Transition Back to Normal Regulatory Operations (Free/Reduced/Paid)
School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program
Over the last two years Greencastle Antrim School District’s Food Service Program has been operating under a significant number of waivers to allow children, students, and families with the greatest flexibility to obtain nutritional meals during the unprecedented circumstances caused by the COVID pandemic. These waivers expire no later than June 30, 2022.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not have the authority to extend the waivers without Congress providing that authority. To date, Congress has not provided USDA that authority.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Division of Food and Nutrition (DFN), is awaiting a significant amount of guidance from USDA to determine the details of the transition back to normal regulatory operations, such as the 30-day carryover for eligible free/reduced students. PDE, DFN, will disseminate this guidance as it becomes available. However, there are a few things that are known with the absence of waivers:
- A Household Application for Free or Reduced Meals will be required to determine free and reduced eligibility for the 2022-2023 school year unless a student is directly certified. Since many families have not completed an application since the 2019-2020 school year families would need to complete a household application after July 1, 2022, to be processed for eligibility status for the 2022-2023 school year.
- In the event a 30-day carryover is not permitted in the absence of a 2021-2022 eligibility status, families may want to consider completing an on-line household application for the 2021-2022 school year before June 30, 2022 to establish eligibility for carryover into the new school year (2022-2023).
- Please remember if you choose to complete an on-line application for the current school year and your student is eligible for free/reduced meals, that eligibility is only good for the first 30 days of the newschool year. A new household application would need completed for the 2022-2023 school year to determine eligibility after those first 30 days, otherwise, they would automatically go to paid status after the 30 days are completed.
A new free/reduced application must be completed every school year to determine eligibility status for all students unless they are directly certified. If you feel your student may be eligible, please follow the directions listed in the next paragraph.
- Our free/reduced application is located on our district website at www.gcasd.org, under Food Services, go to “External Links”, and click on Free and Reduced. This will take you to “School Café” where you can complete an online application. The new application for the 2022-2023 school year will be available on July 1, 2022.
If you have any questions, or need help in completing a household application, please contact the food service office at (717)597-3226, extension 50505 and we will be glad to assist you.
Sincerely,
Nancy K. Foust, Director
Telephone: (717) 597-3226, ext. 50508
Fax: (717) 467-3663
E-Mail: nfoust@gcasd.org
Download official memo here: https://5il.co/19wr2