724-463-8713 FAX: 724-463-0868
Contact: webmaster@iasd.cc
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Food Services
Non-discrimination
Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been
treated unfairly. In accordance with Federal law and U.S.
Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from
discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age
or disability.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). TDD users can contact USDA through local relay or the Federal Relay at (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
About our school lunch program
About our computerized debit system
Nutrition information
Menus
A La Carte Price Lists
About
Chartwells, our food
service provider
School Lunch: Good for Kids and Good for Your
Wallet!
Using The Internet To Apply For Free Or Reduced Lunches
About our school lunch program
As a participant in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program, the Indiana Area School District provides a well-balanced, nutritious breakfast and lunch, supplying at least two-thirds of a child’s daily nutritional requirements. If a student has a food allergy, parents should contact the school nurse, who will notify the cafeteria manager.
Elementary students may purchase breakfast for $1.00 and lunch for $2.25. Junior and senior high students may purchase breakfast for $1.25 and lunch for $2.55/$2.80. Milk can be purchased for $0.50. Adult breakfasts are $1.70 and adult lunches are $3.50.
If you feel your child may be eligible for free or reduced lunches, please fill out the free and reduced lunch application mailed to your home. If you decide to apply later in the school year, or have a change in household size or income, you can obtain a new application from your child’s school office. The reduced price is $.40 for lunch and $.30 for breakfast.
School breakfast and lunch menus
are sent home with elementary school students monthly. Menus for
secondary students are posted and available in classrooms and in the
cafeterias. Menus can also be accessed from this page.
About our computerized debit system
Payment for these meals is handled through the district’s computerized debit system. The computer system is similar to the setup of ATM’s. Once the student’s account is activated, he/she can use an assigned PIN to purchase breakfast or lunch. The difference between this system and an ATM is that the student can’t withdraw cash from his/her account, and a picture identification protection feature is in place.
The debit system eliminates lost tokens and tickets, reducing the need for students to carry cash with them on a daily basis. It also allows the parent to send in as little or as much to the student’s account as fits their budget. Parents may request a print out of the meals and extras their child has purchased.
The system works like this:
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Each student will use his/her own school issued student number (PIN). A picture of the student will appear when the PIN number is entered. This ensures that the student used his/her unique number. Students are not permitted to use their account to purchase lunch or extras for other students.
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Students deposit either a check or cash to their account by giving their deposit to the cashier at breakfast or junior high and senior high students may drop off their deposit in a designated lock box located near the office in each building. No deposits will be accepted as students go through the serving line at lunch. Deposits made during lunch periods slow down the flow of the service line, therefore, taking away from the time that the students have to eat their lunch. We ask that deposits be in the form of a check or money order. This will provide you with a receipt for the cafeteria deposit. If it is necessary to send cash, please be sure to put in an envelope and label with your child’s name and PIN number. Deposits must be exact. No change will be given. For example, if a student has a check for $15.00 and requests $10.00 be put on their account and receive $5.00 back, this is not permitted.
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After a student decides what he/she wants for lunch, the student will approach the cashier and enter his/her PIN number on a keypad. The student’s account and photograph will appear on the cashier’s computer touch screen. The cost of the lunch will automatically be deducted from the account.
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When an elementary student’s account reaches a $10.00 balance, a reminder note will be sent home. Students at secondary schools will be notified as they go through the service line that their balance is getting low, so that the student has sufficient time to make a deposit to his/her account, thus avoiding a zero balance situation.
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Students who receive free or reduced lunch will follow the same procedures as outlined above. Their automatic debits will be made at a free or reduced rate.
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If a parent desires, a student’s account may be set up with spending restrictions. Some students buy a la carte items such as fruit juice, an extra milk or special treat. If a parent wishes to restrict the account to be used solely for breakfast or lunch, this restriction will appear on the cashier’s screen. This prevents the student from over spending his/her daily allowance. All accounts are considered open accounts (anything can be purchased) unless a note is sent to the cafeteria requesting the account be restricted for meals only.
Any questions regarding the lunch program or computerized debit system should be directed to Eleanor Sherry, Director of Dining Services, at 724-463-8713.
Understanding
Offer vs. Serve:
A school lunch (regardless of grade level) will typically include the
following five items (meal components):
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Protein (meat or meat alternate)
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Bread or grain
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Fruit
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Vegetable
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Choice of milk
A student may choose any three, four or five of the above items. food service employees are not permitted to place all five-meal components on the tray unless the student requests all five components.
At the elementary schools, a typical lunch will consist of a hot entree, starch or bread, hot vegetable, canned fruit or whole fresh fruit and milk. A student may choose any three, four or all five of the components as their lunch selection.
At the secondary schools, the food court format provides all five meal components at each station. The Pizza station, for example, offers a pizza slice (which counts as a bread, vegetable and protein), fresh fruit choice, or tossed salad, plus milk. The Grille station includes hot sandwich selections (bread and protein) plus a hot vegetable or lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion, plus fresh fruit and milk. All other stations offer all five components as well. As with the elementary schools, a student may select three, four or all five components as part of their lunch selection.
Healthy
Choices for Indiana Area School District Students:
Chartwells Food Services has instituted standards for Balanced Choice
meals to allow students to select menu options that meet the following
criteria:
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Less than 30% of calories are from fat
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Less than 10% of the fat content is saturated fat
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Less than 90 mg of sodium
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less than 90 mg of cholesterol
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Incorporates a full serving of a vegetable
Chartwells wants students to have the option of making healthier food choices without sacrificing good taste. It is easy for students to identify menu items marked with the green and blue Balanced Choice logo:
In secondary schools, fresh fruits are offered daily at every food court station along with whole wheat rolls and fat free milk.
In our elementary schools, low-fat milks and whole fresh fruits are available daily. Lunch meats and hot dogs are turkey-based to reduce fat content and menu selections are oven-baked or steamed.
A variety of hot and cold breakfast items are available daily at the junior and senior high schools.
ELEMENTARY "EXTRAS" price list
A LA CARTE price list for secondary schools
Using The Internet To Apply For Free Or
Reduced Lunches
Now families can apply for free or reduced price
school meals through the National School Lunch Program online using the
Internet! This can be done using COMPASS. COMPASS allows Pennsylvanians
to apply for social service programs, such as Food Stamps (FS),
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Energy Assistance,
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), etc., online.
Families can use COMPASS to apply for free or reduced price school
meals only, or they can apply for other services at the same time (FS,
TANF, etc.).
Since your child attends Indiana Area School District, you can apply for free or reduced price school meals online by going to the COMPASS website at www.compass.state.pa.us or you can continue to use the paper "Household Meal Benefit Application" if you prefer.
Once you access COMPASS, select Apply for Benefits. Parents will select the programs they wish to apply for and be directed through a series of questions regarding those programs. Please enter Indiana as the county of the school when you apply. Select Indiana Area School District as the school your child attends.
Once the questions have been completed, the COMPASS system will direct your information to each appropriate program office and the school you selected will receive the Household Meal Benefit Application. The school will notify you if you are eligible for free or reduced price meals.
If you apply for free or reduced price school meals through COMPASS you do not need to submit a paper application.