Beginning March 1, 2023, school breakfast and lunch meals will resume being offered at no cost to all students through the end of the SY 2022-2023. Please find more information in the link below:
SMART Funds 2.0 Letter to Families (1).pdf
2022-2023 Approved BOE Calendar.pdf
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Important Food Services Update:
As you know, the Food Services Program opted to participate in School Meals Assistance Revenue for Transition (SMART) funds to provide free meals (breakfast and lunch) at no cost for all students at the start of the school year. Due to the increased participation, these funds will be exhausted by 11/30/2022, and we will return to pre-pandemic operations beginning 12/1/2022.
Please submit a Free and Reduced-Priced Meal Application, located at https://www.eastconn.org/images/org-support/food_services/documents/EC_App_22-23.pdf, if you believe your student may be eligible for Free or Reduced Meals to avoid unpaid meal charges. We are in the process of implementing a new Point of Sale System (POS), and we will be sending home information on the new online payment portal as soon as it is accessible. Positive Balances will be transferred to all students that have a positive balance on their NutriKids/SchoolBucks account from before the pandemic.
Meal Prices as of 12/1/2022
Lunch
Full Price $3.50
Reduced $0.40
Breakfast
Full Price $2.00
Reduced $0.30
SNAP Assistance
Just so you know, new increased income guidelines went into effect as of October 1, 2022. If you qualify for SNAP assistance, your child automatically qualifies for free school meals. If your children qualify for free school meals or milk, you might also qualify for SNAP (formerly called Food Stamps). SNAP helps people buy food for themselves and their families. SNAP benefits are issued each month on plastic debit cards. You can use SNAP benefits to buy food at major supermarkets, neighborhood grocery stores, online at participating retailers, and some farmers’ markets authorized to accept SNAP. Please use this link to access more information. https://portal.ct.gov//media/SDE/Nutrition/NSLP/Forms/FreeRed/AddendumC.pdf
Charging Policy and the Collection of Unpaid Meal Charges
EASTCONN will contact the parents/guardians of students who charge meals to their meal accounts for the District to collect the delinquent debt. The first such communication will be a written communication, by mail or e-mail, after three meal(s) have been charged. Subsequent written and verbal communications with parents/guardians concerning delinquent debt will be made by the building administrator or designee as necessary and appropriate. All communications regarding unpaid meal charges shall be made directly and discreetly to parents/guardians. Written communications with parents/guardians regarding the collection of a student’s unpaid meal charges shall include an application for free or reduced-price meals, information on local food pantries and the Connecticut Department of Social Services’ supplemental nutrition assistance program, and a link to the District’s or Town’s website that lists any community services available to Town residents. If a student’s unpaid meal charges are equal to or more than the cost of thirty (30) meals, the parents/guardians of such student will be referred to the District’s homeless education liaison.
We appreciate your patience as we transition back to pre-pandemic operations while implementing a new Point of Sale System.
Please feel free to reach out to Heather Plourde at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Heather