National School Lunch Program
National School Lunch Program
St. Augustine Catholic High School participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
As part of this program, St. Augustine Catholic High School will offer healthy meals every school day.
Your children may qualify for free or
reduced-price meals. Reduced-price lunches cost $0.40.
For the 2023-2024 school year, full price per meal will be $4.00. Students ID's will be scanned as they come in the cafeteria to received their lunch. Your FACTS prepaid lunch account will be billed for meals your student(s) receives. You will be notified when your prepaid account falls below a $10.00 balance. You can upload funds to your prepaid account at any time. If you have any questions on how to do this, please contact Ms. Gonzales at tgonzales@staugustinehigh.com
NOTE: Applications for the 23/24 school year will be sent out to all families after July 1, 2023 via email. Contact Ms. Gonzales at tgonzales@staugustinehigh.com at the school if you have questions or need information.
What is a Reimbursable Meal?
What is a Reimbursable Meal?
The USDA school lunch program has many guidelines that schools must follow to provide healthy meals to all students. There are five (5) basic food components that make up a “reimbursable” meal. For high schools, 3 of the 5 items must be served to be counted as a “reimbursable” meal. There are some options for the students, but at least one item must be a ½ cup portion of a fruit or vegetable. The other 2 components are full size servings of any two other items. The student can take all 5 components being served.
The 5 components are:
1. Meat or Meat Alternative
2. Grain
3. Fruit
4. Vegetable
5. Milk
If a student does not take at least three items with one being a fruit or vegetable, the school cannot count the meal served as a “reimbursable” meal. In other words, while the students and families may be receiving the meal for little or no cost, there is still a cost to the school and the catering company to provide the food, but USDA will only reimburse for a meal that is at least the required 3 of 5 components. That is why they will see someone looking over their meal when they pick it up to make sure we can count it as a full meal. We want all students to have the opportunity to share in the school lunch program. Student accounts will only be billed for the meals they receive.
Many factors must be considered to stay within the guidelines for the school to be qualified as an NSLP eligible school meal site. For the 2022-23 school year, we will be offering an “Offer vs Serve” model. This means, while each student will be offered the same 5 menu items, they can choose not to take all 5 items. If they would like to take all 5 but find they do not like one of the items after they have proceeded through the line, they have the option of taking the item home with them to eat later or depositing that item onto a “share table”. Any other student, already having gone through the line themselves can choose to pick up any item on the “share table” without additional cost.
We are NOT preparing meals at the school campus this year, but are working with a catering company, Healthy Innovations. We will be estimating number of meals required to serve all students interested each day. However, if the main menu item runs out as more students arrived than anticipated, we will have alternate menu items available. We will do our best to estimate high so that each day there will be plenty of food available for those students that want a lunch. We recommend that all students try the meals and offer feedback so that we can make adjustments to the menu in the future.
NOTE: Food Allergies or special food needs: If your student has a specific food allergy, please contact Ms. Gonzales at tgonzales@staugustinehigh.com to discuss options. The school will make every effort to provide alternate foods for your child. Parents are encouraged to request Dietary Accommodations that adhere to the National School Lunch program. A "Licensed Healthcare Professional" may need to sign a medical statement for meal accommodations in the Child Nutrition Programs. Ms. Gonzales will provide this form upon request.
Share table: A share table is available after a student takes a meal. If they do not want an item, they can place it on the share table before going to their seat. If another student wishes to have an additional item, they can take from the share table at no additional cost.iscard the item.
Press Release
Press (media) release
St. Augustine Catholic High School participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). As part of this program, St. Augustine Catholic High School will offer healthy meals every school day. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Reduced-price lunches cost $0.40 .
Qualifications for children to receive NSLP free or reduced price meals include:
- belonging to a household whose income is at or below the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines,
- belonging to a household that receives public assistance,
- or if the child is homeless, migrant, runaway, foster,
- or participates in a Head Start or Even Start pre-Kindergarten program.
Household size and income criteria are used to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price benefits if the household does not receive assistance or the children are not in the other categories mentioned above. Children can get free or reduced-price meals if the household’s gross income falls at or below the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guideline chart.
Click here for Income Eligibility Chart.
To apply for free or reduced-price meals, households can fill out the application and return it to the school unless the household has already received notification that their children are approved for free meals this year. Application forms are being distributed to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free and reduced-price meals for their children and what is required to complete on the application. Applications are also available www.staugustinehigh.com .
Only one application is required for all children in the household and the information provided on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and verification of data. Applications may be verified at any time during the school year by the school or other program officials. An application for free or reduced-price benefits cannot be approved unless it contains complete eligibility information as indicated on the application and instructions. In the operation of child feeding programs, no child will be discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age, or disability.
Families can apply for benefits at any time. If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household's income falls at or below the Federal Guidelines. Contact Ms. Teresa Gonzales tgonzales@staugustinehigh.com at any time to request an application.
Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price policy, Ms. Gonzales, Accounting Clerk will review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the ruling of the official may wish to discuss the decision with the determining official on an informal basis. Parents wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to Ms. Stacy DeLong, sdelong@staugustinehigh.com 520-751-8300 x1009, 8800 E. 22nd Street, Tucson, AZ 85710.
When known to St. Augustine Catholic High School households will be notified of their children’s eligibility for free meals if they are members of households receiving assistance from the:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR); or
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), if the State program meets Federal standards.
An application is not required for free meal benefits for Assistance Program participants and all of the children in the household are eligible for free meal benefits. If any children were not listed on the notice of eligibility, or if a household does not receive a notice of eligibility, the household should contact the school to have free meal benefits extended to them. Participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals, but they will need to turn in an application including household size and total income.
When known to St. Augustine Catholic High School households will also be notified of any child’s eligibility for free meals if the individual child is considered “Other Source Categorically Eligible”, because the child is categorized, as defined by law as:
- Foster
- Homeless,
- Migrant,
- Runaway,
- Enrolled in an eligible Head Start, or
- Enrolled in an eligible pre-kindergarten class.
If any children were not listed on the notice of eligibility, the household should contact the school about their eligibility through the list above, or should submit an income application.
Households notified of their children’s eligibility must contact the school if the household chooses to decline the free meal benefits.
For more information, you may call Ms. Teresa Gonzales at 520-751-8300 x1014 or e-mail at tgonzales@staugustinehigh.com.
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act requires the information requested in order to verify your children’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. If you do not provide the information or provide incomplete information, your children may no longer receive free or reduced-price meals.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter 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; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.