Free and Reduced Meals Application
My School Bucks
Field Trip Lunch form: Request a bag lunch to be made for a field trip: Be sure to submit in advance.
Ashford School District Food Services Program Information
The Ashford School Food Service program is self-funded and prepares for sale each school day healthy breakfasts, lunches and milk to our students. Food and beverage items are also made available for sale outside of the breakfast or lunch periods. These are referred to as “a-la-carte” purchases.
Please note that for the 2023-2024 school year, all students present at the time breakfast is served shall receive their meal free of charge.
To maintain equality for all families and financial stability for school districts, the USDA requires that we share how we address a situation where a child, either eligible to receive reduced-price or paid meals, does not have money in their My School Bucks account or in hand to cover the cost of their meal purchase.
The district provides a variety of ways for parents to ensure their child has adequate funds for meals and/or a-la-carte purchases.
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Parents may monitor student accounts from home using their My School Bucks accounts, and make online pre-payments with a debit/credit card;
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Cash or check payments are accepted at the school cafeteria and may be sent in with your child in a sealed envelope and given to your child’s homeroom teacher.
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Free/Reduced Lunch Applications are accessible on the Ashford School website at ashfordct.org. All applications are confidential and may be filed at any time during the school year.
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If your family is experiencing financial difficulty, you are encouraged to submit an application for free or reduced meals. If you do not qualify for free or reduced meals and are experiencing difficulties, you may contact the business manager or superintendent at 860-429-1927 to develop a confidential payment plan.
Any negative student account balances will be addressed as outlined by the Ashford Board of Education’s Meal Charging Policy as follows:
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The district will contact the parents/guardians of students who charge meals to their meal accounts in order for the district to collect the delinquent debt. The first such communication will be a written communication, by mail or e-mail, after five (5) meal(s) have been charged.
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Subsequent written and verbal communications with parents/guardians concerning delinquent debt will be made by the building administrator or designee, as may be necessary and appropriate. All communications regarding unpaid meal charges shall be made directly and discreetly to parents/guardians.
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Written communications with parents/guardians regarding 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.
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In the event 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.