This page has been designed to help both students and parents understand a little bit more about our Online Home Access Meals Program Debit Card System and CUSD 220's Meals Program
Online Home Access Meals Program Debit Card System
Parents should monitor the student's meal account to maintain a positive balance. Accounts may be monitored through the Parent Home Access Portal. Links to this site are available on each school's webpage or the Barrington Community Unit School District Home Page. If using Parent Home Access, you will need a user ID (your student's ID number) and password.
If you need a user-id/password, please contact the school secretary in your student's K-5 building, the registrar at either Middle School or Jeanne Seidel at the High School.
You do not need to use a debit/credit card to access your student's information. You may view the activity on their Meals Program account at any time regardless if you choose to make a deposit online or not.
You may also add cash or check to your student's account. Please send the money to your student's school cafeteria, where it will be deposited into your student's account. Once a deposit is made, it is immediately available for use by your student.
Please remember that the lunch program is a debit system, not a credit system. If your student's balance is negative, please take care of the situation as quickly as possible. We never turn a student away from the lunch line, but if the balance reaches a negative $7.50 limit and the parent/guardian has not made an attempt to clear the debt, an alternative lunch (i.e. peanut butter & Jelly sandwich or salad of the day) and milk will be provided. This lunch is provided to those students who have honestly forgotten to rectify their Meals Program account on a one-time-only basis.
It is recommended that positive account balances be carried over to the following year for returning students. If a student is graduating or leaving the district, account balances can be transferred to a sibling or refunded upon written request by the parent/guardian. Please direct the request for a refund to Mary Harrington at The Administration Center.
The District 220 Meals Program
The District participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The NSLP is a federally assisted meals program operating in public, private non-profit schools. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act and provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children who qualify for the program at each school. It is administered at the federal level by the USDA and at the state level by the Illinois State Board of Education.
All children enrolled at a participating school may purchase a meal through the NSLP. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents. Parents must complete an application and the application must be reviewed and verified in order to qualify for participation in the free/reduced meal program.
Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent. The District sets its own prices for full-priced meals, but must operate its meal services as a non-profit program.
When selecting a meal, the District must offer free and reduced-priced lunches to eligible children. An eligible child must select three components in order for the meal to be reimbursable. The components must include three of the following items: milk, meat or meat alternate, vegetable and/or fruits, and grains and/or breads. The District is reimbursed for each complete (three components) meal served to an eligible child. Reimbursement rates are applied based on the child's eligibility: paid full-price, reduced-price, or free.
If a child who is eligible chooses to take only one or two components rather than all three, he/she will be charged the full price for each component rather than receiving the free or reduced price. Additionally, if a child chooses an a la carte item, it is also an extra cost and the child will be charged accordingly. Please remember, if your child is eligible, he/she must take all three components when obtaining their lunch for the day in order to avoid any additional charges to his/her meal program account. Please contact Laura Pera, at The Administration Center for further information regarding this program.
