8550 OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVICES CHARGES
The Board of Education understands a student may forget to bring breakfast or lunch, as applicable, or money to purchase breakfast or lunch to school on a school day. When this happens, the food service program will provide the student with breakfast or lunch with an expectation payment will be made the next school day or shortly thereafter. However, there may be circumstances when payment is not made and a student’s school breakfast/lunch bill is in arrears. The school district will manage a student’s breakfast or lunch bill that is in arrears in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:33-21 and this Policy.
In the event a student’s school lunch or breakfast bill is in arrears, the Principal or designee shall contact the student’s parent to provide notice of the amount in arrears and shall provide the parent a period of ten school days to pay the full amount due. If the student’s parent does not make full payment to the Principal or designee by the end of the ten school days, the Principal or designee shall again contact the student’s parent to provide a second notice that their child’s lunch or breakfast bill is in arrears. If payment in full is not made within one week from the date of the second notice, the student will be provided a basic lunch that will contain the essentials in balanced nutritional selections as prescribed by the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs, New Jersey Department of Agriculture beginning the eighth calendar day from the date of the second notice.
A parent who has received a second notice their child’s lunch or breakfast bill is in arrears and who has not made payment in full within one week from the date of the second notice will be requested to meet with the Principal or designee to discuss and resolve the matter. In the event the parent refuses to meet with the Principal or designee or is unable to resolve the matter, the Principal or designee will report the parent’s failure to provide breakfast or lunch, as applicable, for the child, to the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Division of Child Protection and Permanency.
A parent’s refusal to meet or take other steps to resolve the matter may be indicative of more serious issues in the family or household. In these situations, the Principal or designee shall consult with and seek necessary services from both the County Board of Social Services and the Department of Children and Families, Division of Child Protection and Permanency, as appropriate.
When a parent’s routine failure to provide breakfast or lunch is reasonably suspected to be indicative of child abuse or neglect, the Principal or designee shall immediately report such suspicion to the Department of Children and Families, Division of Child Protection and Permanency as required in N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10. Such reporting shall not be delayed to accommodate a parent’s meeting with the Principal or designee.
The provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:33-21 and this Policy will be made available to parents of all children in the school district in a manner as determined by the Superintendent.
N.J.S.A. 18A:33-21
Adopted: 19 November 2015
Revised : 12 May 2016