LIVERMORE FALLS – SAD 36 directors are in the process of setting new guidelines for students who don’t have lunch money in regards to charging meals.
When the policy had its first reading Thursday, directors made some amendments to the proposed policy, SAD 36 Chairman Ashley O’Brien said Friday.
Currently there is no policy that governs charging of meals.
District officials realized they needed to put guidelines in place on charging of meals after the district had about $7,500 in outstanding debt after the 2003-04 school year. After some procedures were put in place for the most recent school year, the outstanding debts were reduced to $5,300.
School officials said they want to create the right conditions for learning for all children, and know children do best in school when they’re well nourished; at the same time, they don’t think it is appropriate for taxpayers to subsidize someone who doesn’t want to pay, O’Brien said.
The free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs are available to people who are eligible, O’Brien said. The school system is on the verge of qualifying to give free breakfast to students, due to the increasing numbers of students enrolled in the free and reduced programs, he said.
The new meal-charge policy that directors could adopt at their Thursday, Sept. 8, meeting would set the following guidelines:
• Students at the elementary and middle schools would be allowed to charge up to three lunch meals, and if repayment for those meals was not forthcoming, then the child would receive an alternate meal the next time and thereafter, with payment expected.
• No charging of meals would be allowed at the high school.
• No charging allowed for adults.
• No charging allowed by students for breakfast at any level.
In other business on Thursday, directors authorized Superintendent Terry Despres to set up a line of credit at a bank for up to $350,000 to draw on as needed until the state sends the district its subsidy in December, O’Brien said.
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