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Local News

School lunch enters the 21st Century

By BARBARA GOLDMAN, Staff Writer

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 11:28 PM EDT Print this story | Email this story
Mason County Schools is offering a new and perhaps more convenient way for students to pay for their cafeteria meals.

According to Mason County Assistant Superintendent Kelly Middleton, the school district has always had the ability for parents to check their students account balance but has decided to try something new.

"Everybody else can pay on-line for services. Why can't we?" said Middleton.

MealpayPlus, will allow parents to make prepayments as well as monitor students purchases and account balances. At no cost, any family can create a secured account to manage their students account as well as receive e-mail notifications when the account reaches a low balance.

"The program was at no cost. We had to just get over the fear of trying something new," said Middleton. "It makes things very convenient."

The program not only allows payments to be made on-line but also by phone. Payments made either way do incur a program fee of 4.75 percent.

For example, if a parent wishes to pay on-line for their child's account for the month of September, eating both breakfast at $1.20 per day and lunch at $1.45 per day they would pay the following:

-- 21 days of school at $1.20/day for a total of $25.20.

-- 21 days of school at $1.45/day for a total of $30.45

-- $25.20 plus $30.45 for a total of $55.65 (payment for breakfast and lunch for 21 days)

-- $55.65 x 4.75 percent or $2.64 (program fee)

-- Total Cost = $58.29

The total costs will vary depending on the size of the payment as well as varying lunch and breakfast payments. The $4.75 fee is only applied as a service fee. The school system does not receive any of the fee, according to Middleton.

"It's at a very minimal cost," said Middleton.

It is at no cost to view and monitor student accounts. Fees are only incurred when the program is chosen to make payments on students account on-line or by phone.

To create a new account, visit http://www.mealpayplus.com. Follow the on-screen directions and register students using their student ID number (Social Security number). Or call 866-551-4316.

Reader Comments

Comments are limited to 200 words or less.

jack wrote on Aug 25, 2008 9:48 AM:

" I am baffled why students do not eat free at school. I do not have any children myself, but my taxes appear to go up. I am glad Mason County has lots of new buildings and indoor track, but in reality what means more feeding children are putting on a facade.

By no means is this just directed to the Mason County Schools. "

maggiemay wrote on Aug 21, 2008 10:37 AM:

" This will be great for everyone thanks Kelly,You always ae thinking of the students and parents. "

Maysville Reader wrote on Aug 20, 2008 11:40 PM:

" I'm curious as to whether this will allow it to be a complete secret as to whether a student is getting a reduced or free lunch. If you look at the statistics, it is clear that many other Mason County children (like children elsewhere) have been choosing not to eat lunch rather than to let their peers know they are on free lunch. The number participating in the government lunch program drops every year as the children get older, and it's because they just don't sign up. "


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