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.

How do I pre-pay for meals or milk?  Cómo pago por adelantado las comidas o la leche?  Spanish Handbook

   There are two ways to put money into your child’s account: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.

What happens if my child doesn’t have money on his/her account and wants to buy lunch?
The food service procedure regarding meal charging is as follows;

Charging Meals; The District uses an automated prepayment system for student meal accounts.  Students whose accounts have insufficient funds, and who do not bring a meal or other funds to school to pay for meals, may charge meals to their meal accounts.  Students will be informed of their right to purchase a meal, which excludes a la carte items, for any school breakfast, lunch or other meal offered by the District, even if the student’s account has insufficient funds.

The Board prohibits publicly identifying or shaming a student for any unpaid meal charges, including, but not limited to, the following:

• • Delaying or refusing to serve a meal to such student;

  • Designating a specific meal option for the student; or

  • Otherwise taking any disciplinary action against the student.

Collection of Unpaid Meal Charges

The District’s efforts to recover from households money owed due to the charging of meals must not have a negative impact on the children involved and shall focus primarily on the adults in the household responsible for providing funds for meal purchases. The District shall consider whether the benefits of potential collections outweigh the costs that would be incurred to achieve those collections.

For purposes of this policy, “delinquent debt” means unpaid meal charges. 

The District will contact the parents/guardians of students who charge meals to their meal accounts in order for the District to collect the delinquent debt. The first such communication will be a written communication, by mail or e-mail, after 3 meal(s) have been charged. Subsequent written and verbal communications with parents/guardians concerning delinquent debt may be made by the district business office or designee, as may be necessary and appropriate.  All communications regarding unpaid meal charges shall be made directly and discreetly to parents/guardians.  Written communications with parents/guardians regarding collection of a student’s unpaid meal charges shall include an application for free or reduced price meals, information on local food pantries and the Connecticut Department of Social Services’ supplemental nutrition assistance program, and a link to the Town’s website that lists any community services available to Town residents. 

In the event a student’s unpaid meal charges are equal to or more than the cost of thirty (30) meals, the parents/guardians of such student will be referred to the District’s homeless education liaison.

The Board shall comply with applicable federal and state laws and other federal or state requirements concerning the collection of unpaid meal charges including but not limited to requirements relating to delinquent debt and “bad debt,” as defined by federal law, and record-keeping relating thereto.  The Board may accept gifts, donations or grants from any public or private sources for the purpose of paying off any unpaid charges for school lunches, breakfasts or other such feeding.

• • 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. 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.