What's the reason for this?

[sleepyone]

At my dd's orientation last night we received a packet full of papers to fill out/sign, etc... There is one paper that states: "Due to Federal regulations students must use their account numbers to purchase a meal." Does anyone know the reason? Just curious.

 

[Sparx]

we have to use ours to buy food. Never really thought about it. Now I am wondering though.

 

[Pluto2003]

no one can distinquish between those on reduced and free lunch programs, I think......

 

[monkeyboy]

no one can distinquish between those on reduced and free lunch programs, I think......

 

[sleepyone]

no one can distinquish between those on reduced and free lunch programs, I think......

hmmm, I never thought of that. Poor lunch ladies, I'm sure it takes a lot of time.

 

[Sparx]

hmmm, I never thought of that. Poor lunch ladies, I'm sure it takes a lot of time.

Not at my school. There is a computer, you type in a four digit number. the money is taken out of money that you are credited for (you give it to them, and they put it in that account) and you walk away. really it is just a few seconds.

 

[sleepyone]

Not at my school. There is a computer, you type in a four digit number. the money is taken out of money that you are credited for (you give it to them, and they put it in that account) and you walk away. really it is just a few seconds.

But, with little elementary kids the first week of school, I'm sure it will take longer.

 

[Sparx]

But, with little elementary kids the first week of school, I'm sure it will take longer.

yeah, probably. They made us do it in elementary school, too. Give it a couple of weeks, and they will start to get it down.
Even the first few days at my school were hard.

 

[sleepyone]

yeah, probably. They made us do it in elementary school, too. Give it a couple of weeks, and they will start to get it down.
Even the first few days at my school were hard.

Thanks, Sparkx. I must be getting so old...LOL. I can remember when school lunches were $1.00 and you just gave them a dollar bill!

 

[Sparx]

I think our account numbers are the last five numbers of our SS number, but last year they got a new program and cut off the last number.

 

[Feralpeg]

DD's prior school was like that. They had to use an account number to purchase lunch. They actually punched it into a keypad.

 

[powellrj]

we still do it the old fashion way. You send in a check and the lunch lady marks your name off the list. With a school of over 700 kids it takes a long time!

 

[CajunDixie]

But, with little elementary kids the first week of school, I'm sure it will take longer.

Our elementary uses small cards with a barcode on each one to identify the student. This way all lunch money is sent to the office of the head of the cafeteria as it comes in, she then enters it into her computer. A parent can write 1 check for numerous students and enclose a note listing how much for each child. Teachers hand out the cards in line and then empties the basket when he/she has gone through the line.

Middle school and HS both just give the students a 4 digit number and they tell it to the lady at the end of the lunch line. When they add money to their account they hand the cash or check directly to the same lady and just her their number to enter it.

 

[laurie31]

My dd's school does this. I never gave much thought to why, only that I liked it better than the lunch tickets we had when I was in school. (They were business-card-sized things that you bought and got them punched every day you ate. If you forgot it, or left it in your jeans and washed it, you were out of luck ) This way, the kids can't forget their money/ticket, lose it, wash it, have it stolen, etc.

They love punching in their numbers; they say it's like using an ATM

DD2 started 1st grade last week and the teacher did punch in all their numbers for them the first few days, but DD had learned hers over the summer and was able to punch it in herself without help by Thursday. She was so proud

I like it because I can send one huge check at the beginning of school and they will have lunch money till Christmas! That "send it every week" like my mom had to do would drive me nuts!

Laurie

 

[Nancy]

Our schools do this too. My only complaint is that they don't tell the kids when money is running low. I try to keep track, but sometimes the kids buy extras and I don't know they bought ice cream or cookies, so they go to buy lunch and don't have enough in their "accounts". Luckily they "debit" the money and send a notice home that we 'overdrew" our accounts. (no fees thank god! LOL)

 

[Feralpeg]

Our schools do this too. My only complaint is that they don't tell the kids when money is running low. I try to keep track, but sometimes the kids buy extras and I don't know they bought ice cream or cookies, so they go to buy lunch and don't have enough in their "accounts". Luckily they "debit" the money and send a notice home that we 'overdrew" our accounts. (no fees thank god! LOL)

At DD's old school, the put a stamp on their hand if their account was getting low. DD never thought to tell me, but I usually spotted the stamp.

At her new school, I have to send money every day. You can't purchase ahead. I'm not crazy about that.

 

[Val]

In a sense, this is to protect the identity of the kids, especially those receiveing free or reduced lunch.....in MY day, us "free lunch" kids had to walk up to the cashier, announce our name and state "free lunch". Inevitably the lunch lady would be "hard of hearing" and make us repeat it several times. VERY humiliating!!! I stopped eating lunch at the junior high level through graduation because of this ritual. Too embarrassed. Thank goodness I am better off than my grandparents who raised me (well, they got "stuck" raising their grandchildren because of my parents' issues!)......my kids are able to purchase hot lunch whenever the spirit (or menu) moves them. Of course, account numbers and bar codes are not the only "way" to protect children's self esteem- a little discretion and understanding that the kids are not responsible for the situation would probably do it!

 

[Daxx]

"Due to Federal regulations students must use their account numbers to purchase a meal." Does anyone know the reason? Just curious.

This states for buying a meal ... that's the full lunch, not snacks and extras.

Therefore, I'm going to guess they're keeping track of how much food that's provided to the school is used. I am going to bet they want to be sure that the schools aren't receiving too much food so it won't go to waste. I know that at DS's school, they receive so many pounds of chicken, beef and pork per month ... and they have to show that it's all being used. By using account numbers, it is easier to determine how many students buy a particular lunch and what quantities of food the government needs to provide. So, if 100 kids are buying chicken ... they will send enough chicken to feed maybe 125 ... as opposed to sending enough chicken to feed 200. That extra chicken might go to waste.

I know that, at DS's school, the ccafeteria manager has to provide a listing of how much chicken, pork, beef they use each month and how many students purchased meals in that month. The cafe manager has to break it dow to X amount of kids bought the pork chop meal, X amount of kids bought the chicken patty meal, etc. Maybe your school has to start keeping track of that now.

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

My son will be in second grade this year. He's had the same account number since day one and will have it until middle school. The Kindergarteners wear theirs on a string around their neck along with their name for a week until they memorize it. I send a check for $50 whenever I get notice that his account is running low. Any money left in the account at the end of the school year just stays in his account and is there waiting for him in the new year. Works very well. So much easier than keeping up with those paper lunch tickets we used to have to keep up with when I was in school.

 

[TNMom]

Thanks, Sparkx. I must be getting so old...LOL. I can remember when school lunches were $1.00 and you just gave them a dollar bill!

If you're "getting old" then I must be way past old. I remember when the school lunch cost $.25 and milk was a nickel! That included dessert.