- Newton Public Schools
- Food and Nutrition Services
- Why was I charged for food?
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Why does my student need money if all meals are universally free in MA?
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Note that only the first breakfast and/or lunch a student consumes each day is free under the Massachusetts 2023-24 universally-free funding initiative. Second meals and a la carte items must be paid for either from funds deposited into your student's MySchoolBucks lunch account or with cash. The easiest way to pay for student meals is through MySchoolBucks.
Second meals and a la carte items are the responsibility of the student's family - regardless of free or reduced-price eligibility status. Please note that the district is not allowed to carry negative balances at the end of the school year, so please be sure that your child/ren understand that only the first breakfast and lunch are free each day. Additional meals or a la carte items must be paid for by each family.
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MySchoolBucks Account
All students in the Newton Public Schools are given a meal account. You can access this account by setting up a login and password at MySchoolBucks. You can view transactions for the past 90 days and current account balances. As needed, you can add funds to your student’s meal account, which incurs a $2.00 convenience fee.
PreK and elementary students will use a card kept at the school and students in middle and high school will use a keypad to input a PIN number to charge their account. The cashier is able to verify the person charging the meal is the right person with a student picture that is visible on the point-of-sale machine when the card is swiped or the PIN is entered.
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Food Charges
We ask that you develop a plan with your student/s about food they may or may not purchase from the cafeteria, especially a la carte items as only the first breakfast and/or lunch is free each day.
Second meals and a la carte items must be paid for, regarldess of free or reduced-price eligibility. Individual student negative balances must addressed by the end of the school year.
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Food Service Policy – Unpaid balances
Please review the Newton School Committee food service policy for specific information related to food service balances. The district is committed to providing meals to all students who choose to participate in the school lunch program and requires that parents/guardians and/or students satisfy all financial obligations to the lunch program in a timely manner.