Purpose:

The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program that provides students a well-balanced meal each day. All student meals are partially reimbursed by the National School Lunch Program when the household does not qualify for a free meal. Parents of children who do not qualify for the free meal benefit are required to make payments to the student account only for the portion of the cost that is not reimbursed by the National School Lunch Program.

The Unpaid Meal Charges Procedure is written to outline how Weber School District will communicate to parents/guardians about the process for managing unpaid meal charges on student accounts, the procedure for collecting balances that are negative, and to assure parents that no student should be embarrassed or confronted in collecting delinquent account balances.

No student will be denied a full meal, regardless of meal benefit status and/or balances status. Parents/guardians are responsible for any payments owed on their student’s meal account, which may include, but is not limited to: meals, a la carte items, milk purchases, etc.

Policy Information:

This policy will apply to all schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program within the Weber School District boundaries. This information is available to all students.

When a new student transfers into a school within the district, parents will receive the following information from the school:

• Prices of school meals

• Parent options to provide payment for school meals

• Application for free or reduced meal pricing benefits

• Information of collection procedures for delinquent lunch accounts

Free/Reduced Benefit:

Weber School District Child Nutrition Department offers online access for the free and reduced benefit for the federally assisted meal. All applications will be available to families after July 15th of the approaching school year. Child Nutrition also provides each school site with applications to distribute to all new students. Applications can be completed online at https://linqconnect.com/public/meal-application/new?identifier=N6S6T2 after July 15th of the approaching school year. Paper applications can be downloaded at https://www.wsd.net/documents/child-nutrition/free-and-reduce-price-application/679113. The completed application can be submitted to your school, emailed to cnp@wsd.net, or faxed to 801-476-7952.

Families may be eligible to receive benefits from Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Utah TANF/FEP, or FDPIR. If the student is eligible, this benefit is automatically updated in our School Lunch Program. Child Nutrition will send a letter to the household informing parents of the student’s eligibility. Any family qualifying for these benefits do not need to submit a free/reduced application form.

Payment Options:

Parents have the option of paying student lunch accounts by bringing cash or check to the lunchroom at the schools. Payments can also be made at the office. Online payments can be made at https://weber.powerschool.com/public/home.html.

Delinquent Accounts:

• Prior notification:
  Child Nutrition will notify parents by email when the account balance is low. Emails will come through a LINQ email address.

• Students leaving current school:
  When students transfer to another school within the district, move out of the district, or complete their 6th and 9th grade school year, payment of any negative balance is required. Negative balances will not be forwarded to another school. All negative lunch accounts must be paid at check-out.

Procedure for Collections:
Each week for any account that is in the negative, an automatic email is sent to parents every Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am or a letter is mailed by the CNP manager if there is not an email address on file. These emails/letters will continue until the account is brought current or is sent to collection. The email will come from a LINQ email address.

Once an account has reached -$20.00, the CNP manager will contact the parent/guardian regarding the negative balance, either through phone call, email or text messaging.

Once an account has reached -$70.00, the principal or designated school staff will call the parent/guardian regarding the negative balance.

Once a quarter, any account -$100.00 or more will be sent to collections

Ten (10) calendar days before the end of the quarter, a final notice will be emailed/mailed to parents/guardians notifying them that they will be sent to collections in ten (10) days if their current balance, plus any additional accrued balance, is not paid in full or a payment plan not set up.

Refund Procedure:

All positive balances in a student’s account will roll into the next year.

The last week of school, any senior balance with at least $10.00 will be automatically refunded at the end of the school year. Refunds for any balance less than $10.00 must be requested by the parent. Otherwise, it will be donated to the school’s CNP donation account to help students in need.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider