Willapa Valley School District Meal Charge Policy
The Willapa Valley School District School recognizes that healthy, nutritious meals are an important component to student readiness and ability to learn. In addition, Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 210.10(a)(1) General Nutrition Requirements states “Schools must provide nutritious and well-balanced meals to all the children they serve.” In accordance with this regulation, the Willapa Valley School District will not deny any student access to school meals.
However, the district’s Food Services department is a self-supporting fund that shall not have a negative balance at the close of a fiscal year. Unpaid charges place a financial strain on the Food Services
department and on the district’s operating budget. To be fair and equitable and in order to ensure compliance of all who participate in the school meal program, the policy establishes procedures for methods of payment, charge availability, and collection methods.
The Willapa Valley School District establishes the following goals:
- To establish a consistent district policy regarding the method of payment for meals, charge availability and collection methods for charges in the district’s meal program.
- To treat all students with dignity at all times.
- To waive all cost for students who qualify for free school meals after completing the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Household Application
. · To reduce costs as required for students who qualify for reduced priced meals after completing the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Household Application.
- To support positive interactions with students, parent(s)/guardian(s), and district staff to the maximum extent possible.
- To encourage the parent(s)/guardian(s) to assume the responsibility of payments and to promote self-responsibility of the student.
STUDENT ACCOUNTS
Any student whose school meal account has a zero or negative balance will be allowed to receive a school meal. This will result in a negative balance on the student’s account until funds are added to the student’s account. Parents may view student lunch accounts on Skyward Family Access. To set up a password for Family Access, contact Hilary Maneman at Willapa Valley Middle & High School (942-2006) or Mary Pollard at Willapa Elementary (942-3311).
EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTS
Employees who have a negative meal account balance will be allowed to continue to charge meals until the unpaid balance reaches $50. No further charges will be allowed until the balance is paid in full.
METHOD OF PAYMENT
The Willapa Valley School District will accept pre-payment of school meals in the form of cash, check, debit, or credit card. Meal payments may be submitted to the school office or to the district office. These personnel are in charge of meal payment:
Willapa Elementary: Mary Pollard
Willapa Valley Middle & High School: Hilary Maneman
Willapa Valley School District: Abby Konigsberger
NEGATIVE MEAL ACCOUNT BALANCES
The Collection Process
When a student account falls into a negative balance, these procedures will take place:
- When a zero or negative balance is reached, a verbal notice will be given to the student by the Food Services representative.
- At the end of each grading period of the school year, written reminders of negative meal payment balances will be mailed home to parents & guardians requesting immediate payment.
- After $50 of unpaid meal charges, parents/guardians shall be contacted directly by phone, email, or mail by a district representative requesting immediate payment or the establishment of a payment plan.
- When negative balances become excessive, (over $100), parents will be notified by certified mail.
Additional Steps:
- If a student with a negative meal account balance transfers from Willapa Valley High School, official transcripts may not be sent to the enrolling school until the account is paid in full.
- If a senior student’s account is not in good standing at the conclusion of their senior year, the administration may withhold issuance of final grades and/or transcripts until the balance is paid in full.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-
Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
- fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
