Looking for something to do while your student(s) are in school? Sign up to be a cafeteria sub!!!! Great flexible hours that will fit right into your schedule! Contact Barry Sbordy, Director of Food Services, for more information, at [email protected]
Free School Meals with CEP Through SY 2024-2025
FREE BREAKFAST & LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS
Children need healthy meals to learn. We are pleased to inform you that Leicester Public Schools will be implementing a program available to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program andSchool Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Children enrolled in the district are eligible for these free meals regardless of eligibility.
What is the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)?
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) was created as part of the USDA’s National School Breakfast and Lunch Program. It allows schools with eligibility for free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch to "opt in" to provide free meals for all students in the qualifying school, regardless of income.
Will my child receive free breakfast and lunch even if we aren’t income-eligible?
Yes. All students district wide will receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of income.
Will all of my children receive free breakfast and lunch, even if they attend different schools?
Yes, all students at Leicester Elementary, Middle, and High School will receive free breakfast and lunch through this program.
What menu options are covered under CEP?
Students can receive a full meal breakfast, which includes an entrée, fruit, and milk. Students can also receive a full meal lunch, which includes an entrée, fruit, vegetable and milk. Students must take three of the four items including a fruit or vegetable. Our school meals are prepared and served to provide a balanced nutritional offering to each student.
What if students only want to purchase a single item – like a milk or an entrée?
CEP requires that only complete meals be served at no-cost in order to provide a balanced nutritional offering to each student. We encourage students and families to take advantage of this by planning accordingly. Individual ala carte items may be purchased, but please note that your student’s account will be charged if they do not take a complete meal.
What if I do not want my child to participate in CEP?
If you do not want your child to participate in CEP, you are always welcome to pack a lunch for your student.
If you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance to your family please reach out to me at [email protected] or call 508-892-7030, Option 2, x5224.
As always thank you for your support!
Barry Sbordy, Director of Food Services
Food Substitutions
We are asking for your patience and support as we navigate new challenges. As you may be aware, we are currently faced with unprecedented shortages of food and packaging materials, massive delays or cancellations of deliveries, and department labor shortages. Nationwide shortages and delays have affected availability of certain food items, leading to substitutions of menu items we’ve been able to offer regularly in the past. These supply issues are occurring throughout the country and are especially challenging for school systems, due to the quantity of meals we serve and the nutrition standards we follow.
All of this means that we may need to make quick substitutions to our menu based upon what we are able to acquire. We know that this affects students, and we are doing our best to provide updates about menu changes when possible as soon as we identify an issue.
Please know that our number one priority continues to be providing healthy, nutritious, and appetizing meals for your children. We love seeing them every day and appreciate your support and patience as we continue to offer meals at no charge for all students. The good news is that free breakfast and lunch will continue throughout the school year, so please stick with us while we face yet another challenge. Your participation helps our program stay strong, and we look forward to serving you!
Thank you for your understanding and patience.
The LPS Foodservice Staff
INFORMATION ABOUT P-EBT CARDS- Pursuant to funding approvals for specific time periods, Massachusetts families with school aged children who qualify for free or reduced price school meals under the National School Lunch Program are eligible for P-EBT benefits. Families receiving DTA benefits will see eligible funds added to existing EBT card, while those families not actively receiving DTA benefits will receive a P-EBT card in the mail, for each eligible student in the household. The PIN for each card is the identified student’s year of birth. Once you get the card, do not throw it away, as additional funds will be added through the school year, and may continue for extended period. P-EBT benefits can be used at any store that accepts SNAP, and most retailers have signs stating they accept SNAP or EBT. Benefits will carry over from month to month, and will be available for a year.
For more information, contact Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline at 800-645-8333 (TTY 800-1292). The hotline is open Monday-Friday 8 am- 7 pm, and Saturday 10 am-2 pm.
Project Bread P-EBT Fact sheet
Help with P-EBT Card use
Foodservice Staff:
Barry Sbordy, Director of Food Services
[email protected]
508-892-7030 Option 2 x5224
Lisa Johnson, High School Cafeteria Manager
508-892-7030 Option 2 for High School, Option 6 for Cafeteria
Tracy Mandella, Middle School Cafe Manager
508-892-7030 Option 1 for Middle School, Option 6 for Cafeteria
Robyn Griffith, Elementary School Cafe Manager
508-892-7050 X115
School Lunch Prepayment System
Leicester Food Services uses www.myschoolbucks.com for lunch prepayment. Your login and password remain the same and your information was automatically transferred. For the notification of low balances through email you will have to log into the myschoolbucks website and set this information yourself.
Non-Discrimination Statement
Non-Discrimination 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/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.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:
mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
[email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.