Regional School District 13

Regional School District 13 uses an on line electronic process for paying for school lunch called School Payment Portal. All transactions are immediately uploaded to the students account. There is NO more waiting for the foodservice director to upload the daily transactions. We use LunchTime point of sales software through the PowerSchool Student Information System to process all lunch transactions.

It’s quite a simple process. A parent/guardian shall deposit money into their child’s account. At the elementary schools each student is issued an ID badge. This badge has their photo and a student ID number that they will use at the point of sales when paying for their meals. Students will present their BADGE at the end of the lunch line, when they make their purchase. The cashier will scan their card and all their information comes up. The student is checked against their photo when they make their purchase and the cashier then verifies if that purchase meets all the necessary requirements to be a reimbursable meal, then it is recorded. 

The process is the same for the secondary schools but we also allow the students to key in their student ID number on a keypad at point sale. Students will access their account through the use of the keypad so that the cashier can verify their account. Students may still use cash to purchase their meals, however; pre-payment speeds the lunch lines and allows your child more time to eat.

1. You may set up an account through LunchTime School Payment Portal https://schoolpaymentportal.com/Default.aspx. You can pre-pay whatever amount you choose through your checking account, debit or credit card. If you are not sure of your child’s student ID number you can contact the food service director (Mark Basil) at mbasil@rsd13.org.

School Payment Portal Provides Parents
• The opportunity to make convenient credit and debit card payments. 
• No more lost money when sending cash or checks to school with their child.
• The ability to accurately review remaining balances and past transactions.
• Automated low balance email notifications (you can customize the settings for the “Low Balance Alert”), ensuring that lunch accounts are always filled.
• Minimum processing times.

2. You can send in a check or cash to the school cafeteria manager and they will enter it into your child’s account. Checks should be made payable to: Rsd13 Lunch Program. Please put your child’s name and grade on the check.

Can I view my child’s account balance?
-You can check your child’s account balance by logging onto your child’s account and clicking on “Transactions”. This will give you their daily cafeteria activity.              
-The “Low Balance Alert” will automatically send you an email notifying you of your balance.

- At the elementary schools, if your child’s account balance reaches zero, he/she will be allowed to extend their balance by (3) lunches or $10.50. These lunches will be charged against the students account.

- At the secondary schools,if your child’s account balance reaches zero, he/she will be allowed to extend their balance by (2) lunches or $7.00. These lunches will be charged against the students account.

- The School Food Service will inform students verbally when they have a low balance, or when they have begun charging.  A la carte menu items CANNOT be charged.

- Parents of elementary school students who charge will be notified by a email or by telephone that their child has received charged meals. The Middle School and High School student’s parents will receive an email notification.

- After the third charged meal, the School Food Service will provide an alternate meal.

- Alternate meals will be provided until all charged amounts, including full pricing for alternate meals, are paid.

- The Board reserves the option to discontinue alternate meals should payment not be forthcoming after two (2) week’s time.

- In the event of hardship situations, parents/guardians may contact the Board’s business office to discuss application’s for free or reduced price meals.

- The student’s ID card is NOT to be used as a CHARGE CARD.

Although not required by law, but due to its participation in the Child Nutrition Program, the Board approves the establishment of a system to permit students to charge a meal in certain situations. 

First, the Board recognizes that funds from the non-profit School Food Service account, according to federal regulations, cannot be used to cover the cost of charged meals that have not been paid.

Moreover, federal funds are intended to subsidize the meals of children, and these funds may not be used to subsidize meals for teachers, staff or visitors. Therefore, adults are not permitted to charge meals.

Charging is not encouraged by the Board, but on those occasions that a student does not have lunch money, she/he will be permitted to charge a standard Type-A meal or be offered an alternate meal.

An alternate meal is any meal that differs from the day’s advertised, reimbursable Type-A meal.  Examples of alternate meals include, but are not limited to, the following:
• A cheese sandwich, fresh fruit, vegetable cup and milk.

The cost for providing such alternate meals cannot be incurred by the School Food Service, and the charge for such alternate meals will be the same amount as the standard Type-A or reimbursable meal.

What if my child receives free or reduced price meals?
The computer system is confidentially coded indicating whether he/she receives free or reduced priced meals. If your child receives free meals, there is no charge to his/her account. Students who receive reduced priced meals must have money on their account or pay by cash/check. The cost of a reduced breakfast is .30 and lunch is .40 per day. At the elementary schools when your child comes through the lunch line, he/she simply gives his/her card to the cashier to scan and their lunch account pops up and the transaction is recorded.

At the secondary schools all package meals are applicable for your child. Free or reduce eligibility does not apply to any a la carte items. Those items need to be paid at the regular selling price. When your child comes through the serving line, he/she simply scans their ID card or keys in their student ID number into the keypad and their lunch account will pop up and the transaction is recorded. 

Do I need to use all my money in my child’s account this school year?
- No.  Any money left in your child’s account at the end of the school year will carry over to the next school year.

In order for this system to run smoothly and properly, it is imperative that money be in your child’s account.     

www.CTSummerMeals.org