Avery County Schools Policy Policy Code: 6221

CHARGING OF SCHOOL MEALS

The Avery County Board of Education must comply with laws, rules and regulations set by governing agencies, both federal and state. The board strives to meet the needs of students and to comply with the laws.

1. Due to reporting requirements, the Child Nutrition Program cannot permit
   charging of meals. Customers may, however, pay for meals in advance or borrow
   money provided by the school principal. Further, Federal policy prohibits the
   withholding of meals from a child as a form of discipline.
2. Supplemental sale items may not be charged.
3. No adults will be allowed to charge meals, pre-payment is suggested. The Child
   Nutrition Program exists principally to provide meals to students ages 4-21, it is
   inappropriate to allow adults who are employed by the LEA to charge meals to
   the Child Nutrition Program as this practice uses the Federal funds earmarked for
   children to financially benefit adults and is, therefore, not allowed. (OMB A-87
   Circular).

Procedures

No student will be deprived a meal nor served a differentiated meal (i.e. peanut butter/jelly or cheese sandwich) due to forgotten or lost money. At no time will a student’s meal be retrieved once the student has received a tray of food. The student shall be allowed to eat the meal and the student’s account will be debited. The funds borrowed from the Child Nutrition Program that have been debited from the student's account must be repaid by the end of the school year. Students will be responsible for repaying all loaned money to the school cafeteria.

A note shall be given to the student by the cafeteria cashier to take home or be mailed to the student's home to inform the parent that the child owes money on their lunch account. Principals will assist with the collection if other attempts fail. The principal will be given a list of students with charges on a weekly basis, so they are aware of the charges incurred in the cafeteria..

If a student is without meal money on a consistent basis, the school is encouraged to investigate the situation more closely, including contacting the parent/guardian to bring money to the school and/or encouraging the parent /guardian to apply for free and reduced meals.

To prevent the Child Nutrition from closing the year with unpaid balances, all loaned money must be collected before the close of the school year. End of year procedures are as follows: 1. No loans will be allowed during the last two weeks of school; 2. All bills will be sent home to parents requesting payment; and 3. The principal will assist in collecting these funds.

Avery County Schools Policy Code: 6221 All school cafeterias are computerized with point of sale/cash register systems. It is recommended that parents be informed that meals can be paid for in advance in the cafeteria or online through lunch prepay. They should be encouraged to maintain funds in their child's account so as to minimize the possibility that the child may be without meal money on any given day. The computer system will maintain a record of all monies depostied and spent for each student. A copy of this report will be available to parents upon request.

The Child Nutrition Program of Avery County Public Schools is dedicated to meeting the needs of all students.

Cross-References: FNS Instruction 791-1, Rev. 1; OMB A-87 Circular-LEA Child Nutrition program are not allowed to use federal funds to offset meal chareges to students or adults.

Adopted: 12/14/09

Avery County Schools Policy Code: 6221