Depositing Money Into Student Accounts
Families have the option of adding funds to their child's account online through LINQ Connect or with cash or check. Checks should be made payable to “West Shore Cafeteria Fund” and sent to school in an envelope with the student’s name, ID number, and the amount of the deposit written on the front. If checks are returned for insufficient funds by the bank, the student's account will be debited for $12, in addition to the amount of the original payment.
2023-2024 Meal Prices
All students will be eligible for a free breakfast each day in 2023-2024, regardless of their family's financial status. All students who qualify for reduced price lunch, will actually be eligible for a free lunch. Second breakfasts/lunches, incomplete meals, and a la carte items (ex. milk, juice cups, bottled water) will still need to be paid for at the advertised prices. A la carte and milk prices are determined based on "market" conditions and are subject to change throughout the school year as vendors increase the costs the District is required to pay.
Student Breakfast*
Elementary Breakfast - $2.00
Secondary Breakfast - $2.00
Reduced Price Breakfast - $0.30
Student Lunch*
Elementary Lunch - $3.25
Secondary Lunch - $3.35 and $3.70
Reduced Price Lunch - $0.40
Adult Meals
Adult Breakfast - $2.65
Adult Lunch - $4.73
*For schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision of the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs, paid price will be used for second student meals.
Negative Account Balance Procedures
State law prevents food service staff from telling students about negative balances, unless students ask. Automated emails informing parents of the low balance are usually made one time per week when the student’s balance drops below $5.00 and phone calls with emails are usually sent twice per week if the balance drops into the negative. While students with a negative balance will not be permitted to purchase a la carte items, the District will permit students to charge breakfast and lunch when their accounts have insufficient funds.
At no time will students without sufficient funds be denied a meal. A la carte items may only be purchased by students with money available in their account.
Parents/Guardians are responsible for all charges on their student’s account and are encouraged to frequently check the account balance to ensure adequate funds are available for their student(s) to purchase school breakfasts, lunches, and a la carte items.
If a student owes more than $10.00 on their account, a cafeteria staff member will attempt to make a courtesy call (or send a letter) to inform parents/guardians of the student’s negative meal account balance and request an immediate deposit to the account. If the negative balance exceeds $30.00, the building principal will contact the parents/guardians to discuss circumstances.
Collection of Outstanding Balances
If a student has a negative meal account balance at the close of the school year or following a transfer to another district, the meal account balance will be converted to a parent/guardian financial obligation. The financial obligation will remain the responsibility of the student’s parents/guardians until it is paid in full in compliance with Board Policy 808.
Requesting an Account Refund or Balance Transfer
Positive balances for underclassmen will be automatically carried over to the next school year. Refunds from student meal accounts are granted when a student graduates, leaves the District, or a special circumstance necessitates the refund.
Upon withdrawing from the District, students must bring their account to a zero balance. For students with a balance of more than $4.00 in his/her meal account, parents/guardians are asked to complete, sign, and submit the Meal Account Balance Refund or Transfer Request (available below) prior to June 20. Please note, after June 20, unclaimed account balances and meal accounts with balances of $4.00 or less will be anonymously donated to families in need of assistance with meal accounts.
Students receiving free and reduced-priced meals shall be treated under these same guidelines.
Parents/Guardians are responsible for all charges on their student’s account and are encouraged to frequently check the account balance to ensure adequate funds are available for their student(s) to purchase school breakfasts, lunches, and a la carte items.
Special Information for Graduating Seniors
Shortly after their final day of school, seniors will automatically receive a meal account refund request form if they have a positive account balance. Remaining funds may be transferred to younger students or (if greater than $4) refunded to the family. For graduates who do not return the refund form by June 20 and for those graduates with positive account balances $4 or under, the money will anonymously be donated to school meal accounts of those students with recognized economic challenges.