Cafeteria

TO START:

1. Visit www.schoolcafe.com

2. Under "Need to Create an Account or Contact Us?"

3. Select your state: PA

4. Enter the name of your school district: Franklin Area School District. From there follow the instructions below.

REGISTRATION:

1. Select - Create a New Account

2. Select "I'm a Parent" and then select Next

3. Enter your name and contact information, and then select Next

4. Create a username and password you will easily remember, and then confirm the password

5. Set up a security question and answer (in case you do forget your login credentials) and then select Next

6. Read and accept the Terms & Conditions, and then select Create My Account

ADD STUDENT(S):

1. At the top your Dashboard, select Add a Student

2. Enter the student's information as requested

3. Select Search and Verify Student

4. Verify the student found is accurate and select Add the Student

MAKE A PAYMENT:

1. At the top your dashboard, select Make a Payment

2. Enter payment dollar amounts for each student as desired and select Checkout

3. (Optional) If your district allows for purchasing of other types of school items (yearbooks, fees, etc.), you will see a "Shop Campus Store" button, where you can enter payment amounts for those items as well. If the district does not accept those kinds of payments through SchoolCafe, this button will not be visible.

4. On the Checkout screen, confirm the total and select an existing payment method, or choose Add a New Card to add a new card.

When adding a new card, you can enter your card's details and either save the card (even making it your default payment card) or simply use it for a one-time payment.

5. When you have confirmed all details, select Submit to complete the payment. Funds are typically available at the chid(ren)'s school(s) within 20 minutes.

SET UP AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS:

1. From your Dashboard, locate an individual student on your account and select the blue text next to 'Automatic Payment' (the text will say either 'Not Set' or 'Set For...')

2. In the first field, enter a Payment Amount. This amount will be paid automatically.

3. In the next field, enter a balance threshold. This tells SchooCafe how low the student's balance must be before the payment will be made.

4. Select a payment source of select Add a Card to add a new card.

5. In the last field, confirm the date that the Automatic Payment will expire. (Note: this date should be before your payment source expires, if possible.)

6. Select Save

SET UP LOW BALANCE ALERTS

1. From your Dashboard, locate an individual student and select the blue text next to 'Low Balance Alert' (the text will say either 'Not Set' or 'Set for...').

2. In the first field, enter a balance threshold. This tells SchoolCafe how low the student's balance must be before a low balance alert is sent to you.

3. In the next field, enter how often you would like to receive a reminder that the student's balance is below the threshold. This is helpful in case you miss an email or alert.

4. Select Save. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s SchoolCafe account, please contact Bobbi Ritts Hamilton at hamiltonb@fasd.k12.pa.us or via phone at 814-432-2121 Ext 2120.

Through the Community Eligibility Provision, Franklin Area School District will provide free meals to all students for the 2023-2024 school year.

Breakfast

• Breakfast Paid: $0.00

• Breakfast Reduced: $0.00

• Adult Breakfast: $2.36

Lunch

• Elementary Lunch: $0.00

• Secondary Lunch: $0.00

• Reduced Lunch: $0.00

• Adult Lunch: $4.73

Milk is only included with a full reimbursable meal. Packers and second lunches are required to purchase milk at the price below.

• Milk: $.60

Extra items such as chips, snacks, ice cream, and a second meal will be an additional charge. If your student would like to purchase a second breakfast or lunch, it will cost $1.35 for a breakfast at the elementary and secondary schools, $2.30 for an elementary lunch, and $2.40 for a secondary lunch. Charging for additional items is not permitted. For students that pack their lunch, milk may be purchased for $0.60 or additional items can be selected, so that it qualifies as a no-charge meal.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's meal account, please contact Bobbi Ritts Hamilton at hamiltonb@fasd.k12.pa.us or 814-432-2121 Extension 2120.

Adult Prices

For Non-Pricing SNP Sponsors, those who do not charge students for meals, for example, sponsors participating in Community Eligibility Provision, the adult meals prices for breakfast and lunch must be set at the established rates by the PA Department of Education Division of Food and Nutrition (PDE, DFN).  For the 2023-2024 school year, adult breakfast will cost $2.36 per meal and adult lunch will cost $4.73 per meal.  Rates may change annually and can be found on the PA Department of Education, Division of Food and Nutrition (PDE, DFN) site.  

     Franklin Area School District participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The federal CEP program is a reimbursement program for eligible schools in high-poverty areas.  All enrolled students of FASD are eligible to receive a nutritional breakfast and lunch each school day at no charge to your household. No further action is required of you. Families do not need to turn in free and reduced-price meal applications.  

