Meal Payment Methods

To help parents ensure their student can pay for lunch the Middletown Area School District uses MyLunchMoney.com. The software will allow parents and guardians to check meal purchases and balances on student accounts.  In addition, credit and debit cards can now be used to put money into student accounts.  Cash, checks and money orders will still be accepted.  The following administrative procedures exist for the cafeteria program:

  1. Cash will be accepted at the time of purchase.  Cash may also be used to make a deposit into a student’s account during the breakfast serving time, whether or not the student eats breakfast.  Cash payments may be put into an envelope and deposited into a drop box beside the cashier provided that the student’s four digit ID # is clearly identified.
  2. Checks and money orders may be used to make a deposit into student accounts during the breakfast serving time, whether or not the student eats breakfast.  Checks and money orders may be put into an envelope and deposited into a drop box beside the cashier provided that the student’s four digit ID # is clearly identified.  Checks and money orders may also be mailed to the cafeteria manager at your student’s school with the student’s four-digit ID # clearly identified.  It is a crime to write a check when there is not enough money in the bank account for the amount of the check.  The District can turn this matter over to the district justice for prosecution.  When the District is notified by its bank that a check has failed to be collected, it will:
    • Send a letter via regular mail indicating that the amount has been removed from the student account and that another payment is required for the first offense.
    • Send a letter via certified mail indicating that the amount has been removed from the student account and that another payment is required for the second offense.  At this point, checks will no longer be accepted for the remainder of the school year.
  3. Credit and debit cards may be used to make a deposit into student accounts using MyLunchMoney.com.
  4. Middletown Area School District participates in the Free and Reduced Meal Program.  An application is included in the information distributed on the first day of school.  The online application is located on the right-side of this page under “Free and Reduced Lunch”.   If a student qualifies for free or reduced meals, please be aware that ala carte items do not qualify under this program.  The purchase of ala carte items requires payment at full price at the time of purchase.  Also, please note that parents/guardians are responsible for any charges incurred before free or reduced meal status is determined.  Participation in the Free and Reduced Meal Program is required to be treated as a confidential matter.  Only those personnel administering the program have participation information.
  5. Any money remaining in a student’s account at the end of the school year will be rolled over into the next school year or will be refunded from the Cafeteria Fund upon written request to the District’s business office.
  6. When a student is unable to pay for a meal and is not eligible for free meals, the following guidelines will be followed:
    • The District is required to provide a lunch to all students in kindergarten through third grade by Federal guidelines whether payment is received at the time of purchase or not.  The District is permitted to serve a modest substitute meal.  The student’s account will be charged for the meal, resulting in a negative balance.
    • Although not required by Federal guidelines, the District has chosen to provide a lunch to students in fourth and fifth grade whether payment is received at the time of purchase or not.  The District may serve a modest substitute meal.  The student’s account will be charged for the meal, resulting in a negative balance.
    • The District will permit students in the sixth through twelfth grade to charge lunch when payment is not made at the time of purchase.  The student’s account will be charged for the meal, resulting in a negative balance.  No additional charges will be permitted when a student account has a negative balance in excess of $1.20.
    • No charges will be permitted for breakfasts.
    • No charges will be permitted for ala carte items.
    • Meals will always be provided to students with disabilities who may be unable to manage their money.
  7. The District will send a letter on at least a monthly basis when student accounts have a negative balance.
  8. The District will pursue all collection efforts in its power to collect negative balance student accounts, including filing a claim with the district justice.