8505 Charging School Meals

The Central Islip Board of Education recognizes that, on occasion, students may forget to bring meal money to school.  To ensure that students do not go hungry, but also to promote responsible student behavior and to minimize the fiscal burden on the district, all district schools shall follow guidelines with regard to meal charges.

• All children will be fed meals at all times.  No child will have a reduced meal or difference in quality from the regular meal offerings for any reason.
• When 5 meals per student are charged:
• Any change due to the student from future purchases will be first applied to reduce the owed meal charges.
• After 5 meals are charged, the student/parent will receive a reminder note to go home in his or her backpack.
• If the student continues to abuse the charge policy and not bring in his or her Free and Reduced application, a phone call to the parents from the Principal’s office will be made.
• If the student still continues to abuse the charge policy, a formal letter will go home to the Parent(s) indicating the issue and the amount owed. A request for the parent to come to the school to discuss this issue may also occur at this time.
• No snacks may be charged.

This policy applies to all paying students whether they are paying full-price or reduced-price. 

The school district shall send a letter home to all parents on an annual basis, prior to the opening day of school, notifying them of the requirements of this policy.

All schools shall maintain a system for accounting for charged meals that follows state guidelines.

All families may apply for Free or Reduced Lunch eligibility any time during the school year.  Applications are available at each school and on the district web site www.centralislip.k12.ny.us

Adoption date: March 14, 2011

8505 Charging School Meals

Reference:
Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1771 et seq.
National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C., §1715 et seq.
Guidance Document, State Education Department, Child Nutrition Program; “Establishing a Meal Charge Policy”, August 2005