• Grosse Pointe Public School System

    Nutrition Services Department

    This information is subject to change for the 2024-25 school year

    Students may use their lunch account to purchase meals and A La Carte items, when there is a positive balance. Lunch is available at all GPPSS buildings. Breakfast is available at Defer, Mason and Monteith elementary schools, Parcells and Pierce middle schools, and North and South high schools. The meal charging policy comes into play when a student does not have enough money on their lunch account to cover the cost of their purchase.

    The purpose of having a meal charging policy is to establish consistent clear meal account procedures throughout the district.  There is a fine line between considering the fiscal integrity of the district and the solvency of the food service program while also meeting the nutritional needs of students.

    GOALS:

    • To ensure that students have a healthy meal and that no child goes hungry.
    • To treat all students with dignity and confidentiality in the serving line.
    • To foster clear positive communication among staff, administrators, teachers, students and parent/guardian.
    • To establish fair practices that can be used consistently throughout the district regarding meal charges and the collection of charges.
    • To encourage parent/guardian to assume the responsibility of meal payments and to promote self-responsibility of their child/student.

    SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY:

    The Nutrition Department: 

    • Responsible for maintaining meal account records.
    • Responsible for notifying the student’s parent/guardian with phone calls or written documentation after credit limit has been reached.
    • Responsible for working with households toward a reasonable resolution.

    The Parent/Guardian:

    • Responsible for immediate payment.

    MEAL ACCOUNTS:

    We strongly discourage meal charges, but understand that it occasionally happens.  Meal charges are a temporary solution and are not intended to address broader issues of a parent/guardian’s inability to pay for a meal for his/her child.  In those instances, an application for Free or Reduced Meal Benefits should be completed.  Free and Reduced Meal Applications are available on line at https://gpschools.formstack.com/forms/freeorreduced or in your school office.

    Parents/guardians are encouraged to make meal payments in advance. Personal checks and cash deposits are accepted at the student’s home school.  For convenience, deposits may also be made by credit/debit card after setting up an account for the student on https://www.gpschools.org/Domain/167 

    All students have personal accounts regardless of paying status (free, reduced or full pay). Similar to a bank account, each student has a school ID number which stays with them for their duration in the Grosse Pointe Public School System. 

    When using the MiStar ParentPortal for link:  https://www.gpschools.org/Domain/167  parents/guardians can access cafeteria purchases and account balances at any time.

    MEAL CHARGING POLICY:

    Although not required by law through the National School Lunch Act or the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act, limited meal charging will be allowed, as a courtesy to families, under the following conditions:

    ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS:

    • Only reimbursable meals may be charged (a reimbursable meal is a full meal – see definition below).
    • No a la carte purchases may be charged (a la carte items are individual items – see definition below).
    • Elementary students may charge any combination of meals (breakfast and lunch) up to a total of $6.00 negative balance.
    • Parent/Guardians will be notified by telephone and/or by email when their account balance is low, specifically the dollar value of two lunches or lower.
    • When a student charges a meal, their meal balance becomes a negative balance.
    • Parents/Guardians will be notified by telephone and/or email when there is a negative balance on the account.
    • Repayment is expected for all charged meals.
    • After the fourth occurrence, the parent will receive written notification.
    • No charging will be permitted 2 weeks prior to the end of the school year.
    • All unpaid charges will be added to the list of any outstanding fees or unpaid fines at the end of the school year. Payment must be made in full to the Nutrition Service Department. 

    MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:

    • Only reimbursable meals may be charged (a reimbursable meal is a full meal – see definition below).
    • No a la carte purchases may be charged (a la carte items are sold as individual items – see definition below).
    • Secondary students may charge any combination of meals (breakfast and lunch) up to a negative $6.50.
    • Parent/Guardians will be notified by telephone and/or by email when their account balance is low, specifically the dollar value of two lunches or lower.
    • When a student charges a meal, their meal balance becomes a negative balance.
    • Parent/Guardians will be notified by telephone and/or by email when their account balance is negative.
    • Repayment is expected for all charged meals.
    • No charging will be permitted 2 weeks prior to the end of the school year.
    • All unpaid charges will be added to the list of any outstanding fees or unpaid fines at the end of the school year. Payment must be made in full to the Food Service Department. 

    Payment must be made in full to the Nutrition Service Department or grades, report cards, diplomas, walking at graduation and other privileges may be withheld. Please see district policy for bad debt.

    Definitions:

    • A reimbursable meal is a full meal that requires these five components are offered: milk, fruit, vegetable, meat (or approved alternative), and grain.
    • A la Carte food items are ordered separately, not as a meal.  Examples may vary by school or season but often include items such as fruit snacks, granola bars, muffins, popcorn, chips, yogurt, and water.