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Tonasket School District Meal Charge Policy 

Tonasket School District participates in the federal program called Community Eligibility Program (CEP) where all students receive one nutritious breakfast and one lunch each day at no cost regardless of family income.

Purpose of Policy:

The purpose of this policy is to establish consistent meal account procedures throughout the district. Unpaid charges place a financial strain on the food service department. The goals of this standard of practice are:

1. To establish policies’ that are age appropriate

2. To support positive situations with district staff, district business policies, student
parent/guardian to the maximum extent possible

3. To encourage parent/guardian to assume the responsibility of meal payments and to promote self-responsibility of the student.

4. To establish a consistent district policy regarding charges and collection of charges.

Administration

Families will be notified of the school Unpaid Meal Charge Policy in writing before the school year begins and with each new transfer student. This policy will also be posted on the Food Service Website.

Student/Staff Account Balances

1. The District uses a point-of-sale computerized meal payment system which has an account for all students and staff. Parents of students who will be purchasing extra entrées or beverages are required to establish and maintain a positive balance in the student’s meal account.

2. Elementary School Students are allowed to purchase beverages but no single entrées. No charges are allowed on any negative accounts or accounts with a zero balance. One nutritious breakfast and one lunch at no cost will be served regardless of family income within the CEP program each day.

3. Middle School Students are allowed to purchase beverages and entrees if funds are available in their meal account or cash is given. No charges are allowed for beverages or a la carte foods on a negative account or account with a zero balance. One nutritious breakfast and one lunch will be served at no cost regardless of family income within the CEP program each day.

4. High School Students are allowed to purchase beverages and entrees if funds are available in their meal account or cash is given. No charges are allowed for beverages or a la carte foods on a negative accounts or accounts with a zero balance. One nutritious breakfast and one lunch will be served at no cost regardless of family income within the CEP program each day.

5. Adults/Staff are allowed to purchase meals, beverages and or entrees if funds are available in their meal account or cash if given. No adult/staff can charge any meals or beverages.

Positive and negative balances are automatically carried over and applied to subsequent school years.


Students with Special Dietary Needs

Nothing in this policy prohibits providing breakfast and lunch to a student with special dietary needs provided these needs have been documented in a health plan, Sec 504, or IEP. If the meal/food item is medically required, the necessary dietary needs will be met.

Senior meal balances

Starting May 15th of each year families with a senior may close out any remaining funds available on the senior’s meal account, parents must choose one of the following options:

Transfer the balance to another sibling in the District.

Request a refund check.

Donate a designated amount to a child that is unable to pay with in the District.

All requests must be in writing.

All funds remaining in a student’s account must be requested within one school year of withdrawal or graduation. Unclaimed funds will then become the property of the USD 348 Food Services program.

Please contact Accounts Payable at 509-486-2126 for information regarding a refund check all other inquires please contact Jean Hedlund Food Service Supervisor at 509-486-7515.

Unresolved Debt

Should a negative charge happen on a student’s account the food service manager and other school personnel will coordinate communications to parents/legal guardians to resolve unpaid balance in meal account. Communications of account balances will be made to the parent of guardian and not to the student directly. Food Service Staff will contact the parent or guardian by telephone twice a week if their child has a negative balance until resolved. All unpaid charges held at the end of the school year will be carried over to the next school year.

The district shall not spend more than the actual debt owed in efforts to recover unpaid charges. When the District determines that collection efforts for delinquent debt are useless or too costly, the debt must be reclassified as “bad debt” must be restored using nonfederal funds. Delinquent charges that are converted to “bad debt” must be recorded and maintained in accordance with record retention requirements.

Staff Enforcement of Policy/Training

A copy of this policy and refresher training shall be provided annually of all food service and school staff responsible for serving student meals or enforcing this policy. New staff with these responsibilities shall be provided with a written copy of the policy and training on the policy during their initial training or orientation. A record shall be maintained documenting that new staff receive the policy and training.

This District is an equal opportunity provider.

2/24/22

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