By Amy Batista, Special Writer
The East Windsor Regional Board of Education unanimously approved a second reading of a new outstanding food service charges policy which could lead a parent or guardian to being reported to the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.
Interim Superintendent of Schools Thomas Gialanella said, “I think the board reviewed these in some detail last month.”
The food service charges policy states that the Board of Education understands a student may forget to bring breakfast or lunch or money to purchase breakfast or lunch to school on a school day.
“When this happens, the food service manager will provide the student breakfast or lunch with an expectation of payment to be made the next school day or shortly thereafter, and will provide the pupil with documentation indicating the date the lunch was provided and the amount of money owed,” the policy states.
The pupil and/or parent or guardian will be required to pay the school’s cafeteria manager or head cook the charged amount in cash or check made payable to the East Windsor Regional School District Food Service Program within 10 school days of the charge.
If the student’s parent or guardian does not make the full payment to the food service manager by the end of the 10 school days, the food service manager will again contact the student’s parent or guardian with a second notice that his/her child’s lunch or breakfast bill is in arrears.
If the 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 of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture beginning the eighth day calendar day from the second notice, according to the policy.
A parent who has received a second notice his/her 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 other 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 for the child to the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, according to the policy.
For additional information on the policy, visit the school district website at www.eastwindsorregionalschools.com.
