Food Services

Due to new State of Michigan regulations, if your student cannot have milk or any milk products due to an allergy or sensitivity, the school requires a signed doctor’s note stating that the student cannot have any milk or milk products at school.  If you want juice to be the replacement for milk, the doctor’s note must include a request which states “100% juice” for the replacement.  If the school does not have a signed doctor’s note, the student will be offered water as a replacement. 

If a doctor has determined that your child has a disability and the disability would prevent the child from eating the regular school meal, the school will make any substitutions prescribed by a doctor at no extra charge.  The doctor’s statement, including prescribed diet and/or substitutions, must be submitted to the Food Service Department at your school.  

In the case of a student who has an allergy note from their doctor for the current year an alternative item will be given.  

A Food Allergy Action Plan form can be obtained from the Health Coordinator at Schall School.  For more information please contact Janet Weijola, Food Service Director, at 989-673-3165, ext 1901.

     At Caro Community School District we have a meal charging policy that applies to all of our students and staff members. The District realizes that there are times when staff members and students may forget their lunch money. To ensure that staff members and students do not go hungry, but also to promote responsible staff, student, and parent behavior and minimize the fiscal burden to the District, the Board of Education will allow staff  members and students who may have forgotten their lunch money to “charge” the cost of 1 meal to be paid back at a later date subject to the terms of this policy.
    Food Service is a special revenue fund which means it does not receive general fund support from the district, and thus must generate funds through meal sales, snack sales, and federal and state reimbursement in order to pay operating expense and fees to the district. Therefore, unpaid charges affect the ability of food service to support itself and its employees.
    Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have provided schools with administrative guidelines and policy for meal charges. Following the administrative guidelines from MDE and NSLP, Caro Community Schools will adhere to the following meal charging policy:
1.    A staff member or student may charge up to 1 lunch maximum
2.    After 1 meal has been reached past negative, an alternate meal will be offered to the staff member and a student until the lunch account is brought to a positive balance.
    A. If a staff member or a student comes in with enough money to cover the lunch for that day they may eat lunch.
    B. Food Service will offer a meal replacement at cost that is eligible for reimbursement. For example a sandwich, fruit and a milk will be available for any staff member or student who has a negative lunch balance. 
3.    If a staff member or student has a negative balance, the school must provide a meal when the student is using money to pay for the current day’s lunch.
4.    It is permissible for schools to serve only 1 particular set of food items to staff members and students whose parents owe the school money, as long as the food items comprise a reimbursable meal.            
5.    A staff member or student who has charged 1 meal may not charge or purchase snack items, including extra main entrées or make purchases in the snack line.
6.    If a student repeatedly comes to school with no lunch and no lunch money, food service employee must report this to the building administrator. It could be a sign of abuse or neglect and the proper authorities will be contacted.
7.    The Food Service Head Cashier will coordinate communications with staff, parents, or guardian to resolve the matter of unpaid charges.
8.    If cafeteria services staff suspects that a student may be abusing this policy, written notice will be provided to the parent/guardian then a phone call will be made to parents to resolve payment plan.
9.    All senior’s accounts must be settled before graduation.
10.     IMPORTANT: If any student leaving Caro Community Schools  has money left in their lunch account that money will be put into a Pay It Forward Account UNLESS a parent or guardian calls and requests the money be refunded back to them within 30 days.
 

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/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (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.