     The CEP “free meal” program is separate from other federal programs. If you are applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), you can apply at Commonwealth’s website at: https://www.compass.state.pa.us

Families may use any of the following methods to locate sites that serve free meals to children during the summer:

•Call 211

•Call 1.866.3Hungry or 1.877.8Hambre

•Text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 877877 during the summer months

•Text “SUMMER MEALS” or “VERANO” to 97779.

•Use the website:  www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks

•Use the site locator for smartphones - Rangeapp.org    

Schools & Families may use any of the following methods to locate sites that serve free meals to children during the summer:

•  Call 211

•  Call 1.866.3Hungry (1-866-348-6479) or 1.877.8Hambre (1-877-842-6273)

•  Text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 during the summer months

•  Text “SUMMER MEALS” or “VERANO” to 914-342-7744.

•  Use the website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids

•  Use the site locator for smartphones - Rangeapp.org

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Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) – Summer 2023

 The Department of Human Services issued the Summer 2023 Pandemic Electronic Benefit Cards (P-EBT) to all students of the Franklin Area School             District. The money on these cards can be used for food only. The 2023 P-EBT benefit is a fixed amount of $120 per eligible student. The Pennsylvania           Department of Human Services (DHS) will issue the benefits starting in late July and going into September 2023. 

Click on this link for a quick family resource guide: P-EBT Family Resource Guide 

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program 2020-2021 School Year 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES (DHS):

​DHS is the state agency responsible for the P-EBT program. Therefore, they are assuming the role of researching and responding to all school and parent inquires. 

The DHS P-EBT website has valuable information: Https://www.dhs.pa.gov/coronavirus/Pages/P-EBT-Guide.aspx

P-EBT CARD QUESTIONS 

What is P-EBT?

The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 provided temporary benefits, referred to as P-EBT, to families of school-aged children who would have received free or reduced-priced meals through the USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP) if school had not been affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. These benefits were issued in late Spring/Summer of 2020.

A second issuance of P-EBT was authorized by Congress for the 2020-2021 school year. This second issuance will provide the equivalent monetary amount for school breakfast, lunch, and snack to families of students who are enrolled in school participating in the NSLP but are not attending in person due to COVID-19. For the issuance this school year, Pennsylvania will distribute benefits to about 928,000 children – for a total distribution of about $1-billion.

Who is eligible to receive P-EBT Benefits?P-EBT benefits are only available to students who are eligible for Free and Reduced- priced School Meals or attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, enrolled in a school which participates in the NSLP, and for school days the eligible student was/is not receiving in-person instruction (school closures, virtual/remote instruction, absences, quarantine, etc.). The USDA has approved a simplifying assumption that allows Pennsylvania to issue a standard partial benefit amount across the state for students that were/are both in person and virtual (blended).

Families should complete a Household Application for Free or Reduced-price meals. Households can apply by visiting COMPASS website: www.compass.state.pa.us

When will P-EBT benefits be issued to families?Benefits will be issued in two separate stages:

• Benefits for September 2020 – February 2021: Issued middle of May 2021

• Benefits for March – June 2021: Issued in third and fourth week of July 2021

P-EBT benefits for the current school year will start being issued on May 10, 2021. Due to the large number of cards that must be mailed, it may take until mid-July for you to receive your card. Please wait until July 15, 2021, to report not receiving a card for your child.

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Homeschooled children, children enrolled in a cyber school (not affiliated with FASD) or charter school, or children attending a school that didn't participate in the NSLP were not eligible for P-EBT under last year's issuance.

What if I did not receive my benefit? What resources are there?If you didn't receive a benefit for your child for the spring 2020 issuance and your child was eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the NSLP, please contact the DHS by one of the following methods:

• Call the resource line at 484-363-2137 and leave a voicemail. Have the following information on hand when you call:

  • Names of your child(ren)

  • Child(ren) date(s) of birth

  • School or school district they attend

  • Contact phone number

  • Contact email address

  • Current mailing address

  • Brief description of the issue

• Submit an inquiry through DHS' P-EBT Inquiry FormOpens In A New Window. Please fill out as much information as possible on the form as this will help us to research your issue and try to resolve it.

• If you have any further questions, please contact the Department of Health & Human Services at 1-800-692-7462 or email: RA-PWPEBTQuestions@pa.gov.

