Clay County District Schools issued the following announcement.
Clay County District Schools participates in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program. We provide nutritious meals every school day. The 2020-2021 lunch prices are $2.25 for elementary schools and $2.50 for secondary schools. Breakfast is $1.50. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals. Please remember that a new application must be completed for the new school year. The reduced price for lunch is $.40 and breakfast is $.30.
If your child attends one of the schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) you do not need to fill out a Free and Reduced Application for that child. Each CEP school will provide both breakfast and lunch free of charge with no application process. If you have a child attending a non-CEP school, a free and reduced-price meal application must be completed to receive benefits. If you have children attending a CEP school and a non-CEP school and need to complete an application, please list both children on the application. The number of household members is a qualification of eligibility.
The following schools will be participating in CEP for the 2020-2021 school year:
Bannerman Learning Center, Charles E. Bennett Elementary, Clay Hill Elementary, Coppergate Elementary, Doctors Inlet Elementary, Grove Park Elementary, Keystone Heights Elementary, Keystone Heights High, Lakeside Elementary, McRae Elementary, Middleburg Elementary, Montclair Elementary, Orange Park Junior High, Orange Park High, Ridgeview Elementary, S. Bryan Jennings Elementary, Swimming Pen Creek Elementary, W.E. Cherry Elementary, Wilkinson Elementary and Wilkinson Junior High.
Again, this year we are pleased to continue the availability of applying for Free and Reduced Price Meals online at www.ClayCountyFNS.com. Applying online will allow for quicker processing so your child can receive benefits faster. Paper applications are still available on the district website, at your child’s school or by calling the Food and Nutrition Services office at (904) 336-6856, (904) 336-6500 or 1-(888) 663-2529.
- Use one Free and Reduced Application for all students in your household;
- Applications with incomplete information cannot be processed (An adult signature is required for processing all applications);
- You do not need to fill out an application if you have received Notification of Direct Certification. Contact the Food and Nutrition Services Office if you have not received notification for all of your children;
- Your child’s free or reduced meal eligibility from the previous year will continue up to 30 operating days in the new school year. Once your application is processed that becomes your status for the current school year. Unless you are notified that your children are directly certified or your application has been approved, the children must pay full price for school meals when the carry-over period ends;
- Only the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member signing the application is needed;
- A foster child is categorically eligible for free meals and may be included as a member of the foster family if the foster family chooses to also apply for benefits for other children. Including children in foster care as household members may help other children in the household qualify for meal benefits. If the foster family is not eligible for free or reduced price meal benefits, it does not prevent a foster child from receiving free meal benefits;
- Categorical eligibility for free meals is extended to all children in a household when the application lists a SNAP (previously called food stamps) or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) case number for any household member;
- If the child you are applying for is homeless, migrant or a runaway, mark the appropriate box and call your school’s homeless liaison (904) 336-1346 or migrant coordinator (352) 955-6855;
- Military families should include basic pay and allowances for off-base housing, food and clothing. Do not include an allowance that is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative. Deployed service members are considered part of the household and should be included on the application. Report only the portion of income made available to them or on their behalf to the family.
- Households may apply for benefits at any time during the school year;
- Children of parents or Guardians who become unemployed may be eligible for free or reduced price meals during the period of unemployment;
- Write a “0” in any fields where there is no income to report. Any income fields left empty or blank will be counted as zeroes. If you write “0” or leave any fields blank you are certifying (promising) that there is no income to report;
- The information submitted on the application may be subject to verification at any time;
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants may be eligible for free or reduced price meals;
- If you do not agree with the District’s decision regarding your application, you may discuss it with the Food and Nutrition Services Office (904)336-6856, (904)336-6500 or 1- (888)663-2529. You also have the right to a fair hearing. This can be done by writing to Susie Glover, Director, Food and Nutrition Services, 900 Walnut Street, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043;
- If a student’s balance reaches zero, they will be able to charge up $10.00. If the balance exceeds $10.00 an alternate meal may be provided.
- Clay County District Schools have a website and app available, MySchoolBucks.com, that allows parents to monitor their child’s lunch account balance and receive low balance notifications. Students are also notified of low balances in their accounts verbally and/or with paper reminders from the cashier as they check out.
- The Food and Nutrition Services Department has a wellness policy that can be viewed at www.ClayCountyFNS.com. We welcome your input and involvement. If you have any questions, please contact the Food and Nutrition Services office.
Original source can be found here.
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