Effective Wednesday, January 3, 2024, all complete breakfast and lunch meals will be free of charge for all Keystone Oaks students. Please read this email in its entirety for important details about the free meals program. 

This change is due to an update to the income eligibility guidelines, set by the United States Department of Agriculture, which now identifies our district as being eligible for free meals during the school year. 

In order for a meal to be free, a student must select the following: 

• At least one of the following: fruit, vegetable, fruit juice

• At least two of the following: protein, grain, milk

The following items are NOT eligible for the free meals program and students will be charged a la carte pricing for these items: 

• Single food items, such as: one slice of pizza, a side of french fries, a cereal bar, etc.

• A second meal; only one full meal per student per day will be free.

• Bottled water

• Snack items, such as: ice cream, chips, sports drinks, etc. 

The Food Service Department will continue to serve unlimited fresh and canned fruits and fresh vegetables to students who receive or purchase a school lunch. 

• At least one of the following: fruit, vegetable or fruit juice 
• At least two of the following: protein, grain, milk. 
• A la carte items, such as a single pop tart or cereal bar, are not eligible for the free breakfast program and students will be charged for individual items.

The Food Service Department will continue to utilize SchoolCafe to allow families to manage and view breakfast and lunch purchases and make online food service payments. Families should visit https://www.schoolcafe.com/ to access their child's account. Families will need to enter their name, email address, phone number, student name(s), school(s) and student ID number, which can be found in PowerSchool.

Additionally, students who have an outstanding cafeteria balance from meals or a la carte items purchased prior to January 3, 2024 are still obligated to pay the outstanding balance. If you have an outstanding balance, you can make a payment via SchoolCafe or you can send a check or cash to school with your child. 

The Food Service Department does allow families to set restrictions on their child’s cafeteria account. Please contact the Food Service Department at 412-571-6017 if you would like to specify or limit items that your child can purchase at school or to discuss other issues. 

Once again, all complete first breakfast and first lunch meals will be free of charge for all Keystone Oaks students effective Wednesday, January 3, 2024.

Negative Balance Alerts
Parents/guardians of students who have a negative balance with the Food Service Department will now receive an automated alert through ParentSquare. Parents/guardians can add funds to their child’s account in one of the following ways:

• Access the student account through SchoolCafe and add funds electronically using a credit or debit card. (Fees may apply)

• Send a check or cash to school. Please be sure to place the check or cash in an envelope that is sealed and is clearly marked with the name of the student, their school, and direct it to the attention of the school cafeteria.

• View the current balance
• View purchase history
• Set up low balance alerts and auto pay
• Submit applications for the Free & Reduced Price Meals Program

1. WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS OR SPECIAL MILK? 

• All children in households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly Food Stamps, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits are eligible for free meals.
• Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals. 
• Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
• Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
• Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart. 

2. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY?
Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Suzanne Lochie, Supervisor of Pupil Services, at 412-571-6013 or via email - [email protected].

3. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD?
No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Trista Boyes, Dining Services Dept. 1000 Kelton Ave. Pgh, Pa 15216. You can contact Trista at 412-571-6017 with questions. 

4. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS?
No, but please read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Trista Boyes, at 412-571-6017 immediately.

5. CAN I APPLY ONLINE?
Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit kosd.org or Visit the PA Department of Human Services website at www.compass.state.pa.us.

6. MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE?
Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year. 

7. I GET WIC BENEFITS. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please send in an application.

8. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?
Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report. 

9. IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.

10. WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Joseph Kubiak, Business Office 1000 Kelton Ave. Pgh, Pa 15216 - 412-571-6028 or [email protected][email protected]

11. MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN? 
Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals.

12. WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME? 
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.

13. WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.

14. WE ARE IN THE MILITARY. DO WE REPORT OUR INCOME DIFFERENTLY?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, or receive Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance payments, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income. 

15. WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY?
List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your application. Contact Trista Boyes at 412-571-6017 [email protected] to receive a second application.

16. MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP, ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR? To find out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits visit www.compass.state.pa.us, contact your local assistance office or call 1800-692-7462. 

If you have other questions or need help, call 412-571-6059

Nondiscrimination Statement:

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   [email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

1. Sponsor receives a Civil Rights complaint from the complainant (i.e. parent).

         a) Sponsor must inform complainant of Federal Civil Rights rules and regulations that have been established for protected classes. (A protected class is any person or group of people who are protected from discrimination based on):

   1. Race
   2. Color
   3. National Origin
   4. Age
   5. Sex
   6. Disability
      
      b) Sponsor must provide complainant the necessary information to file a complaint, which is:
            1. Mailing address of the USDA:
            U.S. Department of Agriculture
            Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
            1400 Independence Avenue, SW
            Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
      
            2. USDA’s Telephone/Fax numbers and Email address:
            (866) 632-9992 / (202) 690-7442 F/ [email protected]
      
            3. Electronic link to file a civil rights complaint:
            http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html
      
      Note: If the sponsor is unsure if the complaint falls under a protected class, sponsor should provide complainant the federal complaint information.
      
      c) After providing the complainant with the information on how to file a Civil Rights complaint directly at the Federal level, the sponsor may attempt to resolve the complaint if it is a matter that can be resolved quickly. Resolving complaints in real-time at the lowest possible level is encouraged. (*Note: This is not an investigation as neither the sponsor nor the State agency has the authority to conduct complaint investigations. This is simply trying to resolve the situation if it was potentially caused by a miscommunication.)
      If the complainant refuses to discuss the matter any further with the sponsor or if the matter cannot be resolved quickly, then the sponsor should:
      
      1. reiterate the complaint filing procedures in 1)b),
      
      2. document the complaint and actions taken (i.e. referral to Federal complaint procedures) in a Civil Rights complaint log that is separate from any other complaint log, (*Note: A separate Civil Rights complaint log is necessary due to confidentiality and privacy laws. See complaint log requirements in d) below.), and
      
      3. notify the State agency of the discussion. (*Note: it is important for the sponsor to notify the State agency because regular communication between the sponsor and State agency is key to operating the program successfully.)
      June 15, 2016 2
      
      If the complainant is willing to try to resolve the issue with the sponsor and a satisfactory resolution is achieved, then the sponsor should still remind the complainant (using the information in 1)b)) of his/her right to file at the Federal level if necessary. (*Note: Complainants retain the right to file at the Federal level even if a resolution seems to have been reached at the sponsor level.) The sponsor needs to document the complaint and actions taken (i.e. how resolution was achieved) in a log that is separate from any other complaint log, and notify the State agency of the resolution.
      
      d) Regardless if the complainant wishes to file at the Federal level, the sponsor should document as much information as possible in their Civil Rights complaint log including, but not limited to, the following:
            ? Date Complaint Received
            ? Complainant’s Name
            ? Complainant’s Address
            ? Complainant’s Telephone Number
            ? Complainant’s Email Address
            ? Allegation of Discrimination/Issue (i.e. FNS program involved, protected class(es) involved, etc.)
            ? Date of Alleged Discriminatory Action
      
      1. The sponsor must forward the information, within 5 days of receipt of complaint from complainant, to the State agency (process depicted below):
      
            State Agency Civil Rights Coordinator State Agency Director* FNS Regional Office Civil Rights Contact FNS Headquarters       Civil Rights Office Complainant
      2. *State Agency level must forward complaint information, within 5 days of receipt of complaint from sponsor, to the FNS regional office.
      
      3. FNS team conducts complaint review and investigation, which includes contact with the complainant, State agency, sponsor, etc.
      
      2) Additional Information:
            a) Complainants must file within 180 days of the alleged action
            b) Confidentiality is extremely important
            c) USDA complaint form:
                  English version: 
      http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf
                  Spanish version: 
      http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Spanish_Form_508_Compliant_6_8_12_0.pdf