For your EBT balance, please visit: www.connectebt.com or call 1-888-EBT-PENN (1- 888-328-7366).

Food Services Policy

• The operation of the Franklin Area School District's food services department is addressed in Board Policy 808. Please visit the school district’s website, School Board Policies Section (BOE Policies) to view this policy.

Student Wellness Policy

• Student Wellness is addressed under Board Policy 246. Please visit the school district’s website, School Board Policies Section (BOE Policies) to view this policy.

School Charge Policy

• The Franklin Area School District's food services department's school charge policy is provided below.

Due to the large number of students charging their meals, it is necessary to address the issue of delinquent food service accounts.

The Board of School Directors is required to provide healthy meals in accordance with current regulation and policy. The Board of School Directors shall permit students to incur what the Board or its designee considers reasonable charges and that parents/guardians shall be contacted for payment of said charges.

GUIDELINES: The district shall inform, in writing, parent/guardian, who incurred a negative balance, of the district’s policy regarding food service charges. The Food Services Department of the Franklin Area School District implemented a point of service system for meal purchases in each building. Parents/guardians have the ability to prepay for meals by depositing funds to the student's account. All students are issued a Student Identification Number upon entering grade K and will retain this number while enrolled in the Franklin Area School District. Parents or guardians may deposit money electronically on a student’s account using the School Café website: https://www.schoolcafe.com.

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A written notice will be sent by mail to parent/guardian whose students have a debt greater than$10.00, informing them of the balance and the notice shall include information on payment options. If the balance is not paid immediately, the student will be provided a lunch at the cost of a school lunch. Students with a negative account balance may not purchase a second meal, a la carte items, snacks, or beverages. Elementary students with a negative account balance may purchase a milk.

Parents are encouraged to keep funds in their child’s account.

Parents with hardships can apply for Free and Reduced Meals at any time during the school year. However, this will not negate the charges incurred nor can a Free and Reduced Meal application be back-dated to address accrued charges. If you need assistance with the application, please contact Shane King at 814-432-2121 Extension 1103.

The District will attempt to collect on accrued charges through contact with parent/guardian. The District will work with parent/guardian to set up a payment plan for families that are experiencing difficulties paying for their accrued charges.

Low Fund Balance. Low balance notification procedures for families participating in the district's online school meal payment service are as follows:

• A low balance notification letter is sent home informing parents/guardians that their child's/children's school meal account is low. In addition, if requested upon activation of the school district's online payment service, a low balance notification may be sent via email. Parents/guardians may register for the notification at https://www.schoolcafe.com.

• A follow-up phone call also may be placed to remind parents/guardians of a negative meal account balance. Payments may be made by providing payment and student information including name, homeroom number, homeroom teacher, and special instructions to the individual cafeteria office. Payments also may be made by the student directly at the point of service. If registered, payments may be made online at https://www.schoolcafe.com, the school district's point of service (POS) software provider.

• Parents/guardians are reminded that it is not the policy of the Franklin Area School District to verbally request a credit card number for any payment of a school meal account. Please know that at no time will the school district or any of its representatives request credit card information over the phone.

Restricting Student Purchases. If parents wish to restrict their children from purchasing certain food items, they should contact Bobbi Ritts-Hamilton in the food services office at (814) 432-2121 Extension 2120 or by email at hamilitonb@fasd.k12.pa.us

U.S.D.A. Nondiscrimination Statements and Compliance Procedure. 

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights  regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race,  color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or  reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. 

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with  disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information  (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible  state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600  (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027,  USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online  at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form 0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by  writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address,  telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient  detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an  alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA  by: 

1. mail: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 

2. fax: 

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 

3. email: 

program.intake@usda.gov 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Bobbi Ritts Hamilton, Food Service Director

Franklin Area School District

PH: 814-432-2121 Ext 2120

Email:  hamiltonb@fasd.k12.pa.us

We would like to invite those families who are continuing virtual learning an opportunity to receive meals free of charge. 

MEAL PICK-UP INFORMATION

If interested, please contact the food service director to schedule a meal pickup.

Bobbi Ritts Hamilton

​(814) 432-2121 ex 2120

hamiltonb@fasd.k12.pa.us

U.S.D.A. Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights  regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race,  color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or  reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. 

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with  disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information  (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible  state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600  (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027,  USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online  at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form 0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by  writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address,  telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient  detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an  alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA  by: 

1. mail: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 

2. fax: 

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 

3. email: 

program.intake@usda.gov 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.