The school district will operate a school nutrition program in each attendance center. The school nutrition program will include meals through participation in the National School Lunch Program. Students may bring their lunches from home and purchase milk and other incidental items.

School nutrition program facilities are provided to serve students and employees when school is in session and during school-related activities. They may also be used under the supervision of the food service director for food service to employee groups, parent-teacher meetings, civic organizations meeting for the purpose of better understanding the schools, and senior citizens in accordance with law and board policy.

The school nutrition program is operated on a nonprofit basis. The revenues of the school nutrition program will be used only for the operation or improvement of such programs. Supplies of the school nutrition program will only be used for the school nutrition program.

The board will set, and annually review, the prices for school nutrition programs.  It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation regarding the prices of school nutrition programs, in accordance with federal and state law.

It is the responsibility of the food service director to administer the program and to cooperate with the superintendent and appropriate personnel for the proper functioning of the school nutrition program.

The district shall comply with all federal and state laws and regulations required for procurement, including the selection and evaluation of contractors. The superintendent or designee is responsible for developing an administrative process to implement this policy, including, but not limited to, procedures related to suspension and debarment for transactions subject to those requirements.

Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
                                        7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq.
                                         Iowa Code . 283A.
                                         281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference: 710.2 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
                                         710.3 Vending Machines
                                         710.4 Meal Charge Policy
                                         

Initially Approved 03-08-1999                              
Last Reviewed 10-25-2023                                   
Last Revision    10-25-2023

SCHOOL FOOD PROGRAM – SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

USDA Child Nutrition Programs in Iowa

Procedures for Handling a Civil Rights Complaint

1. Civil rights complaints related to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Afterschool Care Snack Program, Summer Food Service Program, Seamless Summer Option, or Child and Adult Care Food Program are written or verbal allegations of discrimination based on USDA protected classes of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability. 
2. Any person claiming discrimination has a right to file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. See below for additional Iowa Civil Rights information. A civil rights complaint based on the protected classes listed in #1 above must be forwarded to the address on the nondiscrimination statement. 
3. All complaints, whether written or verbal, must be accepted by the School Food Authority (SFA)/Sponsor/Organization and forwarded to USDA at the address or link on the nondiscrimination statement within 5 calendar days of receipt. An anonymous complaint should be handled the same way as any other. Complaint forms may be developed, but their use cannot be required. If the complainant makes the allegations verbally or in a telephone conversation and is reluctant or refuses to put them in writing, the person who handles the complaint must document the description of the complaint. 
4. There must be enough information to identify the agency or individual toward which the complaint is directed and indicate the possibility of a violation. Every effort should be made to obtain at least the following information: 
   
   • Name, address and telephone number or other means of contacting the complainant;
   • The specific location and name of the organization delivering the program service or benefit;
   • The nature of the incident(s) or action(s) that led the complainant to feel there was discrimination;
   • The basis on which the complainant feels discrimination occurred (race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability);
   • The names, titles, and addresses of people who may have knowledge of the discriminatory action(s); and
   • The date(s) when the alleged discriminatory action(s) occurred or, if continuing, the duration of such action(s).
5. USDA is the cognizant agency for the Child Nutrition Programs listed and therefore is the first contact for the six protected classes listed in #1 above, for complaints received within 180 days. Civil rights complaints must be submitted to the USDA Office of Civil Rights within five calendar days of receipt and no later than 180 days of the discriminatory act. The link for submission of a complaint is: program.intake@usda.gov 
6. In Iowa, protected classes also include sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or creed and complaints can be filed up to 300 days of occurrence. The address for Iowa complaints is: Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Grimes State Office building, 400 E. 14th St. Des Moines, IA 50319- 1004; phone number 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; website: https://icrc.iowa.gov/.

Bureau of Nutrition and Health, IDOE, 12/2021

Legal Reference:            42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
                                       Iowa Code . 283A.
                                      281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference:            710.2 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
                                      710.3 Vending Machines
                                      710.4 Meal Charge Policy

Initially Approved 10-26-2022                              
Last Reviewed 10-25-2023                               
Last Revision                   

Students enrolled and attending school in the school district who meet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) eligibility guidelines will be provided the school nutrition program services at no cost or at a reduced price. The school district shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced price meals.

The district shall at least twice annually notify all families of the availability, eligibility criteria, and application procedures for free or reduced price meals in accordance with state and federal law.

