West Fargo Public Schools recognizes that a child’s nutrition is very important to a successful learning experience. Learners are encouraged to participate in school breakfast and lunch programs to receive healthy and nutritious meals that meet USDA standards.

Parents are expected to have funds available in their learner’s meal accounts or pay cash for all meal purchases. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to keep adequate funds in their learner’s accounts.

Low Balance / Negative Balance Notifications

Parents/Guardians receive electronic notification reminders (such as email and text messages) when their learner(s) have a low or negative balance. Low balance reminders for full-pay learners are sent when their accounts reach $8.00 or less. Low balance reminders for reduced-price learners are sent when their accounts reach $2.00 or less. Low balance reminders are sent up to two times per week.

Notifications for negative accounts are sent to parents/guardians at least two times per week.

Meal Charging

Parents are expected to have funds available in their learner’s meal accounts for all meal purchases. If there are inadequate funds, the learner account will go negative when purchasing a reimbursable meal.

There is no negative charging allowed for any ala carte purchases, including bottled drinks, snack items, or second servings.

Adult Meals

Adults and staff may set up meal accounts through My School Bucks.

Meal Prepayments

Parents/guardians are encouraged to pre-pay for school meals. The district uses MySchoolBucks to accept online meal payments. Parents/guardians have the ability to set up a secure online account at myschoolbucks.com. This allows parents to make deposits by credit card, view balances, and view transaction activity. Parents can choose to set auto-payments on their My School Bucks Account. There is no fee for using the online payment system. Instructions for setting up an account are posted on our website

Meal prepayments can also be made by cash or check directly at your child’s school building.

Account Balances and Refunds

Positive account balances will be carried over to the next school year. Parents may request a refund of their learner’s meal account upon transferring out of the district. Parents have the option to transfer funds to a sibling’s account, request a refund, or place remaining funds into a donation account to help learners in need. All requests for refunds should be made prior to June 15 of the recently completed school year. Requests can be made by an online form on the district website, or by calling Nutrition Services at 701-499-1984.

For graduating learners with $25.00 or less in their account, cash refunds will be offered to learners at the cafeteria registers during the last week of classes.

For graduating learners with over $25.00 remaining in their account, refunds can be requested through the online form before June 15 and a check would be mailed.

Inactive accounts with more than $25.00 will be contacted by Nutrition Services to determine if a refund is desired.

Funds remaining in all inactive accounts (including graduating seniors) after June 15 will be automatically placed into a donation account to help learners in need.

Free and Reduced Meal Applications

Free and Reduced Meal Applications are available on the WFPS website and in school offices. Applications are accepted anytime during the school year. For assistance with completing an application, please contact the Nutrition Services office at 701-499-1984.

FOOD SERVICE PROCEDURES

A learner meal will not be taken away or disposed of once served. Wrapped or packaged ala carte items and beverages would be returned to the cashier if the learner does not have available funds to purchase.

Steps are taken to ensure there is no overt identification of learners who qualify for free/reduced, or those who lack the ability to pay for their meals.

The district does not limit participation in activities, graduation ceremonies, field trips, athletics, activity clubs, or other extracurricular activities due to an unpaid meal balance.

The district does not require learners to perform work to pay for school meal debt.

Communication to FAMILIES / Collection of Debt

This policy will be communicated to families in back-to-school packets, in learner handbooks, and on the district website.

Parents/guardians are expected to keep their learner’s account balances current and are responsible for all debt incurred from meal charges.

All meal accounts are expected to be paid in full at the end of each school year. Negative account balances at the end of the school year will be carried over to the next school year, and collection attempts will continue, and may include collection attempts by third parties.