Meal Information

CNP Free / Reduced Meals Program

Any student who attends a Diocesan school that is a part of the Child Nutrition Program (CNP) may participate in the breakfast and lunch programs at his/her school. Students who do not qualify for Free or Reduced price meals may purchase meals. If you are not eligible now and your income decreases, you lose your job, your family size increases or you become eligible for SNAP, FITAP, or FDPIR benefits, you may submit a meal application at that time. You may apply for benefits any time during the school year.

All students are given the opportunity to apply for free or reduced price meals. Applications may be completed online at www.myschoolapps.com or paper applications are available at each cafeteria. A new meal application must be submitted each year, unless you are notified that your child has been approved for free meals as a direct certified student. Only one application is needed per household.

To see if your child/children qualify for Free or Reduced price meals, please refer to the Income Eligibility Guidelines Chart for the 2024-2025 SY.

If you feel your child/children qualify for Free or Reduced price meals, please complete and submit an application.

This includes:

• All new students coming into the Diocesan school district. {NOTE: Students transferring from another school district (EBR or any other public or private school district) must complete & submit a new meal application; his/her previous eligibility is not transferrable. }
• All students transferring from a Diocesan school that does not participate in the CNP program.
• Prior-Year Free/Reduced students {Prior-year status expires 30 operating days after the 1^ro day of school}.

Click here for a quick guide on how to use the My School Apps website.

New Students with Sibling(s)

If you have a child that will be attending a Diocesan school and he/she has a sibling already enrolled who is a Free or Reduce student, please complete the New Student w/ Sibling Info Form and turn it in to your child’s cafeteria as soon as possible.

Student Meal Accounts

Every student has an account with the cafeteria. The account contains your child’s meal account balance, as well as any special notes and/or dietary needs as requested on the Diet Prescription form you submit. All student information is highly confidential and is not shared with anyone.

Parents and non-students are allowed to purchase meals at prices set by the Child Nutrition Program. However, all meals must be paid for at the time of service. No one is allowed to charge a meal to a student's account. Please bring exact amount of meal cost, the cafeteria staff cannot give change.

Payment Options

Parents are encouraged to prepay for their child’s meals so that money for meals will always be available. Regardless of how you choose to pay for your child’s meals, you may check your child’s cafeteria account activity any time by going to www.myschoolbucks.com after you have set up an account online.

Pre-Payment Options:

• Online– Parents have the opportunity to make payments online via www.myschoolbucks.com for their child’s meals. You can pay with a credit/debit card. The online service allows parents to add money directly into their child’s meal account; money is usually posted within 30 minutes. Parents can monitor the account, view account activity, and set up low-balance alerts. Even if you decide not to make a payment online, you can still take advantage of the other features listed above at no charge. Sign up today!
• Cash– Effective August 1, 2023 the Child Nutrition Program cafeterias will no longer accept cash payments.
• Personal Checks– If you send a check with your child, please place it in a sealed envelope. Be sure to write your child’s name, grade, and POS number on the envelope. Checks are posted to your child’s account on the day it is received. NOTE: If your check is returned for Insufficient Funds (NSF), your child's account will be charged a $33.00 NSF fee plus any other fees that the bank may charge the cafeteria.

Checks used to pay for school meals must meet the following criteria:

• Only use a check that is pre-printed with your name and mailing address.
• Write your home and work phone numbers on the top left-hand corner of the check.
• Write your child’s full name and POS number in the memo area. {NOTE: If payment is for more than one student, please list all the information for each student, including the amount for each student.} Click here to see a sample check.
• Write the check amount clearly.
• Please make Check or Money Order payable to:  School Name CNP (example: Sacred Heart CNP) or School Name Cafeteria (example: Sacred Heart Cafeteria).

Negative Balance:

• Parents are encouraged to prepay for their child’s meals. Students will be allowed to charge up to five lunches {Elem - $2.75 x 5 = $13.75 / Middle - $2.80 x 5 = $14 / High - $3 x 5 = $15}. However, all negative balances should be paid immediately. Extra Sales purchases will not be allowed if your child has a negative balance.
• Parents who receive notices for overdrawn cafeteria accounts are asked to supply the cafeteria with the funds in the amount to cover the overdrawn balance plus a prepayment to cover at least the next month of meals.
• Elem & Middle Schools: If your child’s account has reached the charge limit, he/she will be provided an alternate meal for lunch. No alternate meal will be provided for breakfast.
• High School & Adults: Charging is not permitted and no alternate meals will be provided.

Special Notes:

• Please remind your child not to share their Point-of-Service (POS) number or Meal ID Card with friends or other students.
• A copy of your child’s account activity is available by checking the account online at www.myschoolbucks.com. You do not need to make online payments to view your child’s account.