Estes Park School District R-3 will follow a prepayment system for school meals, seconds on meals, and A La Carte. Prepaying for meals prior to them being eaten is required. Student School Nutrition Unpaid Meal Charges Policy is as follows:

1. Parents/Guardians are responsible for keeping money on account to pay for meals. Maintaining a positive balance will prevent the district from having to use the next steps.
   
2. Student accounts will be reviewed daily, and notifications sent out as needed. As a courtesy, the Nutrition department will begin notification once your account becomes negative.
   
   
3. A positive balance must be maintained in each student account. Second Entrée and A la Carte purchases will not be allowed if the student account does not have sufficient funds.
   
   
4. Meals are given after the student’s account becomes negative and also given if student’s lunch from home is insufficient (This is determined by school nurse, and or school principal).
1. Students will be given a reimbursable meal and the meal will be charged to the student’s account.
   
   
5. Once a student’s account falls below -$30.00, additional attempts to contact both parents will be made by the School Nutrition Coordinator via phone or email.
1. If payment or plan for payment is not arranged, and the student doesn’t qualify for free & reduced meals, please be prepared to provide a cold lunch for your child(ren). If parent fails to send a cold lunch, a reimbursable meal will be served to the student and charged to their account. We will then proceed to the next step.
   
   
6. If a student repeatedly or continuously has a negative balance, and the parent fails to pay or contact School Nutrition Coordinator for an arrangement, it will be turned over to business director who will take steps to collect debt.
   
   
7. Families can check their account balances at any time by setting up a School Cafe account which can be set up on Schoolcafe.com . School cafeterias may also be contacted to obtain account balances.
   
   
8. Families may apply for free/reduced-price meal benefits anytime during the school year. Meal applications are distributed to all families in the district prior to the student’s first day of classes. In addition, applications are available in all school buildings and the administration building during normal operating hours. Applications are now available online through schoolcafe.com.
   
1. If the family qualifies for free/reduced-price meal benefits and their student has a negative balance they are still liable for the outstanding negative balance on the student’s account.

Uncollected Balances: Administrators are expected to protect taxpayers of the district by making reasonable effort to collect all delinquent food service charges. If there are any unpaid meal charges at the end of the school year, they will carryover with the student to the new school year. Graduating seniors must have their lunch account paid in full before participating in the graduation ceremonies.

Refunds: Accounts with a positive balance at the end of the school year will carry over to the following school year. If a graduating senior has a positive balance, it will be distributed to a sibling returning to the district the following year. If account balance is less than $10.00, cash will be given to the graduating senior on the last day of school when they close their account with Nutrition Services; if it is more than $10.00 a check will be mailed out at the end of the school year, seniors are expected to close their account with Nutrition Services to receive a refund. If a family moves out of district, or becomes eligible for free meals and would like a refund, requests can be made to the School Nutrition Office at 970-586-2361x3009.