Food & Nutrition Services
Food & Nutrition Services
We know that good nutrition and learning go hand in hand. The Food & Nutrition Services department is made up of a team of trained professionals that are dedicated to student's health, well-being, and ability to learn.
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Menus are planned in advance and can be accessed from the school website. Menu selections are subject to change due to availability and weather-related conditions. Updates are readily available by contacting the WCS Food & Nutrition Services District office at 574-371-5086.
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We support learning by promoting healthy nutrition habits that will last a lifetime. Meals, foods, and beverages sold or served at schools meet state and federal requirements which are based on the USDA Dietary Guidelines providing students with access to a variety of affordable and appealing foods that meet their health and nutrition needs.
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Meal Charge Procedure Goals:
- To treat each student with respect and encourage responsibility regarding meal accounts.
- To support positive relationships with our parents, students, and staff.
- To establish procedures that are age-appropriate.
- To provide the technology to support parents in assuming the responsibility of meal payments.
- To establish a consistent district policy regarding charges and collection of charges.
Meal charging is not encouraged, but we understand it may be necessary on occasion. A la carte items may not be charged and all meal charges must be repaid in full. Funds may be transferred between student accounts in the same household up until one week after the close of the school year.
Negative balances of $10.00 or less will be carried over to the next school year. Negative balances of $10.01 or greater will be forwarded to the business department on June 30th of each school year for further processing.
Secondary Students: Middle school or high school students are not allowed to charge meals on a regular basis. Occasionally, a student may be permitted to charge one meal by requesting permission directly from the cafeteria manager prior to proceeding through the cafeteria line. If a student already has a negative balance, no additional charges will be allowed.
Please contact the Director of Food and Nutrition Services directly if a student has special circumstances (dietary, financial etc.) that should be taken into consideration.
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Breakfast and lunch fees can be accessed on the school website.
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WCS Food & Nutrition Services participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs with menus designed according to these requirements. Weekly menus that meet specific nutrient guidelines in recommended serving sizes align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations for calories, percentage of calories from fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
A complete lunch includes protein, grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk and is designed to meet 1/3 of the calories and RDA for key nutrients based on age and grade group over the period of a week.
A complete breakfast includes grains (optional meat/ meat alternate allowed); juice/fruit/vegetable; and milk and is designed to meet 1/4 of the calories and RDA for key nutrients based on age and grade group over the period of a week. Choices within each group are available from which students can select a complete meal.
A la carte pricing applies when a complete meal is not chosen. List available online.
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One of our goals is to share the message of nutrition and wellness via our department’s website that emphasizes the importance of nutrition and fitness. Our site provides information for teachers, parents, and students as well as a variety of learning tools.
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Students requiring a special diet or food substitutions must have a Special Diet Request Form completed, on file, and updated annually at the WCS Food & Nutrition Services office. This form is available on your school’s website under Food Service or from the school nurse.
Once the completed form is received by WCS Food and Nutrition Services, parents of students new to WCS will be contacted by a member of our staff to gather additional information prior to menu modifications being made. Meals should be provided from home until this contact has been made and additional information provided by the parent or guardian.
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WCS has developed a Wellness Policy (#8510) that is focused on improving the health of students. The policy was developed by a Wellness Policy Committee that includes teachers, parents, administrators, health officials, and students.
Frequently Asked Questions
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You may take advantage of the option to prepay for your student’s meals online with simple, secure, and convenient access 24 hours a day. You will need your student’s 9-digit school ID.
You may also pay by check or cash by submitting your student’s 9-digit school ID and payment information in an envelope to the cafeteria manager each school morning.
PLEASE NOTE: CASH PAYMENTS will only be accepted in the school offices, Cafeteria Office, or the Food & Nutrition Services Office so that a written receipt may be provided.
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Parents are responsible for monitoring their child’s meal account to ensure there are adequate funds available.
We provide a free online service for you to monitor your child’s meal account, check balances, and set up e-mail reminders by setting up an account under the Meal Payments tab. A link will be provided to redirect you to a secured site (you will need your student's 9-digit school ID for all online services).
You may also contact the cafeteria manager of the school your child attends for this information.
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Positive balances remaining on a student meal account will automatically follow the student regardless of the WCS school they attend the next school year.
Cash refunds are not available at any of the school cafeterias nor are refunds given on meals accounts with less than a $3.00 balance.
Students are encouraged to spend their accounts down to a zero balance. Refunds for amounts over $3.00 may be made up any time during the school year.
Once a student is no longer enrolled at WCS (leaves or graduates) refunds on account balances of $3.00 and more will be provided by request only up to five (5) business days after the end of the school year.
To request a refund parents must fill out a Student Meal Account Refund Form available at your school cafeteria and online.
Transfers of remaining balances of any amount may also be made to other enrolled student accounts or to our Student in Need Meal Fund up to five (5) business days after the end of the school year.
Unclaimed meal accounts balances of students no longer enrolled will be transferred to our Student in Need Meal Fund five (5) business days after the school year has ended.
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Need Help Paying for Meals? You may qualify for Free or Reduced price meals. See if you qualify by filling out an application available online for simple, secure, and convenient access 24 hours a day (the form for the new school year typically opens in mid-July). Applications are also available at your student’s school office. All information is kept strictly confidential.
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.