No Cost Breakfast and Lunch Offered to all Students   in Monroe-Woodbury Schools as of November 1, 2023

The Monroe-Woodbury Central School District announces it is now able to provide no cost breakfast and lunch meals at every school to all in-person students. This is made possible by the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) designation granted to the District by the New York State Education Department’s Child Nutrition Program, and will be effective starting on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

Q: What is the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)?
A: The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a funding option under the National School Lunch Act that allows eligible schools to provide free meals to all students. 

Q: What does Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) mean for my child? 
A: With the CEP designation, all children in all Monroe-Woodbury Central School District schools attending in person can receive one “complete” breakfast and one “complete” lunch per school day at no cost, eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for families and assuring them that all students are receiving two nutritious meals per day..                                                                                                                 

Q: What is a “complete” breakfast? 
A: A complete breakfast consists of four components to choose from:

• Whole Grains 2 ounce equivalent serving  Choose 1             

• Protein 1 ounce equivalent serving  Choose 1   

• Fruit 4 ounce equivalent serving Choose 1 or 2    

• Milk 8 ounce equivalent serving Choose 1  

Note: Students must choose at least three components offered with one of those being a fruit or an incomplete meal will be charged at à la carte prices. 

Q: What is a “complete” Lunch? 
A: A complete lunch consists of 5 components: 

• Whole Grains 2 ounce equivalent serving  Choose 1   

• Protein 2 ounce equivalent serving  Choose 1   

• Vegetable 4 ounce equivalent serving  Choose 1 or 2

• Fruit 4 ounce equivalent serving Choose 1 or 2  

• Milk 8 ounce equivalent serving Choose 1  

Note: Students must choose at least three components offered with one of those being a vegetable or fruit or an incomplete meal will be charged at à la carte prices. 

Q: What if my child brings their own lunch and would like just milk or fruit? 
A: According to New York State guidelines, in order to access the free meal benefit, a child must take what counts as a complete meal, which means choosing at least three of the five components (including a vegetable or fruit). Food Services staff will guide your child in understanding what constitutes a complete meal. A lá carte items, such as milk, are available for purchase via the prepaid account or cash.

Q: Can my child still purchase à la carte items or a second breakfast or lunch?
A: Yes, there is no change to purchasing à la carte items. Student accounts must have sufficient funds in their prepaid accounts or have cash at the time of purchase. Also, only the first breakfast and first lunch of the day are free. A second breakfast or second lunch would need to be purchased. Student accounts should be pre-funded as there is no charging of à la carte items.

Q: How can I add funds to my child’s account to make those types of purchases?
A: In addition to the opportunity to prepay for your student’s à la carte purchases by cash or check, online prepayment is also available. Checks should be made payable to Monroe-Woodbury Food Services. Please make sure your child’s name is on all envelopes or checks and have them take the check or cash to the kitchen during breakfast or lunch to be added to the student’s account. The district is utilizing LINQ Connect Parent Portal, https://family.titank12.com, to make payments via credit card.  There is a $2.20 fee per transaction to make online payments. To avoid the fee, students can always pay with cash for their purchases or use pre-funded accounts.

Q: What if my child's account has money on it? Can I get it back?
A: Parents can either request a refund from the Food Services Department or leave the funds on their student’s account for à la carte items. Please use the refund form on the Food Services page. If there is automatic replenishment on your student's account, please end these payments before requesting meal account reimbursement. 

Q: What if there is negative debt left on my child’s account?
A: Free breakfasts and free lunches are not retroactive and any negative debt incurred prior to November 1, 2023, will remain on the student’s account until payment is received.

Q: What if my child has dietary restrictions? How will the Food Services Department address these concerns? 
A: The Food Services Department offers a large variety of daily food and beverage selections that currently meet many special diets and lifestyle preferences. If your child has dietary restrictions, a food medical statement which states the foods to be avoided and recommended substitutes is required. This will assist in working together to determine a reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis. 

Q. How do I view the menu for breakfast and lunch?
A.The menus for the month are found by clicking on the Dining icon in the Menu screen of each school, or by clicking the Dining icon on the Monroe-Woodbury App, available in the Apple store or the Google Play store.

Q.  How does my child get breakfast in school? 
A. All schools provide a breakfast program for students in the cafeteria upon entry into school.  On the breakfast line, children select their components for a complete breakfast and enter their personalized 5 digit  PIN number. If students do not know their personalized PIN number, the cashier will look them up using their name.   

Q.  How does my child get lunch in school? 
A. All schools provide lunchtime to children in the cafeteria.  On the lunch line, children select their components for a complete lunch and enter their personalized PIN number.  If students do not know their personalized PIN number, the cashier will look them up using their name.   

Q.   Can you tell me about school meals? 
A. School meal programs offer breakfast and lunch meals that meet strict federal nutrition standards, aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Our meals are planned with student preferences in mind, all while including foods that offer the right balance of vegetables, fruits, low fat or nonfat milk, whole grains and lean protein.

Even though our menu items may sound like the popular restaurant versions, they are very different. Our meals are specially formulated to be lower in fat, sodium, and sugar, and higher in fiber to comply with federal school meals regulations. When you see pizza on the menu, it’s not your typical pizzeria pizza. Our version has a whole grain crust, ¼ cup of red/orange vegetable, and low-fat cheese. All pancakes, waffles, french toast, bagels, rolls, cereal, muffins, rice, pasta, and pizza are whole grain-rich.  Our breaded chicken products and “fries” are baked, not fried, and all breading is whole grain. Our hot dogs are all beef and served on a whole grain bun. We source New York State produce through the USDA Farm to School Program offering a variety of vegetables and fruits from our farmer partners. Our half pint milk varieties and nonfat yogurt cups are locally produced in New York State. 

We invite students to show their support for their school food service program through participation. Our goal is to ensure that we serve well-balanced, healthy meals and that our students enjoy what they eat. 

Q. Who prepares the breakfasts and lunches in school?
A. Breakfast and lunches are prepared and served by our Monroe-Woodbury team of food service professionals. They are dedicated to our students’ health, well-being and fueling students’ bodies so they have a positive learning experience. Our Team plays a crucial frontline role in supporting school meal programs and ensuring that all meals meet the dietary guidelines set by the USDA. They also help to promote healthy eating habits among students, increase their interest, and encourage them to try new foods.   

Q: Do I need to fill out an application for my child to receive meals at no cost?
A: No, families do not need to fill out an application for their child to gain eligibility for breakfast and lunch at no cost. To ensure all students have equitable access to a high-quality public education, schools receive additional education funding based on the number of enrolled students who are from households that are at or below designated income levels. The new Family Income Survey collects household income information that is used to see what additional funding the school might qualify for. 

Q: What if one sibling is attending an out-of-district school? Do they get no-cost  meals too?
A.The family of the student that is attending an out-of-district school will need to submit a Free & Reduced meal application. If approved, MWCSD can supply the out-of-district School with an eligibility letter.   

Q: Does funding for school meals come out of my school taxes? 
A: No, meals and food at schools are not funded by your school tax dollars. Instead, the funding comes from Federal and State taxes based upon the number of breakfast and lunches served.

Q. Who can I contact with any questions or concerns?
A. Please contact the Food Services Office at (845) 460-6200, ext. 6249 or email  foodforthought@mw.k12.ny.us with any questions or concerns.