Procedure​ ​For​ ​Negative​ ​Balances Orono​ ​Public​ ​Schools​ ​-​ ​Nutrition​ ​Services I.

PURPOSE The​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​this​ ​procedure​ ​is​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​guidelines​ ​for​ ​all​ ​Nutrition​ ​Service​ ​payments throughout​ ​the​ ​district. GENERAL​ ​STATEMENT​ ​OF​ ​POLICY The​ ​school​ ​district​ ​recognizes​ ​that​ ​proper​ ​nutrition​ ​intake​ ​is​ ​vital​ ​in​ ​the​ ​learning​ ​process. The​ ​district​ ​strives​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​access​ ​to​ ​programs​ ​and​ ​services​ ​in​ ​an​ ​efficient​ ​and​ ​fiscally responsible​ ​manner. II.

III.

FOOD​ ​SERVICE​ ​STUDENT​ ​MEAL​ ​ACCOUNTS A. STUDENT​ ​ACCOUNTS 1. Students​ ​may​ ​purchase​ ​meals​ ​when​ ​funds​ ​have​ ​been​ ​deposited​ ​into​ ​their accounts. 2. Each​ ​student​ ​will​ ​have​ ​his/her​ ​own​ ​meal​ ​account​ ​and​ ​PIN​ ​number​ ​and​ ​will confirm​ ​they​ ​have​ ​entered​ ​the​ ​correct​ ​number​ ​at​ ​the​ ​register​ ​by​ ​stating their​ ​name​ ​to​ ​the​ ​cashier. 3. Cash​ ​or​ ​check​ ​is​ ​not​ ​accepted​ ​at​ ​the​ ​register.​ ​ ​For​ ​parents​ ​that​ ​are visiting,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​to​ ​be​ ​with​ ​their​ ​child​ ​at​ ​the​ ​point​ ​of​ ​purchase​ ​and​ ​use their​ ​student’s​ ​meal​ ​account. 4. Money​ ​should​ ​be​ ​deposited​ ​online​ ​via​ ​FeePay​ ​for​ ​the​ ​most​ ​efficient transaction.​ ​ ​The​ ​District​ ​recommends​ ​setting​ ​up​ ​an​ ​auto-replenishment to​ ​each​ ​student’s​ ​FeePay​ ​account​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​negative​ ​balances.​ ​Other payment​ ​methods​ ​may​ ​be​ ​accepted​ ​on​ ​a​ ​case​ ​by​ ​case​ ​basis. B. FREE​ ​AND​ ​REDUCED​ ​MEALS 1. Families​ ​may​ ​apply​ ​for​ ​Free​ ​and​ ​Reduced​ ​meals​ ​at​ ​any​ ​time​ ​during​ ​the year. 2. Applications​ ​for​ ​Free​ ​and​ ​Reduced​ ​meals​ ​are​ ​available​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​the beginning​ ​of​ ​the​ ​school​ ​year​ ​at​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​district​ ​schools​ ​and​ ​on​ ​the​ ​district webpage. 3. Families​ ​applying​ ​for​ ​Free​ ​and​ ​Reduced​ ​meals​ ​must​ ​pay​ ​for​ ​meals​ ​until notification​ ​of​ ​approval.​ ​ ​There​ ​is​ ​no​ ​retroactive​ ​approvals​ ​of​ ​free​ ​or reduced​ ​benefits. 4. Families​ ​who​ ​qualify​ ​for​ ​Free​ ​and​ ​Reduced​ ​meals​ ​will​ ​be​ ​allowed​ ​to receive​ ​these​ ​benefits​ ​for​ ​up​ ​to​ ​30​ ​days​ ​into​ ​the​ ​next​ ​school​ ​year.​ ​ ​A​ ​new application​ ​must​ ​be​ ​submitted​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​receiving​ ​Free​ ​and​ ​Reduced benefits​ ​each​ ​school​ ​year. C. STUDENT​ ​ACCOUNT​ ​STATUS,​ ​NOTIFICATION,​ ​AND​ ​COLLECTION 1. Students​ ​will​ ​be​ ​allowed​ ​to​ ​charge​ ​to​ ​their​ ​accounts​ ​until​ ​they​ ​are overdrawn​ ​and​ ​into​ ​the​ ​negative.​ ​ ​Once​ ​an​ ​account​ ​is​ ​negative,​ ​students

2. 3.

4.

5.

