MSAD 75 School Nutrition Program

 50 Republic Avenue

Topsham, Maine  04086

207-729-9961 Ext. 238

Dear Parent or Guardian,

 

The MSAD 75 School Nutrition Program serves nutritious lunches every school day except half days.  The cost of a school lunch is $ 2.25 at the Middle & High Schools. All other elementary schools are $2.00 per student, $.40 for a reduced priced student lunch and $3.00 for a second student lunch. Breakfast Program is offered at the High School, Middle School, Bowdoin Central, Bowdoinham, Woodside (Kindergarten Only) and West Harpswell Schools this year. The cost for breakfast is $1.25 per student FREE (New this year) for reduced price student breakfast.Your child may be eligible to receive free or reduced priced lunch & breakfast if your household income is equal to or less than the amounts shown below. You do not need fill out a separate meal application form for breakfast and lunch, one is only required. Since kindergarten students attend all day we cannot offer the Kindergarten Free Milk Program along with the free lunch for these students. (State Regulations) Students still can purchase milk at the a la carte price of $ .50 at all elementary schools.

                                 

Gross Income Guidelines for Free and Reduced Priced Meals

July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009

 

Household Size                       Monthly Income (Free)                     Monthly Income (Reduce)

 

            1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $1,127. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,604

            2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $1,517 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2,159

            3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $1,907. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,714

            4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2,297 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $3,269

            5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2,687. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,824         

            6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $3,077 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $4,379

            7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $3,467 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    $4 934

            8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $3,857 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,489

            For each additional member, add $  390 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $   555

 

Instructions for Filing:

 

Your application must show all household member names, monthly income and source, an adult's signature and social security number.  If your household gets Food Stamps or TANF you must give the school age child's name, the child's case number and the signature of an adult household member.  If you do not give each school age child's case number, you must fill out all information requested on the application.  The information most frequently missing is:  income information and household members in Section 1, Section 2 and the signature in Section 3.  Applications missing information cannot be processed.

 

Return your completed application to your child's school or mail it to:

MSAD 75 School Nutrition Program, 50 Republic Avenue, Topsham, Maine 04086.  We strongly encourage you to mail the application.  Once your application is received, it will be processed within 10 working days and a notification will be mailed to you.  If you have any questions or need help filling out the application, you may call the food service director at 729-9961 Ext. 238

 

 

CONFIDENTIAL:  We will use the information on your form to decide if your child should receive free or reduced priced meals. We may inform officials connected with other child nutrition, health and education programs of the information on your form to determine benefits for those programs or for funding and/or evaluation purposes.

 

VERIFICATON:  MSAD 75 and the Maine Department of Education officials may check information on the application at any time during the school year.  They may ask you to send papers showing your income.

 

APPLICATION PERIOD: You may apply for benefits at any time during the school year.  Applicatons may be obtained from you child's school or through the food service director.

 

HOUSEHOLD:  A group of people living as one economic unit in one house.  School officials do not include foster children or children/family members who live in an institution or boarding house.

 

FOSTER CHILDEN: Usually a foster child id eligible for benefits.  In order to receive benefits, the foster parents or guardian must file out a separate application with the following information filled out:  Section 1, Section 2, Section 3 and the mailing address information on the back.

 

ADULT:  Anyone 21 years of age or older living in your house.

 

CURRENT GROSS MONTHLY INCOME:  All income received by household members last month before deductions.  If that income is not a realistic picture of the annual income, use the income from the last 12 months.  This should be done if any household member is a farmer, self-employed, a migrant worker or other seasonal worker.

 

INCOME EXCLUSIONS: The law excludes from consideration income or benefits from some federal programs. Examples are: value of food stamps, certain federal educational assistance funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, income from volunteer work in VISTA, RSVP, SCORE and ACE, payments from Job Training Partnership Act, Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, Home Energy Assistance Act and Agent Orange Settlement Payments.  Child support or alimony payments CANNOT be deducted.

 

FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT:  A person who is living as a separate economic unit.  This means that the person does not share his/her income with the household or the expenses of the household.

 

NONDISCRIMINATION:  School officials must treat a child receiving benefits the same as a child who pays full price.  The school will not discriminate because of race, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, or mental or physical handicap.  If you believe someone has discriminated against your child, write immediately to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250.

 

FAIR HEARING:  If you do not agree with the decision of the school on your application, you may wish to discuss it with the food service director. You also have the right to a fair hearing.  This may be done by writing the MSAD 75 Business Manager, 50 Republic Ave, Topsham, Maine 04086, or calling 729-9961.

 

If you have any questions or need help filling out the application, please contact the following person:                   

                             Maurice St. Pierre, Director of Food Service,  207-729-9961 Ext. 238