Veracross
Food and Nutrition Services
Food Assistance
If you are in need of food assistance, please visit the following sites and/or contact
Erica Klag, Food Service Director [email protected]
Sarah Roy, Adjustment Counselor [email protected]
Food Source Hotline @ (800) 645-8333
Update on Food Services at SACS - 21-22 School Year
Due to the pandemic relief efforts and participation in the SSO, breakfast, lunch and afterschool snack will be FREE for all students through the 2021-22 school year.
Throughout the 2021-22 school year, Salem Academy Charter School will be participating in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), a national program implemented in response to the recent Covid-19 Pandemic. We contract with an outside company called Trio Community Meals which provides individually packaged hot and cold meals. The monthly menus (found on the website and in the cafeteria) and individual meals are overseen by a Registered Dietitian who ensures the strict nutrition standards are followed.
If, for any reason, the Department of Education instructs us to resume charging for meals, the following information will pertain. You many also find additional information that may be of use to you.
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Program & Meal Applications
Salem Academy Charter School participates in the National School Lunch Program, which offers Free and Reduced-price Lunch to qualifying families. Each household must complete a Meal Application Form each year and return the application to the school for processing. The Food Service Director will process the application and return written documentation to each household confirming their student’s meal status. Salem Academy recognizes that circumstances can change throughout the school year, and so the Meal Application Form is available to any family at any time of the year. A physical copy of the applications may be requested by contacting Erica Klag at 978-744-2105 or [email protected] and is also on the SACS website. You may also apply at lunchapp.com, a quick and secure website that walks you through the application process. Students who received free or reduced price meals last year, here or at their previous school, will continue to receive that benefit for 30 days from the first day of school, but must re-apply for the remainder of the year.
| Breakfast | Free for all students |
| Lunch | $3.50 full pay, $0.40 reduced price, or $0 for free students |
| Afterschool Snack | Free for all students |
Students also have the option of bringing lunch from home. Parents are asked to pack healthy foods and to avoid carbonated soft drinks and energy drinks. Good nutrition will help your children benefit the most from their afternoon classes. Students are discouraged from sharing/swapping food items from home. Parents are also asked to refrain from bringing fast food to their child during lunch, and students may not order out for delivery at school.
Even though your student is currently receiving Free meals at school, you are highly encouraged to submit an application. The application status of families was what the government used to issue the Pandemic EBT cards. In addition, there are additional benefits to meal status including waiver of college application fees, bus fees and possibly other community related benefits. The application takes just a few minutes to complete and may have great benefits. Please fill one out at lunchapp.com.
Payment
Students may bring money each day to pay for school lunch but we recommend that an account be set up and pre-loaded with money. Students may also ‘charge’ meals every day creating a debt that needs to be paid by the end of the year.
Paying for school lunches can be done by cash, check, or through the efunds website (https://payments.efundsforschools.com/v3/districts/56407). Information regarding payments, which includes student ID numbers required for set up, is sent to each household at the beginning of the school year. Setting up an online account not only allows for student meal payments but it will also be used for additional school related payments (i.e. technology), easy communication with the food service director, and notification of student account information (i.e. balance info, low balance notice, etc).
CHARGE and UNPAID DEBT POLICY
Students will never be denied a meal if they do not have money at the time of purchase.
- Students are able to charge meals and accumulate negative balances, which the parent or guardian is responsible for paying in a timely manner.
- Parents will be notified monthly of their student’s lunch account balances. Bills in excess of -$10.00 will be sent via USPS or by email on a monthly basis and are expected to be paid within 30 days.
- All debt not paid will be considered “delinquent debt” until the last day of school. Staff will continue to work with families to settle the debt over the summer.
- School food service staff and administration will make three attempts (via phone, letters and emails) to collect debt. If non-payment persists, the parents/guardians will be called in for a meeting with the Executive Director and Administrative team.
- SACs will work with families to find a fair solution (i.e. payment plan or resubmission of a free/reduced price meal application) for debt repayment and work to start the year with a clear balance.
- Staff will not overtly identify or shame any child with a negative balance by providing and forcing a child to take an alternative meal.
- Staff will not speak with students about negative balances. It is considered a parent responsibility not a student responsibility
About Food Services
Salem Academy Charter School participates in the National School Lunch Program, which offers Free and Reduced Price Lunches to qualifying families throughout the year. Simply complete an online application at LunchApp.com or print and return the application (found below) to the school. Be sure to fill out all necessary information – incomplete applications will not be considered. Salem Academy recognizes that circumstances can change throughout the year. If this is your situation, please don’t hesitate to apply again at any point.
Meals are provided by Trio Community Meals, which specializes in school lunches. They are a nut-free facility that serves delicious, high quality, familiar, and tasty food. The menu’s and serving sizes strictly follow the nutritional standards set forth by the USDA which includes reducing sodium and including whole grains. Fruit and vegetables are served with every meal.
Vegetarian Options are available daily upon request.
Special Diets (allergy, gluten-free, or any other diet type) will be made available but medical documentation is required
Meal Costs
Breakfast is FREE for all students.
Lunch is available for $3.50 full price, or $0.40 for a reduced price.
Snack is served at 4 pm. It is FREE for all students. If your child requires a snack/s throughout the day, please send them to school with them
Milk is included in the price of lunch. We offer Skim (0%), Low-Fat (1%), and 0% chocolate or strawberry milk. Any student who wishes to purchase milk separately will be charged $0.50.
Allergen Info
We do not serve nuts (peanut or tree) but they may be present in the cafeteria as we are not a nut-free school. The menu’s above outline any allergens present in each dish. Please notify the School Nurse or the Director of Food Services of any food allergies or intolerances, or special dietary requests so that we may make any necessary accommodations.
Payments
Please remember to keep your child’s lunch account in positive standing. Salem Academy accepts cash or checks, in addition to the online payment tool. To make easy online payments you may create an account using e-Funds. You will need your child’s lunch ID number (you may need to contact Erica Klag for assistance. Directions for how to set up an account can be found here. Bills will be sent out on a monthly basis for student accounts with a negative balance greater than $10.
Questions? Please contact
Erica Klag, Director of Food and Nutrition Services
(978) 744-2105 or [email protected]
Documents (printable)
Free & Reduced Price Meal Policy
English Application for Free/Reduced Price Meals
Spanish Application for Free/Reduced Priced Meals
Instructions for filling out the application (English)
Instructions for filling out the application (Spanish)
Non-Discrimination Statement
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Non-Discrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly.
“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/
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: [email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.”
Salem Academy Non-Discrimination Statement
Salem Academy Charter School does not discriminate o