Charge Policy
Purpose:
It is the goal of TCSD1 to provide nourishing meals to our students to serve as fuel for their learning in the classroom. However, the Food Services/Nutrition Department operates as a self-funded entity like any other business. Unpaid meal charges place a large financial burden on the district.
The intent of this policy is:
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To be transparent with our families on the districts procedures for handling unpaid meal charges
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To establish parent/guardian responsibility of meal payment and charges
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To outline the action the district will take to implement and enforce the policy and collect outstanding debts.
Teton County School District 1 allows all students to eat breakfast and lunch regardless of their meal balance. It is our goal to provide full and nutritious meals in accordance with USDA guidelines for all students. Please also review on our Food Services website page “What is considered a meal?” to help better understand what a full compliant meal is as we are obligated to ensure a full meal is selected for Free/Reduced students without charging a la carte pricing.
Charges To Accounts Students:
Free and Reduced applications are available online at myschoolapps.com or in any school office. Students who qualify for free meals will not be charged for full meals. Those that qualify for Reduced meals will be charged a Reduced rate of $0.30 cents for breakfast and $0.40 cents for lunch. Those that did not qualify or complete an application for free/reduced meals are considered “paid” status and will be charged our set meal prices posted on our website annually. Households will be responsible for any negative balance that accrued prior to qualifying for Free/Reduced.
A La Carte/Snacks/Seconds Charges:
Considered any item sold individually and not as a whole reimbursable meal. Snacks such as chips, granola bars, and non milk beverages are also considered A La Carte. “Seconds” are considered when a student comes a second time through the line to select a second helping of an entree or full meal at a charge of $2.00. These charges are also considered A La Carte. All A La Carte items can only be purchased with cash or adequate balances on students' meal accounts. All A la carte items will not be allowed for purchase on negative balances.
Charges To Accounts Faculty/Staff:
All faculty/staff will need Mosaic lunch accounts setup and must have positive meal balances in order to purchase a meal or a la carte items. No transactions will be allowed on negative balances for all faculty/staff. Please ensure that your account has a positive meal balance prior to selecting any food or beverage from the food service kitchens.
For questions/assistance with meal accounts regarding the following:
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Balance Transfers-Moving funding to another account
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Refunds
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Transaction history inquiries-Questions about charges on student accounts
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Students attempting to buy food for friends- Not allowed this year without permission in written communication from parents/guardians via email.
Please email Danny Reed-Food Service Director at dreed@tcsd.org or call at 307-732-3757
Unpaid Negative Balances
When a balance becomes negative:
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The Food Service Director will communicate with families of negative balances of $-15.00 or higher via email and or phone.
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Email reminders will be sent on Fridays each week through our point of sale system, MOSAIC.
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Automated Text will be sent at the end of each month on a Friday or last day prior to Holiday breaks.
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Negative Balances will carry over each year until addressed
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Graduating Students are required to have no negative balances in order to graduate their senior year. This is part of an official check out process set up at the end of each school year between administration and departments such as food services.
Negative Meal Balance Assistance
The district understands that families can incur circumstances outside of their control typically adding financial difficulties to the home. We are here to assist with these various situations that impact both families and students.
In these situations/circumstances:
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We encourage families/parent(s)/Guardian(s) to fill out and complete a Free and Reduced Application. Online application here or paper form download here or applications can be found at each of our schools.
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Apply through, FEEDING THE WHOLE, a program setup through the Fund For Public Education for families needing assistance who would not otherwise qualify for the Federal Free/Reduced program. You can click on this link here to access the application. It's fast, easy, and only viewed/approved by the Food Service Director.
Non-Discrimination Statement
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.