LIVERMORE FALLS – Middle and high school students in SAD 36 will no longer be able to charge their lunches, following a unanimous vote by the Board of Directors on Thursday night.
The action came after Superintendent Terry Despres reported he had found a large uncollected debt from years past while reviewing the food service program.
Apparently, until now, students have been allowed to charge their meals and to pay with checks. Many bills had not been sent in a timely fashion and, occasionally, students were allowed to receive change from their checks rather than tickets.
“I can’t trust the paperwork,” he said, promising a full report at a later time.
While the no-charge policy will be effective for students in grades six to 12, DesPres said students will not go hungry. He added that a no-pay situation will not be allowed to go on without parental notification.
Elementary school students have a different system, he said, which begins with an immediate call to a parent.
A major change is going on in food service, Despres said, as he urged parents to fill out the forms for free and reduced-price meals. Not only does this help the family, but it helps the district obtain better services through higher grants.
“It’s critical in funding to get an accurate free and reduced lunch count,” Despres said. He plans a mailing directly to parents to inform them of that need and to reassure them of confidentiality.
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