Food Service Financial Policy

The purpose of this policy is to communicate how the district will handle the fiscal obligations for students who have an outstanding balance, or who have a credit on their account (pre-paid meals).

Almont Community Schools in accordance with the Wellness Plan and the School Meal Policy will provide students a standard meal which meets the requirements of the USDA and FNS standards. Parents are given the opportunity to pre-pay for meals by sending in a check/money order or cash with the express intention to deposit these funds on the students account in advance of the student consuming school provided meals or foods.

Almont Community Schools offers an online funding option through Send Money To School. Prepaid meal accounts can be used by students to purchase the standard meal, or any other combination of foods available in the cafeteria including Ala Carte items.

Any student who has not qualified for free or reduced lunch and who has a credit on their account that exceeds $25 will receive a check from Almont Community Schools once the student has either graduated or completed the checkout procedure. Almont Community Schools will cut this reimbursement check within 30 days of the business office being notified that the individual is no longer an Almont Community School student.

Any student who has not qualified for free or reduced lunch and who has a credit on their account between $5-and $24.99 will be required to request a refund at the time of check out or graduation. It is understood that if the request is not received by the business office within 30 days of the separation event the family is choosing to donate these funds to the food service program. Donated Funds from families will be used to offset student balances in the following order:

1. Students who qualified for reduced lunch but have a balance on their food service account

2. Inactive Students who have a balance on their account

3. Active Students who have a balance for standard meals on their account

Any student who has not qualified for free or reduced lunch and who has a credit on the account of less than $5.00 will automatically donate the funds to the food service program.

Students who have a balance on their account, exceeding $20.00, will be subject to the Meal Charging Policy which prohibits the participation of the student in fee based extracurricular activities until payment arrangements are made or the balance is paid in full.

Students who separate from the district who do not clear up their food service balances by the end of that calendar year will be transferred to the general fund and will be subject to collection policies as determined by the district, including turning the account over to a collection agency.

Almont School District prohibits negative balance for adult meals.