School begins new debit-card lunch payment system.
By: Josh Appelbaum
Cranbury School students have a new way to get and pay for lunch.
On March 28, the school implemented a new swipe card, debit-based system for the estimated 600 students who buy lunch throughout the year. Students can still use cold hard cash, too.
The computer and card system, designed and marketed by CC Productions of Hoboken, allows parents to deposit money in their child’s account to buy lunch, according to School Business Administrator Brian DeLucia.
The card system would allow parents to track spending and see what their children are buying, Mr. DeLucia said at the March 29 Board of Education meeting. The system cost $7,000 for equipment and setup.
Chief School Administrator Carol Malouf said the card system will help the district flag foods students may be allergic to.
"It helps us with medical alerts, especially in the younger grades with students with peanut allergies or lactose (intolerance)," Ms. Malouf said.
Both staff and students are adjusting to using the cards.
Nearly all of the 225 students who buy school lunch started using the card system following spring break, said Debbie Phillips, food service manager. She said students and staff have responded well to the new system, although she admits there are a few snags.
"It’s taking us a bit longer to swipe the cards and ring them up (than using cash alone)," Ms. Phillips said.
At the beginning of one lunch period Monday, a throng of more than 20 hungry students descended upon the racks that hold about 600 of the cards. The cards are filed according to grade, and have the student’s picture on the front. That picture pops up on the cashier’s computer so workers can verify each student’s identity.
Cards are kept in the cafeteria to ensure they aren’t lost. If they are, cafeteria staff said, students can usually access their accounts using their last names, as the staff does.
Seventh-grader Carly O’Brien said the card system is working well.
"It’s faster and a little easier," Carly said. "It’s just as quick as cash."
But sixth-grader Clayton Spann said he’s experienced some delays in receiving his card.
"I haven’t gotten my card yet," Clayton said. "Last week I spent 18 minutes trying to get lunch and then I had to stay late to finish lunch. I’m going to try to use my last name (today)."
Bridget Lundquist, a teacher and lunch duty aide, doesn’t expect the cards to greatly speed lunch lines, but said it is probably good for parents and the school lunch program.
"It’s a good accounting system," Ms Lundquist said. "Parents will also be able to see what they are buying."
Mr. DeLucia said on March 28 that the school had accounted for the number of lunches it sold by counting the amount of money it had taken in each day. He said the new card system will employ a more rigid, cost effective system.
"Under the old system, if we collected 500 dollars bills, we’d say, ‘OK, we sold 250 lunches,’ " he said in March.

