New policy laying out procedure for negative meal accounts among proposed changes

By Joseph Back

A new policy could be coming soon to South Washington County, to be titled “721.4 Negative Meal Charge.”

Laid out in proposed new policy 721.4 on the district website, families who pay for reimbursable meals will receive automated emails, phone calls, or text messages when their account falls to $5 or less.

Those students with a negative account balance will be given a reimbursable meal but will not be able to add menu items to their meal. District staff are to be tasked with making sure that “this process will not demean or stigmatize any student participating in the school lunch program.”

Should the balance reach negative 30 dollars, the district will contact parents to try and make reasonable efforts to resolve the unpaid balance. Should the balance reach negative 50 dollars, the district will reserve the right to prohibit student participation in fee-based programs within the district, “until the balance is paid in full.”

This in summary, is the gist of a proposed Negative Meal Charge policy up for the first reading at the August 11 school board workshop, with approval set for August 25.

Also on the list of policy review is Senior Accounts, formerly taking the numerical place of the Negative Meal Charge policy, with 721.4 Senior Accounts being “deleted and moved to procedure, pending board review.

Other policies up for first reading August 11 and approval this August 25 include minor grammatical changes, such as striking “en masse” from 203.6 (III) D. Consent Agenda so that it reads: Consent agenda items are approved by one vote of the School Board. The consent agenda items shall be separately recorded in the minutes.”

At present, the words “en masse” appear after “approved,” whereas they will be struck out from the revised policy as of August 25. Also to be changed August 25 is wording in 203 Operation of the School Board and 203.1 School Board Procedures.

As to the first, language is struck out specifying “Revised (latest edition)” of Robert’s Rules of in governing board meetings, while the latter stipulates that roll call votes will alternate to ensure the same person doesn’t vote first each time, with “be determined by seat assignment” struck out of the revised policy. A full listing of policies up for review and approval August 25 follows:

• 203 Operation of the School Board (minor grammatical changes)

• 201.1 School Board Procedures (minor changes)

• 203.5 School Board Meeting Agenda (No suggested changes)

• 203.6 Consent Agenda (minor grammatical change)

• 205 Open and Closed Meetings

• 207 Public Hearings (no suggested changes)

• 721.4 Senior Accounts (delete policy and move to procedure)

• 721.4 Negative Meal Charge (new policy) The board meets in regular public session once a month at the District Service Center, with their next regular school board meeting on August 25, following the canvassing of bond referendum results in a school board meeting on August 18 at the District Service Center, from 5 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.