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South Sanpete School District                                            
Unpaid Meal Charges Standard Procedures – SP (Superintendents Procedures)

 Reviewed  June 14, 2017 

Purpose and Background
Schools receive partial reimbursement for meals served to students who do not qualify for Free meals.  Parents must make payments to a student’s account to make up the difference between the federal reimbursement and the cost of the meals.  This policy applies only to school meal payments.

The purpose of this policy is to explain how South Sanpete School District will notify parents/guardians about: money owed for student meals; of the school’s procedures for providing meals if students accounts are delinquent; and to assure and remind parents and school employees that students should not be confronted or embarrassed about money owed for school meals.

This policy applies to all schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program in the South Sanpete School District.

Definitions

  1. Alternate Meal – a meal served to students that is different than the meals served to other students because the student does not have adequate funds in the student lunch account.  The meal will consist of a sandwich, fruit and milk, allowing the student to have something to eat while limiting the cost to the school lunch program.  We will offer 5 components, thus qualifying for a reimbursable meal.
  2. Collection Efforts – a collection agency or other means that the school uses to collect delinquent lunch balances, or contacts to parents by phone, mail, or e-mail.  The school has the responsibility for the collection of delinquent accounts.
  3. Meal charging – allowing students who do not have funds in their account to receive a reimbursable meal, with parents or other sources paying for these meals at a later time.
  4. Parent – student’s parent, legal guardian or person acting as the parent for school purposes.
  5. Reimbursable meal- a meal which meets the USDA requirements and may be claimed for reimbursement from USDA.

Before School Begins or if a student transfers to a school in the South Sanpete School District, during the school year, parents shall receive the following information from the student’s resident school or the School District Office:           

  • Prices of school meals
  • How parents may provide payment for school meals
  • Informing parents how their students may qualify for reduced or free meals
  • Informing parents what students will receive if their meal accounts are delinquent.
  • Informing parents of the policy for delinquent accounts
  • The student may receive an alternate meal a maximum of 5 times per school year

6.  If the balance in the school meals account does not cover the price of a reimbursable meal at the High Schools, the student will not be allowed to eat after he/she has accumulated 5 charges.

The school is not required to provide a meal, at no cost, if a student does not qualify for a free meal.  An account is considered delinquent, if there are more than 5 charges.

  • The school is not required to provide a meal, at no cost, if a student does not qualify for a free meal. 

7. If a student repeatedly has no money in their school lunch account and no student meals are provided from home, school officials may consider the circumstances in the home and may contact Child Protective Services.

Parent Payment Options for student meals may include:

  1. Parent may make payments to the school by mail, hand delivery, or on-line using Secure Instant Payments.  Payments should indicate which account funds should be credited.
  2. Payments may be checks, cash, cashier’s check or money orders.
  3. If check is returned due to insufficient funds two times from the same account, only cash or cashier’s check will be accepted for future meal payments.
  4. Individual schools may work with families to establish long-term repayment plans.
  5. Schools may use collection agencies to collect on delinquent accounts.
  6. If money is left over in a student school lunch account at the conclusion of the school year, it will be rolled over into the next year unless the balance is requested the parent/student.
  • If balance is under $5.00 money will be given to the student after the student initials that he/she received it from the lunch secretary.
  • If the balance is over $100.00 the parent/student will automatically receive a check for the amount.

After thirty (30) days of a negative balance collection procedures may be initiated on accounts.

The Meal Charge Policy can be found on www.ssanpete.org under School Meals.

Policy Components

Sanpete School District shall provide on-line applications for free/reduced price meals to parents.  Computers are available for parental use at all schools or in the School District Office.  Any questions can be directed to South Sanpete School District Food Service Director 435-835-2261

The schools will provide paper applications for parents who do not have access to on-line forms.

Schools are encouraged to send reminders of the Unpaid Meal Charging policy throughout the school year.  It may be in the form of letters, newsletters, announcements, phone calls or other reasonable and effective means of communication to contact parents.

The student’s family may receive benefits from the Special Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, FEP, or FDPIR.  When the school receives notice of the student’s or family’s eligibility the household qualifies for meals at no charge.  The household qualifying from the Special Nutrition Assistance Program does not have to submit a free/reduced price form.  The school district will send the household a letter informing parents of the student’s eligibility.  If a family qualifies under one of these programs and has not received such a letter by the time school starts, the parent should contact the South Sanpete School District Food Service Director at 435 835 2261.

Identification of Delinquent Accounts

  1. Lunch Secretaries at each school will handle all accounting of school lunch payments including the management of charging and crediting student accounts.
  2. Parents will be notified of delinquent lunch accounts.
  3. The school will notify parents about delinquent accounts.  Notification will typically be through the automated (Messenger or Power School) system.  However, phone, text, or e-mail, may be used to communicate with parents on how they wish to make payments.
  4. Student may take notifications home in a sealed envelope, addressed to the parent.
  5. If the balance in the school meals account does not cover the price of a reimbursable meal at the Elementary Schools and the Middle Schools, the parent will be contacted and given Three Options:
  • Parent may come and pay before the lunch period
  • Parent may bring a lunch to the student
  • Student may take an alternate meal (lunch)provided by the school nutrition service.

If the school has not received direction from the parent, the student, prior to the meal service, will be contacted about the action the school will take.  The school will act as sensitively and discretely as possible so as not to embarrass the student.

pdfJIA_Unpaid_Meal_Charges_Standard_Procedures.pdf