Meal Charge Policy
To review West Central’s Meal Charge Policy #710.4, please see below.
In accordance with state and federal law, the West Central Community School District adopts the following policy to ensure school district employees, families, and students have a shared understanding of expectations regarding meal charges. The policy seeks to allow students to receive the nutrition they need to stay focused during the school day, prevent the overt identification of students with insufficient funds to pay for school meals, and maintain the financial integrity of the nonprofit school nutrition program.
Payment of Meals
All meal purchases should be prepaid before meal service begins. Payments may be made to the office. Students who do not have sufficient funds shall not be allowed to charge ala carte items until additional money is deposited in the student account.
Students shall never be denied a reimbursable meal, even if they have accrued a negative balance from previous purchases.
Negative Account Balances
The school district will make reasonable efforts to notify families when meal account balances are low. Additionally, the school district will make reasonable efforts to collect unpaid meal charges classified as delinquent debt. The school district will coordinate communications with families to resolve the matter of unpaid charges. Families will be notified of an outstanding negative balance once the negative balance reaches $-1.00. Families will be notified by automated emailing system and/or letters sent home. Negative balances of more than $20.00, not paid prior to the end of the month, will be turned over to the superintendent or superintendent’s designee for collection. Options may include collection agencies, small claims courts, or any other legal method permitted by law.
Communication of the Policy
The policy and supporting information regarding meal charges shall be provided in writing to:
All households at or before the start of each school year.
Students and families who transfer into the district, at time of transfer; and
All staff responsible for enforcing any aspect of the policy.
Records of how and when the policy and supporting information was communicated to households and staff will be retained. The superintendent may develop an administrative process to implement this policy.
If this balance is a financial hardship, please call the office 563-637-2283 to make payment arrangements.