Our district will be participating in the National School Lunch Program which is available to all district students for the 2024-2025 school year. Please see the welcome back and guidelines letters below for more detailed information, including the free and reduced meals application process, meal pricing and federal income eligibility guidelines.

In the 2024-2025 school year, the federal government is providing no cost meals to those qualifying for reduced priced meal benefits, in addition to those who qualify for free. Children may qualify for the free and reduced meal program based on USDA federal guidelines for household income and size. If your household income and size exceeds the federal limit, the state of New Jersey is also offering an added benefit this school year, the NJEIE. The New Jersey Expanded Income Eligibility (NJEIE) allows families whose income is close the federal guidelines to be eligible for free meals (there is no reduced category). Please view Federal and NJEIE Eligibility Guidelines below.

 

All households are encouraged to complete a School Meals and Summer EBT Application, even if you believe you may not qualify, as the information obtained may be used for other statistical evaluations and grant opportunities that may benefit the entire school district.

 

Furthermore, here are some added benefits if your child is eligible for free or reduced meals:

- 50% off the cost of chromebook repair or replacement fines - Free district wifi hotspot to use this school year (furnished upon request) - SAT or ACT fee waivers - College application fee waivers

 

We also strongly encourage all families to apply online on PaySchools Central by using this link: payschoolscentral.com Use the drop down menu to choose your language preference, English or Spanish. Choose Twp of Union as the school district. Please see the PaySchools Central User Guides listed below, as well as important contact information.

 

Paper copies of the free and reduced meal application are available in English and Spanish in the main office of your child’s school if you prefer to apply with a hard copy. For additional translations in other languages to assist with the completion of the hard copy of the application, please visit USDA NSLA Translated Applications Site. Please keep in mind that this process will take longer to get approval, whereas the online free and reduced meal application and approval process is much quicker. Once you complete a paper application, you should receive a determination via email within 10 school days of submission.

All students who previously qualified for free or reduced meals MUST reapply in order to maintain eligibility, unless they qualify through Direct Certification. The reapplication deadline is Friday, October 18, 2024. If you do not reapply for free or reduced meals, you will be responsible to pay for all meal charges after October 18, 2024 until a new free and reduced meal application is submitted and approved. Students who are considered Direct Certified will be notified via postal mail.

Breakfast meal service will begin for all students on Thursday, September 5, 2024. No lunch will be served that day, or the next day since they are half days for students only. Lunch meal service will begin for all students on Monday, September 9, 2024. Please click on this link to access the school breakfast and lunch menus for the elementary schools, middle schools and high school: fdmealplanner.com Type Township of Union under the "Find your location" prompt, and then hit enter or click on the magnifying glass to access the monthly menus.

Please refer to the price lists below. If your child qualifies for free or reduced meals, they must take all of the components required in order for their meal to be considered reimbursable. As a reminder, a la carte items are not included with free or reduced meals and must be purchased separately in cash or using the online payment program, PaySchools Central.

**Only students with meal accounts in good standing will be permitted to purchase a la carte items. If a student with an outstanding meal balance brings money in to purchase a snack, it will be applied to their outstanding meal balance.*

If you have any questions regarding your child’s meal account, email Laura DiGeso at [email protected].

We look forward to a successful school year ahead!

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To fill out a free and reduced meal application online now, go to payschoolscentral.com and use this user guide.

2024-2025 Food Services Parent Welcome Letter

2024-2025 Federal Salary Guidelines Letter to Parent

2024-2025 Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines

2024-2025 Printable School Meals and Summer EBT Application

How to Apply for Free and Reduced Price School Meals

Sharing Information With Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare Form

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2024-2025 Carta de bienvenida para padres de servicios alimentarios

  2024-2025 Carta de pautas salariales federales

2024-2025 Pautas federales de elegibilidad de ingresos

2024-2025 Imprimible Solicitud de comidas escolares y EBT de verano

CÓMO SOLICITAR COMIDAS ESCOLARES Y EL PROGRAMA DE VERANO EBT

Compartir información con Medicaid o formulario NJ FamilyCare

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To access a prototype of the free and reduced meal application in many other languages, please click here.

Once you choose your language, you will be directed to the School Meals Application Materials Page.

Under Resources for Households, choose one of the options below:
*Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals (PDF Fillable)
*Prototype Parent Letter
*Prototype Application Instructions

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To register for PaySchools Central, click on the logo below, and refer to the attached user guides.

PaySchools Central Welcome Letter

PaySchools Central Parent User Guide (English)

PaySchools Central Parent User Guide (Spanish)

PaySchools Central Online Application User Guide

Customer Support for Online Payment System

Keeping Up With Your PaySchools Central Account

Important Reminders Regarding Your PaySchools Central Account

Transfer of Funds Instructions

Meal Account Restrictions Instructions

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We are pleased to use Pomptonian Food Service again this school year to provide tasty, healthy and nutritional meals to our students, faculty and staff. Please click on the icon below for their Welcome Back message.

What's Happening in the Cafeteria - The Farmer Cafe Times - January 2024 Edition

 Pomptonian's 5th Annual Healthy School Lunch Challenge - Deadline to apply is March 1, 2024

Nutrition News - Blueberries, New Jersey, and You - March 2024 Edition

Pomptonian Food Service Serves Haitian Cuisine - March 2024

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Remember the food pyramid?

Meet MyPlate, the official symbol of the five food groups.

Learn how to make MyPlate work for you by clicking below.

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Cafeteria Price Lists for 2024-2025

(Click on the options below to access this year's price lists.)

Elementary School

Middle School

High School

Faculty

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USDA And Justice For All Poster

Local School Wellness Policy

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

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To access the school breakfast and lunch menus for the elementary schools, middle schools and high school, click on the carrot icon above. Type Township of Union under the "Find your location" prompt, and then hit enter or click on the magnifying glass to access the monthly menus.

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For any Food Service related questions, including meal account refund requests, please contact the District Food Service Coordinator, Laura DiGeso, at [email protected].