The school district will operate a school lunch and breakfast program in each attendance center. The school food program services will include hot lunches through participation in the National School Lunch Program and supplementary foods for students during the school day. Students may bring their lunches from home and purchase milk or juice and other incidental items.

School food service facilities are provided to serve students and employees when school is in session and during school-related activities. They may also be used under the supervision of the building principal for food service to employee groups, parent-teacher meetings, civic organizations meeting for the purpose of better understanding the schools, and senior citizens in accordance with board policy.

The school food program is operated on a nonprofit basis. The revenues of the school food program will be used only for paying the regular operating costs of the school food program. Supplies of the school food program will only be used for the school food program.

The board will set, and periodically review, the prices for school lunches, breakfast and special milk programs. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation regarding the prices of school lunch, breakfast and milk.

It is the responsibility of business manager to administer the program and to cooperate with the superintendent and head cook for the proper functioning of the school food program.

 

Legal Reference:
42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
7 C.F.R. Pt. 210 et seq.
Iowa Code ch. 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference:
710.2 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
710.3 Vending Machines
710.4 Meal Charge Policy
905 Use of School District Facilities and Equipment

Approved: 04/11/22        Reviewed: 03/21/22             Revised: 07/21/14

 

Students enrolled and attending school in the school district, who are unable to afford the special milk program, the cost or a portion of the cost of the school lunch, breakfast and supplemental foods, will be provided the school food program services at no cost or at a reduced cost.

It is the responsibility of the district meal application validator to determine if a student qualifies for free or reduced cost school food services. Students, whom the principal believes are improperly nourished, will not be denied the school food program services simply because the paperwork has not been completed.

Employees, students and others will be required to purchase tickets for meals consumed. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for implementing this policy.

 

Legal Reference:
2 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq..
7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq..
Iowa Code § 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference:
710.1 School Nutrition Program
710.3 Vending Machines
710.4 Meal Charge Policy

Approved: 04/11/22        Reviewed: 03/21/22        Revised: 07/21/14

 

Food served or purchased by students during the school day and food served or purchased for other than special circumstances is approved by the superintendent. Vending machines in the school building are the responsibility of the building principal. Purchases from the vending machines, other than juice machines, will not be made during the lunch periods.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for the use of vending machines and other sales of food to students.

 

Legal Reference:
42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
7 C.F.R. Pt. 210 et seq.
Iowa Code ch. 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference:
504.5 Student Fund Raising
710 School Food Services

Approved: 04/11/22        Reviewed: 03/21/22            Revised: 07/21/14

 

The Colo-NESCO Community School District Food Service department is a self-operating and self-sustaining program.  In order to maintain financial stability and equality for all lunch paying students I the school district, this policy regarding lunch accounts will be followed.  The State of Iowa Nutrition Program recommends that negative balances are not acceptable; however, a general fund subsidy for negative balances could be appropriate.  The Board of Education desires the Colo-NESCO Community School District Food Service department to be self-supporting and therefore discourages general fun subsidies.

Breakfast and Lunch Policy – Staff & Grades Pre-K-Twelfth Grade
Adults will not be allowed to charge any meals or ala carte items.  Adults must have cash or money in their account to make a purchase.

Students will be reminded by the cashier when their account balance falls below $5.00.

Adults/Parents/Guardians are encouraged to maintain a positive account balance.  We encourage parents/guardians to use the online payment system.

Upon the first negative balance of any amount incurred, the building secretary/food service secretary will contact the parent/guardian by phone, email, or a written notice indicating to the parent/guardian the balance owed.  This will be done at a minimum of once weekly.

If a negative balance of $40.00 or greater is reached, a letter will be sent home from the building secretary/food service secretary to the parent/guardian stating that his/her child has a negative balance and that options are to make payment arrangements or have the child bring a sack lunch to school.  

If payment is still not made after reaching $80.00, the parent will be sent a certified letter from the business office stating that payment must be made immediately

A contact from the building secretary/food service secretary will continue to be made weekly for any negative balances.  

The Superintendent and/or building Principal may call any families with negative balances totaling $100.00 or more. Families that reach a negative balance of $200.00 or more may be turned over to collections.

Please note that money needs to be available in a child’s lunch account in order for extra meals, extra/snack milks, or ala carte items to be purchased. This applies to all students, including students from families participating in the free and reduced program.

Negative balances will be carried over to the following school year.  These negative balances must be paid in full prior to school starting as part of the school registration process. The school district and the Food Service department reserve the right to take any other reasonable action, including legal action, to collect the balance due in any student’s account.

 

Legal Reference:
42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq.
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., Sp 46-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies (2016).
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., Sp 47-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Clarification on Collection of Delinquent Meal Payments (2016).
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., Sp 57-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&A (2016).
Iowa Code 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference:
710.1 School Food Program
710.2 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
710.3 Vending Machine

Approved: 02/20/23        Reviewed: 02/20/23          Revised 02/20/23     

 

The Colo-NESCO School District accepts donations for negative student meal accounts.  If an individual or organization wishes to make payment for negative lunch accounts, the check should be made out to Colo-NESCO School District with negative lunch balances cited in the memo area of the check.  If the District receives a check with the instructions to apply payment to a specific student(s) account, the District will follow the guidance in the instructions.

All other donations will be equally pro-rated across all student accounts exceeding the negative -$20.00 policy in the following order:  accounts of students who qualify for free lunches, accounts of students who qualify for reduced lunches, all remaining funds will be prorated across all remaining meal accounts with a balance over -$20.00.

If donations are received and there is not a negative balance in food service lunches, the funds will be held and applied monthly per policy guidelines.

 

Approved: 03/18/23        Reviewed:       Revised