FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND NON-INSTRUCTIONAL OPERATIONS

3000

FOOD SERVICE

3700

SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

3701

INSUFFICIENT FUNDS/NEGATIVE BALANCE

3701.01

It is the philosophy of the Lunenburg Public Schools that well-nourished students are more engaged, productive students. The Lunenburg Public Schools considers payment of school lunch fees the responsibility of students’ parents/guardians. School lunch is made available to all students at the daily lunch rate established by the School Committee or at a reduced rate or no cost for students who meet the National School Lunch free/reduced lunch eligibility guidelines. Notification of Insufficient Funds/Negative Balance 1. Using the parent/guardian electronic mail addresses on file, automated notifications are sent to parents/guardians of students with negative lunch account balances to remind them that action is required 2. Information and application forms for free and reduced lunch are available at the district website www.lunenburgschools.net. 3. Parents/guardians also can utilize the Parent Portal to review lunch transactions and/or set up an alert that notifies them when lunch account balances are low. 4. Verbal notifications are given to students with negative balances. 5. Students with negative balances are not allowed to purchase a la carte items, including milk or water or second lunches. 6. When a student’s lunch balance reaches negative $12.00 parents/guardians will be contacted by school personnel to inform them that they must provide their child with a lunch and/or resolve their unpaid school lunch account balance. 7. If a student is without lunch/lunch money on a regular basis, the building administrator or designee will investigate the situation and take further action as needed including encouraging parents to apply for free and reduce lunch and/or making referrals to outside agencies or filing a 51A. 8 Parents/guardians will be expected to pay unpaid balances upon receipt of notification. 9. Parents/guardians who fail to satisfy negative balances within thirty (30) days of the initial electronic notification will be mailed a letter via the U.S. Postal Service to the home address on file. 10. Parents/guardians are responsible for any negative balances incurred prior to meeting eligibility for free or reduced lunch status. 11 Lunch accounts with negative balances in place for ninety days that reflect no payment effort will be turned over to an outside collection agency.

Adopted Lunenburg School Committee April 26, 2001 Reviewed September 23, 2009

Payments Payments may be made to the account by cash, personal check, money order, bank check or credit card (on-line only). Checks Returned for Non-Sufficient Funds Personal checks will not be accepted after two checks are returned for non-sufficient funds (NSF). Should a check be returned to the town due to non-sufficient funds, the Treasurer’s Office will notify the check issuer of its return by letter sent though the U.S. Postal Service.. Payment for the NSF check and related return fees must be made in the form of cash, cashier’ check or money order. Payment must be received within ten (10) days of the date of the Treasurer’s letter. Upon notification of payment, the school lunch program director or her/his designee will reverse the student’s lunch account to reflect the resolution of this payment. Refunds Withdrawn/ Graduating Students A written request is required to obtain a refund for monies remaining on account upon graduation/withdrawal from the Lunenburg Public Schools. An electronic mail request to the cafeteria manager is acceptable. Funds also may be transferred to a sibling’s account with a written request. Unclaimed Funds All refunds must be requested within one year. Funds unclaimed after one year become the property of the School Lunch Program. Adopted 9-17-14 Updated & Approved 5-3-17 Page 2 of 2

Adopted Lunenburg School Committee April 26, 2001 Reviewed September 23, 2009