Students not denied lunch when account is “in the hole”
February 28th, 2008Even when Sibley East students do not have any money in their school lunch account, they are still given lunch to eat.
Lindsey Stumm, food service clerical staff at Sibley East Schools, explained that students are notified when the lunch account drops below the $5 mark.
Students at both campuses punch in the lunch account number for it to be charged. Stumm explained that the student’s name and picture come up. If the wrong number is entered, it can be cancelled and re-entered. If a student forgets the lunch account number, Stumm and Kathy Ringo, school lunch cashier/supervisor at the Gaylord campus, have the master lists.
“Elementary students get a print out every day (if the lunch account is low). Junior High and Senior High school students are told.
Parents are mailed a letter when the lunch account balance is $4-$5 “in the hole.” If there is still no response, then the parents are sent the “peanut butter notice.” This notifies the parents that starting on a certain date, their child will receive a peanut butter sandwich and milk at no charge.
“This is not a frequent event,” Stumm said, about the students receiving a peanut butter sandwich and milk.
Kathy Ringo, school lunch clerk at the Gaylord campus, added that “she could count on one hand” how many times that has occurred at the Gaylord campus.
When parents are sent the notices that money is needed in the lunch account, Sibley East also provides information about applications for free and reduced school lunch.
Elementary lunch is $1.75/meal, while lunch for Junior High and Senior High students costs $1.85/meal. Those who qualify for reduced lunch pay 40¢ per meal.
Sibley East is reimbursed through the National School Lunch program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For paid lunch, the school district is reimbursed 23¢/lunch. The school is reimbursed $2.07/lunch for the reduced price lunch, while the district is reduced $2.47/lunch for free lunch.
The school district also receives an additional 12¢/meal from the state.
Schools that serve more than 60% free and reduced price lunches receive an additional stipend.
Breakfast is also served at schools from 7:45 - 8:10 a.m. Breakfast costs $1.50 daily for any student. There is no charge to students qualifying for free or reduced meals. Federal reimbursement for the school breakfast program are 24¢ for paid lunch, $1.05/meal for reduced-price breakfast, and $1.35/meal for free breakfast.
Sites that served more than 40% free and reduced-price breakfasts in 2005-06 receive $1.31 for a reduced-price breakfast and $1.61 for a free breakfast.
According to Stumm, Sibley East Elementary and High School in Arlington serve about 450 lunches per day. At Arlington Elementary, 210 are paid by the families, 47 qualify for free lunch, and 37 qualify for reduced lunch. At the Senior High School, there are 227 that are paid by the families, 39 free, and 32 reduced.
Sibley East’s Gaylord campus usually serves about 667 lunches. At Gaylord Elementary, 173 are paid by the families, 143 qualify for free, and 37 for reduced. At the Junior High, 192 are paid, while 65 qualify for free and 33 for reduced.
For the school year ended June 30, 2007, expenses exceeded revenues in Sibley East’s Food Service Fund. Expenses totaled $515,852, while revenue totaled $510,933. The food service fund balance was reduced from $16,354 to $11,435 as of June 30, 2007.
