School Meal Charge Policy
REMINDER: Students are not allowed to charge meals in the school cafeteria if a meal purchase would result in a negative balance on their account. Parents--please make sure there is enough money in your student's account to cover school meals during the month of May.
Gardner Edgerton Food Service Department Meal Account Management Guidelines
Families are expected to provide money for each student’s meal account on a regular and consistent basis. Students should bring money to be deposited on their meal accounts to the school cafeteria during breakfast service.
Gardner Edgerton High School (Grades 9-12)
Remind student’s daily of their account balance. Students whose account has reached $0.00 will not be allowed to purchase meals unless they deposit money in their account or pay for the meal with cash.
Pioneer Ridge and Wheatridge Middle Schools (Grades 5-8)
Students are reminded daily of their account balance. Students may also choose to get a hand stamp to help remind them to bring lunch money. Parents should be notified by telephone or voice mail when the account falls below $0.00.
Students with a negative balance will not be allowed to purchase any ala carte items, including milk to go with a sack lunch from home.
Students with a balance between $0.00 and -$2.50 will be allowed to continue to purchase a reimbursable meal (no doubles, seconds, extra milk or ala carte items) unless the purchase would cause the account to exceed -$2.50 (the school's negative limit).
Elementary Schools (Grades K-4)
Students and parents will be informed of account balances through reminders sent home with the student when the account balance reaches $5.00. Parents should be notified by telephone or voice mail when the account falls below $0.00
Students with a negative balance will not be allowed to purchase any ala carte items, including extra milk or milk to go with a sack lunch from home
Students with a negative balance no greater than -$5.00 will be allowed to continue to purchase a reimbursable meal (no doubles, seconds or extra milk), unless the purchase would cause the account to exceed -$5.00 (the school's negative limit).
Policies that apply at all School Buildings
How to pay for student meals. The Gardner Edgerton Food Service department accepts cash, checks or online credit card payments (MasterCard, VISA and Discover only) for student meals.
Insufficient Funds. Account balances will be reduced by the amount of any check returned by the bank due to insufficient funds or account closed. Cash must be deposited in the student's account in the kitchen office for the amount of the insufficient funds check before any more checks will be accepted.
What happens when a student's account balance exceeds the school's negative limit? When a student's account balance reaches the school's negative limit, Food Service will provide a meal consisting of a peanut butter & jelly sandwich or cheese sandwich and a serving of fruit or vegetable and white milk for lunch. At breakfast, a meal consisting of cereal and milk will be provided.
After three peanut butter & jelly meals, every effort will be made to contact the parent and inform him or her of the situation.
Should a child receive a peanut butter & jelly sandwich or cheese sandwich meal for five consecutive days (as a result of non-compliance with the above-state policy), Social Services would be notified of the situation.
Charging meals during the last month of the school year. Charges will not be allowed during the month of May at any school. Students must have money in their account to purchase a school lunch or ala carte items. If the student does not have money in their account, he or she will be given a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, fruit or vegetable and white milk at lunch, or cereal and milk for breakfast, for no more than five days. As a result of non-compliance, Social Services would be notified of the situation.