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 the school nutrition programs, in accordance with federal and state law. 

It is the responsibility of 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 and prohibitions on purchasing food products misbranded as meat or egg products, or cultivated-protein food products in accordance with applicable laws. 

Legal Reference:     42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq..
                                7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq..
                                Iowa Code ch. 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 
                                905       Use of School District Facilities and Equipment

Approved         6/21/2021    
Reviewed        7/15/2024     
Revised           7/15/2024     

Students enrolled and attending school in the school district who meet 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 or the Food Service Secretary 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 building principal

If a student owes money for five or more meals, the Food Service Director or the Food Service Secretary 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 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

Approved     6/21/21                              
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

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 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                                      School Food Services

Approved    6/21/21                               
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

In accordance with state and federal law, the Maquoketa Valley 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.

Payment of Meals

Students have use of a meal account. Students or their families can use the online payment system to deposit monies into their meal account or can bring a check or cash to the building secretary. The building secretary will provide a receipt and then deposit this money into the students meal or family account.

Students who qualify for free meals shall never be denied a reimbursable meal, even if they have accrued a negative balance from previous purchases.  Schools are encouraged to provide a reimbursable meal to students with outstanding meal charge debt.  If an alternate meal is provided, the meal must be the same meal presented in the same manner to any student requesting an alternate 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 the student’s parent or guardian to resolve the matter of unpaid charges. Parents or guardians will be notified of an outstanding negative balance once the student owes five meals or more. Parents or guardians will be notified when a negative balances of more than $5.00, not paid prior to end of the month, will be turned over to the superintendent or superintendent’s designee for collection. Options may include:  collection agencies, small claims court, or any other legal method 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.

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 time of transfer; and
• All staff 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.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop an administrative regulations for implementing 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     6/21/21                                
Reviewed                            
Revised