students that have charged meal(s) and not subsequently paid will receive  a charge notice from the School Office, which will be sent home within one week  of the first allowed charge to the household. These will be in a sealed envelope  addressed to the parent(s)/guardian(s). (E-mail may be used if available.)

If the charge has not been paid by the end of the second week, the School Office will place a call to the parent(s)/guardian(s) in case the written notice was  not received.

If the charge remains unpaid, the Business Office may send a letter  demanding payment, along with a Free and Reduced Meals Application home to  the household, cc Principal.

B. Resolution for Unpaid Charges

If the parent(s)/guardian(s) continues to carry a balance and/or do not  provide lunch money to the student and does not qualify for the free or reduced  meal benefits, Food Services shall inform the Principal and Business Manager,  who shall determine a course of action as recommended below:

1. Legal Action

The Middletown Public Schools may pursue other methods of debt  collection including legal action, if approved by the School Committee  approval.

2. Debt Forgiveness

Nothing in this policy should preclude representatives of the District  from pursuing and/or implementing compassionate debt forgiveness  avenues for legitimate unforeseen circumstances which have contributed to  the debt.

Forgiveness Credit Amount shall be established equal to the value  represented by the charge limit(s). Discretionary use of the Forgiveness  Credit Amount by the Business Manager is allowed on a one-time (per  school year) basis for any given student.

3. Funds

Efforts will be made to collaborate with parent groups and social  agencies to establish a fund to help recover unpaid charges.

“Writing Off” student meal debt is subject to School Committee  approval and should be considered only as a last resort when all other  practical means of collection have been exhausted.

VI. POLICY DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION

The Superintendent’s Office will disseminate the Food Service Account Policy to  all school level staff responsible for policy enforcement. This includes school food service  professionals responsible for collecting payment for meals at the point of service, staff  involved in notifying families of low or negative balances, and staff involved in enforcing  any other aspects of this policy. In addition, school administrators, social workers, school  nurses, the homeless liaison, and other staff members who may assist students in need  shall be informed of the policy.

Students and families will be informed of this policy at the start of each school year  or upon enrollment to the district. As appropriate, sections of this policy will be included  in school handbooks and/or online portals used to access student accounts.

Reading – May 18, 2017

Reading – June 15, 2017

Revised and Approved – June 23, 2017

Approved - April 24, 2025

Next Reading Due - April 2028