will​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​receive​ ​reimbursable​ ​meals​ ​but​ ​not​ ​partial​ ​meals​ ​or​ ​ala carte​ ​items. District​ ​staff​ ​will​ ​attempt​ ​to​ ​personally​ ​connect​ ​with​ ​families​ ​when​ ​negative accounts​ ​persist. Full​ ​Paid​ ​students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​low​ ​balance​ ​will​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​verbal​ ​reminder​ ​at​ ​the register. a) Low​ ​balance​ ​for​ ​a​ ​Full​ ​Paid​ ​Student​ ​is​ ​$0-$5​ ​and​ ​will​ ​be​ ​told​ ​“you have​ ​a​ ​low​ ​balance,​ ​please​ ​remind​ ​your​ ​parent/guardian” b) Low​ ​balance​ ​for​ ​a​ ​Free/Reduced​ ​Students​ ​do​ ​not​ ​currently​ ​have​ ​a limit​ ​set​ ​as​ ​they​ ​should​ ​receive​ ​all​ ​reimbursable​ ​meals​ ​for​ ​free. All​ ​students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​negative​ ​balance​ ​will​ ​receive​ ​verbal​ ​and/or​ ​written notifications. a) The​ ​notification​ ​will​ ​be​ ​consistent​ ​with​ ​every​ ​student​ ​or​ ​staff member​ ​and​ ​will​ ​not​ ​demean​ ​or​ ​stigmatize​ ​the​ ​child. b) Students​ ​with​ ​any​​ ​negative​ ​balance​ ​will​ ​be​ ​notified​ ​by​ ​the​ ​cashier, “You​ ​have​ ​a​ ​negative​ ​balance,​ ​please​ ​remind​ ​your parent/guardian.” c) Students​ ​will​ ​have​ ​the​ ​option​ ​of​ ​receiving​ ​a​ ​hand​ ​stamp​ ​as​ ​a reminder​ ​to​ ​replenish​ ​their​ ​meal​ ​account. d) Students​ ​with​ ​any​​ ​negative​ ​balance​ ​will​ ​have​ ​email​ ​notifications sent​ ​to​ ​their​ ​parent/guardian​ ​twice​ ​a​ ​week. e) Students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​balance​ ​larger​ ​than​ ​$-10.00​ ​will​ ​have​ ​the​ ​school counselor,​ ​principal,​ ​or​ ​social​ ​worker​ ​notified.​ ​ ​The​ ​school​ ​staff member​ ​will​ ​reach​ ​out​ ​to​ ​the​ ​family​ ​for​ ​assistance. f) Students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​balance​ ​larger​ ​than​ ​$-20.00​ ​will​ ​have​ ​weekly phone​ ​calls​ ​made​ ​to​ ​the​ ​families​ ​to​ ​set​ ​up​ ​a​ ​payment​ ​plan​ ​and​ ​a freeze​ ​will​ ​be​ ​placed​ ​on​ ​the​ ​student’s​ ​FeePay​ ​account. g) Students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​balance​ ​larger​ ​than​ ​$-50.00​ ​will​ ​have​ ​a​ ​hold placed​ ​on​ ​their​ ​FeePay​ ​account​ ​until​ ​the​ ​negative​ ​balance​ ​is​ ​paid off​ ​or​ ​a​ ​payment​ ​plan​ ​has​ ​been​ ​established. h) Students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​balance​ ​larger​ ​than​ ​$-75.00​ ​will​ ​have​ ​a​ ​final demand​ ​letter​ ​and​ ​invoice​ ​sent​ ​to​ ​their​ ​homes.​ ​ ​Failure​ ​to​ ​pay​ ​or respond​ ​to​ ​the​ ​invoice​ ​will​ ​show​ ​failure​ ​to​ ​act​ ​on​ ​the​ ​situation​ ​and the​ ​account​ ​may​ ​be​ ​sent​ ​to​ ​collections​ ​and​ ​an​ ​alternative​ ​meal may​ ​be​ ​given​ ​to​ ​the​ ​student. Seniors​ ​with​ ​negative​ ​balances​ ​or​ ​extra​ ​funds​ ​in​ ​their​ ​account. a) If​ ​a​ ​Senior​ ​has​ ​siblings​ ​in​ ​the​ ​district,​ ​we​ ​will​ ​automatically​ ​transfer remaining​ ​funds​ ​into​ ​their​ ​sibling’s​ ​account. b) For​ ​Seniors​ ​with​ ​a​ ​balance​ ​of​ ​$10​ ​or​ ​greater,​ ​a​ ​letter​ ​will​ ​be​ ​sent​ ​to the​ ​families​ ​with​ ​two​ ​options: (1) Submit​ ​a​ ​request​ ​for​ ​reimbursement​ ​of​ ​the​ ​remaining​ ​funds (2) Donate​ ​remaining​ ​funds​ ​to​ ​a​ ​District​ ​Angel​ ​account​ ​to​ ​help let​ ​fortunate​ ​families.

c) All​ ​balances​ ​of​ ​$10.00​ ​or​ ​less​ ​will​ ​be​ ​donated​ ​to​ ​the​ ​District’s Angel​ ​account. IV.

STAFF​ ​MEAL​ ​ACCOUNTS A. All​ ​staff​ ​accounts​ ​must​ ​operate​ ​with​ ​a​ ​positive​ ​balance​ ​at​ ​all​ ​times.​ ​Failure​ ​to keep​ ​a​ ​positive​ ​balance​ ​may​ ​result​ ​in​ ​denied​ ​meals​ ​and​ ​purchases.​ ​ ​If​ ​problems persist​ ​with​ ​staff​ ​abusing​ ​their​ ​account​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​brought​ ​to​ ​the​ ​attention​ ​of​ ​their supervisor.​ ​ ​All​ ​staff​ ​are​ ​encouraged​ ​to​ ​set​ ​up​ ​a​ ​FeePay​ ​account​ ​to​ ​make​ ​meal payments.