Community Resources

 Family Support Services

School Year Meal Information

2025-26 school year meal prices

Forest Lake Area Schools participates in the Minnesota’s Free School Meal Program, which provides all students PreK-12th grade access to healthy meals at no cost. This state-funded program provides one breakfast and one lunch per student each day. These standards ensure meals are healthy, well balanced, and provide adequate nutrition they need to succeed at school. 

Free meals include:

Breakfast: Entree, fruit, juice, and milk

Lunch: Entree with sides, fruit, vegetable, and milk

How to Pay for A la Carte items and Second Meals

A la Carte items and second meals can be pre-paid online through PayPams or payment can be dropped off at the office or sent with your child to school. These funds will be added to your child's school meal account.

Students us a PIN pad at the school cafeteria to pay for their food purchase via their school meal account.

Nutrition Services Meal Charging Policy

Free or Reduced Price Meals

Families who have previously qualified for free/reduced price meals should continue to apply for these benefits each year. Although meals are now fully covered by a state program, families
who qualify can receive other educational benefits through the district, such as reduced activity fees, musical instrument rentals and other reduced costs.

To qualify for these benefits, families must submit an application each year. Families may apply online at flaschools. org/nutrition or complete the paper application included in the center of this newsletter.

Families can apply for education benefits online (English and Spanish available) or print and fill out a paper application. Families should complete only one application per family. Translated versions of a paper application can be found below. 

Factors considered in the application process are whether your family receives Minnesota Family Investment Income (MFIP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or your household size and total household income. HOUSEHOLD SIZE is considered all persons, related or unrelated: this includes parents, children, grandparents who live in your home and share living expenses. Foster children may be included in the household application as part of the household size. The TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME is the income each household member received last month before taxes: this includes wages, social security, pension, unemployment, welfare, child support, alimony, and any other cash income.

Income Eligibility Guidelines

Reduced Activity Fees

Students who are on the free or reduced lunch program are not charged full price to participate in activities. If your child receives free lunch you still need to register on FeePay. At the point of check-out the fee will be half cost or free depending on your family's level of need.

• Online Free and Reduced Application (English and Spanish)

• Hmong Free and Reduced Application (Paper)

• For applications in languages other than English, Spanish or Hmong, go to:
  www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/application/familyfriendlyapps.html

Rangers Supporting Rangers Weekly Food Program

The Rangers Supporting Rangers food program assists families in the district who have a financial need by supplementing meals on weekends and during extended school breaks. Each participating student receives a pack of nonperishable, child-friendly food items every Friday during the school year.

There are no specific income criteria for participating in the Rangers Supporting Rangers program. There is also no charge for this program; it’s entirely funded through grants and private donations. All information gathered from families will be considered confidential and will only be shared with district staff directly involved with coordinating this program.

To participate in this program, please visit: https://www.rangerssupportingrangersfl.org/ and click on Registration Information or contact the school counselor/dean.

School Supplies Program

The Rangers Supporting Rangers School Supply Program assists families in the district who have a financial need by providing backpacks and school supplies. Rangers Supporting Rangers is currently accepting registrations from families for the 2018-19 school year. Registration closes May 29. Backpacks and supplies will be available at the school your child attends in August before school starts. Watch for an email from your school with more information. This program is entirely funded by grants and private donations.

To register for this program, please visit: https://forestlake.ce.eleyo.com/

School Based Mental Health Program

In order to increase access to mental health services for students, the School Based Mental Health Program allows mental health agencies, with whom the district has an agreement, to provide mental health services to students within the school building during the school day. 

• Confidentiality maintained

• Removes barriers of access

• Lessens time loss for parents from work and students from school

• Parents can connect with agencies directly or ask for assistance from school

Click here for resources and a printable brochure on School Based Mental Health.

Supporting Students and Families Experiencing Homelessness

According to the McKinney-Vento Act, students and families experiencing homelessness are defined as lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including students/families who are:

• Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing or economic hardship

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of adequate accommodations

• Living in emergency or transitional shelters

• Unaccompanied youth who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act provides students experiencing homelessness and highly mobile students with certain rights so they have access to opportunities that will help them meet the same high academic standards expected of all students in our district, including:

• Immediate enrollment in school

• Transportation to the school they attended when they became homeless (school of origin)

• Access to academic services and family support resources

• Automatic qualification for free school meals

These opportunities for students and families are funded through state and federal programs. For more information, please contact: Carolyn Carr Latady, District Homeless Liaison, 651-982-8350, clatady@flaschools.org.

Contact Forest Lake Adult Education here.