HOW DOES THE STUDENT ACCESS THEIR MEAL ACCOUNT AT THE SCHOOL?

All students will receive a personal identification number (PIN) for their meal account from the food service manager at school start up. This can range from a three to five digit number. Your student should memorize this number and not share with any other students as this number is directly tied to their personal account. Your student will use this PIN number until he/she leaves that school. When the student moves to middle or a high school, a new number is assigned. Student Identification Scanners are used at some of the elementary, middle, and high schools and must be used to access their account. Please check with your student.

Prepaid School Meal Account Balance Policy

• No student will be denied a school meal because of a negative prepaid school meal account balance. As a result, debt will continue to accumulate on any student’s account with a negative balance but still choosing to receive program school meals.
• Middle and High school students will be informed when their prepaid school meal account balance is less than $10.00.
• At $0 balance, no à la carte purchases are permitted without cash in hand.
• Once the student’s prepaid school meal account balance is at or below $0, this information will be communicated to the parent(s) or guardian via Parent Square/text, email, and/or phone call at least two times per month.
• An application for free or reduced school meals will be offered to the parent/guardian.
• Once a negative balance of $25.00 is exceeded, the food service manager will seek assistance from the school administration to communicate with the parent and document the activity.
• FNS Department will work with District level student services if the parent/guardian does not respond to school administration inquiries regarding unpaid school meal account debt.

You can set up an account with PayPAMS to review a student’s account balance and activity.

**The Student Prepaid School Meal Account Balance Policy detailed above can be printed for reference by all applicable households.
**No student will be overtly identified as a recipient of any level of school meal benefits.

ALA CARTE ITEMS:

Many of the schools provide specialty, A la Carte items. These items range in price and are not included in the paid, free or reduced priced “school lunch”. All customers may purchase a la carte items with cash or by using their lunch account.

PARENTAL RESTRICTIONS:

Restrictions can be placed on your student’s meal account. Once restrictions are placed, they cannot be removed unless the parent provides the food service manager with a letter asking for the restrictions to be removed.

Free and Reduced Priced Meal Application REMINDER: Parents are encouraged to complete one Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application per family, rather than one per child. The application can be obtained ON LINE at JCE website and www.stjohns.k12.fl.us and printed off and completed or one can be completed on line by following the link to on line Free and Reduced Family Meal Application. Schools have limited availability of printed applications. This single application for the family may be returned to any of the District schools where parents have a child/children enrolled; we prefer that parents return the application to the school where their youngest child is enrolled. The schools will be sending all completed applications to the District School Food Services Office for centralized approval. Until the application is processed and approved by the District Food Service Office, any meal charges will be the responsibility of the adult/guardian. The approval process can take up to ten (10) days at the beginning of the school year.

Your student’(s) meal status (free or reduced) at the end of a school year will continue through the first 30 days of the next school year. Unless a new Family Meal Application has been processed and approved by the 30th day of school, your student’(s) meal status will revert to PAID. You may complete a lunch application at any time during the school year.

PREPAYMENT FOR FOOD ITEMS:

Prepayments to your child’s meal account with a debit or credit card can be made (at a small charge) Just log on to www.paypams.com. Payment can also be received by the food service manager in form of check or cash. If check is used, please indicate students’ name and student personal identification number (PIN) on the check in the memo section. Prepayment is encouraged as it assists in movement of students through the line. (Paypams.com customer service can be contacted at 1-877-726-7586). Please check off for the low balance reminder.

FOOD ALLERGIES:

If your child has food allergies, please provide the school nurse with a physician’s note indicating the allergies and the appropriate substitutions that are recommended by the physician or medical authority.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE FOOD SERVICE MANAGER:

The food service manager is on site prior to the school starting to begin breakfast meal preparation and departs from the school upon completion of lunch. Inquiries should be made prior to meal service time or immediately after meal service. Please check with your school to determine the best time to contact the food service manager in event that you have questions. (Breakfast is from 7:45-8:30 and Lunch 10:10-12:30)

REFUNDS:

For students graduating or leaving the school district, you may request a transfer or refund of the balance on the account.

Please complete the following form or scan the QR code below to request a refund or transfer of your student’s cafeteria funds.

Please contact our office at (904)547-7626 with any questions.

ACCOUNT BALANCES:

Student account balances can be obtained on www.paypams.com at no charge to you. Your student’s account balance, either positive or negative, from the previous school year will roll into the new school year unless a refund has been requested. You can now do transfers from one child to another within paypams.com. (Paypams.com customer service 1-877-726-7586)

Teresa Butrimas

    JCE Café Food Service Manager

    (904) 547-8000

    [email protected]