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Highlands Today

No Lunch Money? District Works With Students

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: March 5, 2009

SEBRING - Until recently for elementary students in Highlands County public schools, no lunch money meant no hot meal for lunch.

Students received a sandwich instead of barbecued pork on a bun or macaroni and cheese or penne pasta with pepperoni.

Facing tough economic times and mounting unpaid lunch charges, some school districts such as Albuquerque Public Schools, have instituted a "cheese sandwich policy," serving the alternative meals to children whose parents fail to pick up their lunch tab.

"We don't ever refuse to feed a child," School Board of Highlands County Food Service Director Martha Brown said.

Previously, elementary students who did not have lunch money received a sandwich meal.

But that policy was changed about two months ago after Brown and the principals discussed the policy.

Elementary students are now allowed to charge some meals and receive the same meal as everyone else, she said.

"We may have to look at this just like other folks (districts) are having to look at it, Brown said, but, right now our philosophy is 'we put the child first.'"

It's not necessarily the child's fault for not having money, she said. "So we feel very bad for penalizing that child. That's why we changed that policy."

But, it's handled differently at the middle and high schools.

The older students have a little more responsibility and discretion, Brown noted.

"Some of them have money and choose what to do with it, so we wouldn't endlessly let them charge meals," she said. They may be allowed to charge a couple of meals, but then they are expected to pay off what they have charged.

Lake Placid High School Food Service Manager Margo Whitney said she usually doesn't set a limit to the amount students can charge because she keeps in contact with the students and they usually have no problem bringing the money in.

If it gets out of hand, Whitney puts a note on the cashier's computer so the student is notified to see her.

"I talk to them for a minute and tell them 'if there are no problems, I need you to bring money or you may not be able to get lunch tomorrow' and that usually takes care of it," Whitney said.

At the high school level, students with two or three charges may not get in line for lunch because they know they've already charged meals, she said.

"I don't like to see anybody not get fed," Whitney said. "If it's a financial situation we do whatever we can to get them approved for free or reduced lunch or talk to the parents."

The district's Student Services Department is notified when it appears that the parent could benefit by enrolling the child for free or reduced meals through the National School Lunch program, Brown said.

Parents can apply for benefits at any time, Brown stressed. "We advertise it at the beginning of the year, but people's situations change and with the economic times there are a lot of situations changing for folks."

The school district has to look at things like any other business would - you just can't give things away; there's a cost to everything and the district has to work as a break-even business, she said.

"What we want to do is what we feel is best for the child, but it is getting tougher to weigh 'best for the child' against the economic times," Brown said, "because you do have parents who never intend to provide for their children."

Highlands Today reporter Marc Valero can be reached at 863-386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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