Food Service Questions

  1. Are all schools in the district using this new system?
  2. Can I look up my account balance?
  3. Can I make online payments?
  4. Can I use cash at the register?
  5. Can parents block their child from making a-la-carte purchases?
  6. Does SchoolPay keep a record of my online payments so I can view them each time I log in?
  7. How can I pre-pay for breakfasts, lunches or snacks?
  8. How do I add money to my child's account?
  9. How do I find out my child's identification number?
  10. How long does it take for the online payment to be credited to my child’s food service balance?
  11. I am a full-pay student. Do I still use my student identification number to make purchases?
  12. I get free lunches and breakfasts. How do I get a free meal?
  13. I get reduced lunches and breakfasts. How do I pay for meals?
  14. I receive free meals. Will this new system ensure confidentiality about my status?
  15. I receive reduced meals. Will this new system ensure confidentiality about my status?
  16. Is detailed information being collected about what students purchase in the cafeterias?
  17. Is student specific information being shared for any other purpose?
  18. Is student specific information being shared with the DESE?
  19. Is there a fee associated with the online payment transaction?
  20. What forms of payment are accepted for online payment?
  21. What happens if I have no money on account or cash to pay for my meal?
  22. What happens to my balance if I move or transfer to another school?
  23. What happens to the balance on my account at the end of the school year?
  24. What if another student learns my student identification number?
  25. What if I forget my student identification number?
  26. What if I needed help completing an online payment transaction after reading the instructions?
  27. Why are meal counts reported to DESE?
  28. Why does a student have to enter their ID number?
  29. Will I get a receipt or confirmation of the online payment transaction?

Are all schools in the district using this new system?

Can I look up my account balance?

Yes. Parents can log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and click on Lunch Balance to see their child's account balance.

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Can I make online payments?

Yes. Please see this page for more information.

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Can I use cash at the register?

Yes. Cash can be used for all transactions. Students must still enter their student identification number.

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Can parents block their child from making a-la-carte purchases?

Yes -Parents can block snacks purchases for elementary students . Please fill out the No Snack Option Form located under the Meal Magic Tab and additionally located in the Forms tab and send to Beth Nichols.

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Does SchoolPay keep a record of my online payments so I can view them each time I log in?

Yes. You will be able to view all transactions for the school year by logging into your SchoolPay account via the PowerSchool parent portal.

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How can I pre-pay for breakfasts, lunches or snacks?

Simply bring cash or a check to the register and the cashier will credit your individual account or send a check to: Food Service Department C/O High School, 64 Holden Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545 for the amount you want credited to your account. Make sure to specify your child's name whose account you want credited.
Checks should be made out to the Shrewsbury Food Service.
To take advantage of monthly promos checks must be sent to the Food Service Department C/O High School, 64 Holden Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545. School cashiers cannot process promotions.
 

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How do I add money to my child's account?

How do I find out my child's identification number?

A parent can go to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and log in and access their child's ID number.

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How long does it take for the online payment to be credited to my child’s food service balance?

After a valid transaction is completed, your child’s account will be credited within minutes.

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I am a full-pay student. Do I still use my student identification number to make purchases?

Yes. All students must use their student identification number to make all purchases.

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I get free lunches and breakfasts. How do I get a free meal?

Students who get free breakfast or lunch will simply type in their student identification number into the keypad. The system will recognize your free status.

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I get reduced lunches and breakfasts. How do I pay for meals?

Students who get reduced price breakfast or lunch will simply type in their student identification number into the keypad. The system will recognize your reduced status and ask you to pay the reduced price for those meals or debit money you have on your account.

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I receive free meals. Will this new system ensure confidentiality about my status?

Yes. When a transaction occurs, the register screen will indicate to the cashier not to collect money which is what occurs when a full pay student has money on account.

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I receive reduced meals. Will this new system ensure confidentiality about my status?

Yes. When a transaction occurs, the register screen will indicate to the cashier to collect money or not to if a student has money on their account which is what occurs when a full pay student owes money or has money on account.

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Is detailed information being collected about what students purchase in the cafeterias?

No. Very little information has been programmed into the cash registers. The register screens were kept very simple so transactions would be as fast as possible for students. For example when a student purchases a lunch it is rung in only as lunch. For example when a student  purchases an a-la-carte item it is rung in as an a-la-carte item with a price (a-la-carte $.50 or a-la-carte $.75.)

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Is student specific information being shared for any other purpose?

No student specific information is being shared. 

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Is student specific information being shared with the DESE?

No. Only total meals served monthly in the District is reported.

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Is there a fee associated with the online payment transaction?

Yes, but the $1.95 convenience fee makes un-necessary the need for parents to provide cash on a daily basis or mail in checks to purchase meal tickets.  Also, you may add funds to the accounts of multiple children at the same time and only be assessed the $1.95.  For example, if you added $75 to your son’s account at the high school and $75 to your daughter’s account at Oak Middle, there would be only one convenience fee of $1.95 for the entire transaction.

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What forms of payment are accepted for online payment?

SchoolPay will accept credit or debit card payments from MasterCard, Visa, and Discover.

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What happens if I have no money on account or cash to pay for my meal?

A student will be allowed to charge a meal. Each time a child charges a meal an e-mail will be sent to the parent requesting payment. Charging will not be allowed for snack purchases.

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What happens to my balance if I move or transfer to another school?

Only balances with more than $10 will be refunded. All other balances must be used prior to un-enrolling.

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What happens to the balance on my account at the end of the school year?

All balances on account will be carried forward to the next school year. Refunds are not issued.

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What if another student learns my student identification number?

Every time you enter your student identification number your school photo appears on the cash register touch screen. Cashiers will ensure the photo matches the purchaser.

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What if I forget my student identification number?

A cashier can look the student up by name.

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What if I needed help completing an online payment transaction after reading the instructions?

You can call a SchoolPay representative at 1-888-886-9729 from 7am to 7pm Central Standard Time.

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Why are meal counts reported to DESE?

The Shrewsbury Food Service is reimbursed for every free, reduced and paid meal it serves by state and federal funds. These funds contribute to about 25% of Food Service Revenues. These funds are critical to the Food Service Operating Budget.

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Why does a student have to enter their ID number?

Students need to enter their ID number so the system can identify their status of full price, reduced price or free meals.
The monthly total of free, reduced and paid meals is reported to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Students need to enter their ID number to access funds in their account.

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Will I get a receipt or confirmation of the online payment transaction?

Yes.  Upon completion of a transaction, you will immediately receive a confirming email listing the individual amount added to each child’s account and the total transaction cost.

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