Food and Nutrition Services
www.somerville.k12.ma.us/food_service
617-625-6600 x6080
The Somerville Public Schools Department of Food and Nutrition Services provides high quality, nutritious lunches, breakfasts and after school program snacks in all public schools every day of the school year. A wide variety of foods are used in the school menus, and alternate choices are available in most schools each day.
The lunch and breakfast program begins in all schools on September 7, 2011.
The Somerville Public Schools is fully compliant with all federal regulations intending to prevent childhood obesity, and has won numerous awards for going above and beyond required laws to help increase students’ access to healthy and fresh foods. This includes implementing new milk regulations one year before they are required. In December 2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was passed and became law. New and improved regulations regarding food, beverages and nutrition being offered to school-age students were established. Within these guidelines, by 2012 the Somerville Public Schools can no longer serve flavored milk unless it is fat free. Unfortunately, there is no flavored milk on the market that is 0% fat. Therefore, ahead of the federal mandate, the Somerville Public Schools made the decision to remove all flavored milk from all K-8 lunch and breakfast programs beginning in September 2011.
School Breakfast
Free breakfast is available for all students each day, regardless of family income, through the Universal Free Breakfast Program. Breakfast consists of entree/protein items (such as cold cereal, hot oatmeal, egg sandwiches, bagels, or muffins), 100% juice or fresh fruit, and milk.
What’s for lunch? 3 ways to get breakfast and lunch menus · Download them from the web: www.somerville.k12.ma.us/menu, · Watch the on local cable channel 15 or 16, and/or · Find them printed in the Somerville Journal. |
School Lunch
School lunches are provided on a fee-for-service basis. Children from low-income families may receive free or reduced price meal services if the parents/guardians fill out a Free/Reduced price meal application and meet family size and income eligibility guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (see chart below). All foster children are eligible for free meals (even if the foster parents make an income above the guidelines).Families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly the Food Stamp Program), or TANF public assistance benefits (such as TAFDC, EAEDC, or EA)
are also automatically eligible for free meals. These families
are sent notices in August 2011 and the Food Service Department automatically enrolls students that qualify by direct certification prior to August. They do not need to fill out the regular Free/Reduced price meal application.
All students must bring a valid Somerville student ID each day to receive breakfast and lunch.
If lost there is a $1.00 fee for a replacement elementary school student ID card.
2011-2012 Food Service Prices
Paid milk/daily $ .50
Paid milk/weekly $ 2.50
Annual (180 day) prepaid student milk purchase (for sale in September only) $ 90.00
Elementary schools (K-8 schools)
Daily breakfast (all students eligible) No Charge
Daily paid lunch $ 2.50
Weekly paid lunch $ 12.50
Reduced price lunch No Charge
Free lunch No Charge
“A La Carte” snack items as priced at school serving counter
Somerville High School
Daily breakfast (paid students only) $ 1.00
Daily paid lunch $ 2.75
Weekly paid lunch $ 13.75
Reduced price lunch No Charge
Free lunch No Charge
“A La Carte” snack items as priced at school serving counter
Meal Benefit Application
In September, 2011 every child in the Somerville Public Schools will receive a Free/Reduced Price Meal Benefit Application to take home. Lunch/Meal Benefit Applications are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole and may also be found on the school website. If one child in your family/household is eligible for free/reduced price meal benefits, usually all your children in the Somerville Public Schools (elementary and high school) are eligible. You do not need to fill out a separate application for each child. One application per family is allowed. However, each child must be listed on the application with their school.
U.S. Citizenship is NOT a condition of eligibility for free and reduced price benefits. School meal benefits to children are exempted from the Immigration & Naturalization Services (INS) procedures & rules. |
Parents not interested in meal benefits need only write “not interested” on the income/family size information section and return the signed form to their child’s school.
Your application needs to be completely filled out for us to process it. Please return your application as soon as possible so we can finish it as quickly as possible.
Meal Payment Information
Payment is only required if your child/children are not eligible for free or reduced price meals.
The School Food Service Department uses a computerized point of sale cash register system in all school cafeterias. Students purchase lunch and milk using a school generated student identification card.
You can pay for school lunch online. Visit www.somerville.k12.ma.us/food_service. Look for the link called “Paying for School Lunch” on the left hand side of the page.
Lunch prepayment money may also be paid in cash or by personal check made out to: “Somerville Food Service Department”. The amount of the payment will be credited to the child’s account and automatically deducted when a lunch or milk is purchased.
Prepaid money is non-refundable. However, the child’s balance will be transferred to another Somerville school automatically if the student changes schools. Any remaining balance at year end will transfer to start the new school year. There is no charge for free or reduced price lunch.
Food Allergies and Dietary Restrictions
Special dietary restrictions can be accommodated with proper medial documentation. Please call the Department of Food and Nutrition Services at 617-625-6600 x6080 to discuss your child’s needs.