It is the responsibility of the food service director to determine the eligibility of students for free or reduced price school nutrition programs, in accordance with criteria established by state and federal law. If school personnel have knowledge of a student who is in need of free or reduced-price meals, school personnel shall contact the food service director.

If a student owes money for five or more meals, the food service director may contact the student’s parent or guardian to provide information regarding the application for free or reduced price meals.  The school is encouraged to provide reimbursable meals to students who request reimbursable meals unless the students’ parent or guardian has specifically provided written direction to the school to withhold a meal from the student. 

Employees, students not qualified for free meals and others will be required to pay for meals consumed.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for implementing this policy.

Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
                                      7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq.
                                      Iowa Code §. 283A.
                                      281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference: 710.1   School Nutrition Program
                                      710.3   Vending Machines
                                      710.4   Meal Charge Policy

Initially Approved 03-08-1999                              
Last Reviewed 10-25-2023                                   
Last Revision    12-12-2018  

Food served or purchased by students during the school day and food served or purchased for other than special circumstances is approved by the superintendent.  Vending machines in the school building are the responsibility of the building principal.  Purchases from the vending machines, will reflect the guidelines in the Wellness policy 507.9.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent and/or food service director to develop administrative regulations for the use of vending machines and other sales of food to students.

Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq. 
                                      7 C.F.R. Pt. 210 et seq. 
                                      Iowa Code ch. 283A 
                                      281 I.A.C. 58.

Cross Reference: 504.5   Student Fund Raising
                                      710.1    School Food Program
                                      710.2     Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
                                      710.4     Meal Charges

Initially Approved 03-08-1999                              
Last Reviewed 10-25-2023                                   
Last Revision   11-13-2019

In accordance with state and federal law, the Clarinda Community School District adopts the following policy to ensure school district employees, families, and students have a shared understanding of expectations regarding meal charges. The policy seeks to allow students to receive the nutrition they need to stay focused during the school day, prevent the overt identification of students with insufficient funds to pay for school meals, and maintain the financial integrity of the nonprofit school nutrition program.

Families are encouraged to apply for free or reduced meals anytime during the school year.  Applications are available at all school offices or at the district website.  Free and reduced applications are confidential.

Payment of Meals
All meal purchases are prepaid before meal service begins.  Payment can be made at any school administrative office (PK-6, 7-12 buildings), the district administrative office, or online through the district data management system.  Families are responsible for ensuring there are sufficient funds for their children to receive meals.  Families that have a financial hardship can apply for free or reduced meals at any time. Students shall never be denied a reimbursable meal, even if they have accrued a negative balance.  At the discretion of the superintendent, students with meal charges that have been sent to collection shall be allowed to purchase a meal.

Negative Account Balances
The school district will make reasonable efforts to notify families when meal account balances are low.  Additionally, the school district will make reasonable efforts to collect unpaid meal charges classified as delinquent debt. The school district will coordinate communications with families to resolve the matter of unpaid charges. Families will be notified when the account does not have sufficient funds to provide meal services for a week.  The district may notify families of delinquent debt by email, letter, phone, and text messaging as possible.  Negative balances that exceed the value of one week of meals and not paid within two weeks will be turned over to the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee for collection.  Failure to make payment to the district may result in use of additional collection options, such as collection agencies, small claims court, or any other legal methods permitted by law. 

Unpaid Student Meals Account
The district will establish an unpaid student meals account in a school nutrition fund.  Funds from private sources and funds from the district flexibility account may be deposited into the unpaid school meals account in accordance with law.  Funds deposited into this account shall be used only to pay individual student meal debt.

Employee Meal Account
Employees may use a meal account, but may not charge against this account. An employee shall not be allowed to charge meals or ala carte items.

Communication of the Policy
The policy and supporting information regarding meal charges shall be provided in writing to:

• All households at or before the start of each school year;
• Students and families who transfer into the district, at the time of transfer; and
• All staff is responsible for enforcing any aspect of the policy. 

Records of how and when the policy and supporting information was communicated to households and staff will be retained.  The superintendent may develop an administrative process to implement this policy.

Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
                                       7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq.
                                       U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 46-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies (2016).
                                       U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 47-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Clarification on Collection of Delinquent Meal Payments (2016).
                                       U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 57-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&A (2016).  
                                       Iowa Code 283A.
                                       281 I.A.C. 58.

  Cross Reference: 710.1   School Food Program
                                      710.2   Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
                                       710.3   Vending Machine

Approved   09-18-2017                        
Reviewed   10-25-2023                          
Revised  10-26-2022