Policies & Procedures
Meal Charging Policy
Godley ISD knows that sometimes children forget their lunch money or do not remember to let parents know they need money on their accounts. Sometimes life is so busy for parents that they just simply forget to check their child’s account balance. We now have a plan to ensure that your child will receive a hot, regular, complete meal when your child’s account is low or negative.
Local Meal Charge Policy
Students enrolled at Godley ISD will be allowed to charge up to $25.00for complete meals only, but will not be allowed to buy or charge a la carte items. A complete meal consists of at least 3 of the 5 components offered, one of which must be a fruit or vegetable. Many times our entrees are 2 components (meat & grain).
Each week the Child Nutrition Department will send out negative balance notices for Primary Students. Secondary students are informed of low account balances when they make purchases. Family Access in Skyward allows parents to receive low balance emails. When a student has charged for three consecutive days, cafeteria managers will contact parents and A Free & Reduced Application will be sent home. We will make every attempt to notify parents of low balances to reduce charges. We ask that you make every attempt to reconcile your child’s account as soon as possible. If necessary, we will accept partial payments. If a student must charge, we will let the child know when they purchase the meal. In the event a student’s charges are not paid, Godley ISD may choose to not allow students to attend extracurricular field trips, athletic events etc.. until the charge is paid. This debt will remain on the student’s account throughout the child’s enrollment at Godley ISD.
If at any time your household is experiencing an economic need, either long term or temporary, please call the Child Nutrition Department for a confidential inquiry. We may be able to help.
Remember for your convenience you can always pay online thru Skyward Family Access, at all campus cafeterias & main offices during school days.
If you have any questions contact the Food Service Department @ 817-389-3240.
Free & Reduced Meals
If you have applied for free or reduced price meals and have a pending application, you must pay for all school meals until you receive an Approval Letter. We receive hundreds of applications each year, and we work hard to process them as fast as possible. It, however, may take up to thirteen days to begin receiving benefits after the application is received by the Child Nutrition Department.
Because of the time it takes to process applications, students who were free or reduced in the previous year remain at their previous year’s status for the first thirty days of the new school year or until a new application is received and processed. Once a new application is processed the new status takes over, so if a child was free last year, and an application is processed in the second week of school that qualifies the student for reduced meals, the student’s status will be changed to reduced status on the date that the application is processed not at the end of the thirty day period.
Students, who do not turn in an application that can be processed within this thirty day window, will roll over to paid status and will be responsible for paying for all meals consumed. For this reasons it is very important for parents who feel that they may qualify for free lunches to promptly complete and return an application at the beginning of each school year. Parents, who do not qualify for free meals, may qualify for reduced price meals.
Please do not put anyone at the school in the position of having to deny your child a meal – NO ONE wants to do that! If you make sure your child has adequate funds in their account, this can be avoided. Thank you.
Applications are available at all campus offices & cafeterias.
Special Dietary Needs
Students with any special dietary needs must have a medical authority’s statement on file with the food service department. All previous accommodations our district has done in the past will no longer be honored until we have a signed statement from an acceptable recognized medical authority. The medical authority must identify the condition, how it affects a major life activity, what food items are to be omitted and what foods are to be substituted.
Payment Options
Returned Checks
Per the Godley ISD Financial Policy Manual
In the event that a check written to any Godley ISD campus, club, or organization is returned unpaid by the bank, Godley ISD or its agent (CheckSmart) will redeposit the check electronically. Additionally, a returned check fee of $25 plus applicable sales tax will also be made electronically.
Refunds
Unclaimed Funds
Account policy
Monies applied to the accounts are available for purchases at all points of sale.
Once money is applied to an account it cannot be refunded unless a student withdraws from school or graduates.
We do not cash checks, for any reason.
Civil Rights
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race,
color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/
- mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; - fax: (202) 690-7442; or
- email: program.intake@usda.gov.