544 Policy: School Meals
544 Policy: School Meals
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that students receive healthy and nutritious meals through the school district’s nutrition program and that school district employees, families, and students have a shared understanding of expectations regarding meal charges. The policy of the school district is to provide meals to students in a respectful manner and to maintain the dignity of students by prohibiting lunch shaming or otherwise ostracizing the student. The policy seeks to allow students to receive the nutrition they need to stay focused during the school day as well as to maintain the financial integrity of the school nutrition program.
II. ACCESIBILITY
Meals provided by Osseo Area Schools through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program are available to all students regardless of family eligibility, meal account balance or available funds. All students attending school in person will have access to a free reimbursable breakfast and lunch meal during the school day as defined by the USDA.
III. MEAL SERVICE
A. One reimbursable breakfast and one lunch will be available daily free of charge to all students attending school in person, each school day that school is in session regardless of their account balance.
B. Alternative meals will not be given based upon a student’s balance.
C. A meal will not be taken from a student. Once a meal has been placed on a student’s tray or otherwise served to a student, the meal may not be subsequently withdrawn from the student by nutrition staff or other school officials unless for health and safety reasons.
D. A la carte items may be available for purchase outside of a reimbursable meal as defined by the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program. These items do require funds to be available in the meal account or with cash on hand. A la carte items, such as extra entrees, chips and beverages which fall outside of a reimbursable meal will be asked to be left at the cash register if a student has insufficient funds to purchase these extra items.
V. NEGATIVE BALANCES
A. Negative balance amounts are not communicated to students at point of service.
B. If a student inquires, Nutrition staff will discreetly provide meal balance information.
C. Families will be notified weekly via the communication preferences the family has set up with the school district.
D. The school district will make reasonable efforts to communicate with families to resolve the matter of unpaid charges.
E. Reminders for payment of outstanding student meal balances will not demean or stigmatize any student participating in the school lunch program, including, but not limited to, dumping meals, withdrawing a meal that has been served, announcing, or listing students’ names publicly, or affixing stickers, stamps, or pins.
F. The school district will make reasonable efforts to collect unpaid meal charges classified as delinquent debt. Unpaid meal charges are designated as delinquent debt when an account is negative, the debt is considered collectable, and efforts are being made to collect it.
G. Collection options may include, but are not limited to, use of collection agencies, claims in the conciliation court, or any other legal method permitted by law.
H. The school district will not impose any other restriction prohibited under Minnesota Statues section 123B.37 (Minnesota Public School Fee Law) due to unpaid family meal balances. The school district will not limit a students’ participation in any school activities including graduation ceremonies and access to materials and technology.
VI. COMMUNICATION OF POLICY
The school district will post this policy on the school district’s website.
Revisions
Revised: 11/21/2023
Adopted: 01/24/2023
Legal References:
Minn. Stat. § 124D.111 (School Meals Policies)
Minn. Stat. § 124B.34 et seq. (Public School Fee Law)