Food Service
About Our Food
The Food Service Department serves more than 1,400 breakfast and 3,400 lunch meals a day. Food Service supports student learning by providing nutritious, well-balanced meals according to federal, state, and district regulations while maintaining a self-supporting program.
Meal Prices
Breakfast at School
Breakfast at School
For parents with busy morning schedules, it’s sometimes difficult to ensure that kids are eating a healthy breakfast before they head off to school. Children often aren’t ready to eat right after waking up, and it can be challenging to find nutritious breakfast foods they like. Some kids refuse breakfast at home and discover that they are hungry when they arrive at school. The School Breakfast Program provides a great option for parents.
As you may know, breakfast is offered for all students. Studies have proven that kids who eat breakfast achieve higher academic scores, are more alert in class, visit the school nurse less often, and are better behaved in school. The Haysville Board of Education approved a Universal Free Breakfast program for the 2026-2027 school year. The program provides all USD 261 students, regardless of their family's financial situation, with the option to eat breakfast each day school is in session for free. Families do not have to complete any paperwork for their children to participate in the free breakfast program.
| Breakfast is Served! | |
|---|---|
| Campus | 7:30 AM |
| HMS | 7:10 AM |
| HWMS | 7:10 AM |
| Freeman | 8:10 AM |
| Nelson | 8:10 AM |
| Oatville | 8:10 AM |
| Prairie | 8:10 AM |
| Rex | 8:10 AM |
| Ruth Clark | 8:10 AM |
| Tri-City | 7:30 AM |
| HHS | 9:00 AM |
Food Allergies or Dietary Special Needs
Food Allergies or Dietary Special Needs
Federal regulations require the school to receive written instructions from an appropriate medical authority before the school can modify your child's meals. A recognized medical authority must complete one of the following forms to document your child's current special dietary needs.
All parents using the meal modification forms MUST contact Gina Lee, Director of Food Services, to set up an appointment to review the dietary needs of their students.
- Medical Statement to Request School Meal Modification for Student with Special Dietary Needs Due to Disability OR Food Allergy/Intolerance: If the student has a disability that affects his/her diet, a licensed physician must complete the form OR if the student has a food allergy or intolerance, a physician or other recognized medical authority (i.e. physician's assistant or nurse practitioner) must complete the form.
- Medical Discontinuation of School Meal Modifications Prescribed by a Medical Authority: If the student no longer needs meal modifications, the form must be completed by a licensed medical authority.
The medical authority must list on the form all foods that are to be eliminated from the diet and foods that may be substituted.
The appropriate medical statement should be dated no earlier than July 1, 2025. To ensure your student's special dietary needs are met on the first day of school, the parent/guardian MUST contact Gina Lee, Director of Food Services, to make an appointment to go over the student's dietary needs for the 2025-26 school year. Contact Gina Lee at the Food Service office, 316-554-2219.
Important: Please sign the appropriate medical statement. If the school staff need additional information to clarify how to carry out the diet prescription, your signature is required for the physician or medical authority to share information with the school.
Wellness Policy
USD 261 is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect children’s health, well-being and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating, nutrition education, physical activity and integrated school-based wellness.
District wellness guidelines are based upon recommendations from the Kansas State Department of Education’s Wellness Policy Guidelines (Board of Education Policy JGCA).
If you are interested in becoming a possible committee member, please contact Jordan Funk, Asst. Superintendent of Human Resources & Student Services by email jfunk@usd261.com.
Child Nutrition Program
The Child Nutrition Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and private nonprofit schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost, or no-cost lunches to children each school day. To see if your child/children qualify for free or reduced price school meals, complete the application online by clicking on the 'Online Application' button below, or you can print a hard copy by clicking on the 'Paper Application' button.
Students who qualify for the Free & Reduced Lunch Program may also qualify to have their school fees waived. If you would like to see if your student qualifies, start by completing the Application For Free and Reduced Price School Meals below. Once the application has been reviewed and processed, a 'Qualification Letter' will be emailed to the email address listed as the Guardian Email in PowerSchool (or the first email if more than one email address is listed).
- If you receive a notice of INELIGIBILITY letter, you do not qualify for waived fee status and will need to pay your student fees.
- If you receive a notice of FREE or REDUCED letter, you may qualify for the free or reduced meals 'Waived Fee' status. In order to qualify, you must provide the school with a copy of your qualification letter by either bringing the letter directly to the school office or by forwarding the letter via email (call the school office for the email address). Once the qualification letter is received, it will be reviewed and if approved, qualifying fees will be waived.
IMPORTANT: It is the parent's responsibility to provide the school with a copy of the qualification letter for the free or reduced meals 'Waived Fee' status. The district will not waive student fees without a letter on file.
Federal Eligibility Income Chart
| Household Size | Yearly | Monthly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29,526 | 2,461 | 568 |
| 2 | 40,034 | 3,337 | 770 |
| 3 | 50,542 | 4,212 | 972 |
| 4 | 61,050 | 5,088 | 1,175 |
| 5 | 71,558 | 5,964 | 1,377 |
| 6 | 82,066 | 6,839 | 1,579 |
| 7 | 92,574 | 7,715 | 1,781 |
| 8 | 103,082 | 8,591 | 1,983 |
| Each additional person: | 10,508 | 876 | 203 |
This Is How We Do It
- Food Allergies or Dietary Special Needs Files
- Meal Guidelines
- Meal Guidelines Files
- USDA Civil Rights Policy Statement
- USDA Civil Rights Policy Statement Files
- USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
- Food Service Board Policy
Food Allergies or Dietary Special Needs Files
- Form 19-C: Discontinuation of School Meal Modifications Prescribed by a Medical Authority
- Letter to Parents/Guardian Explaining Requirements for School Meal Modification Requestuirements_for_sm_modifications_06_2024
- Medical Statement to Request School Meal Modification
- spanish c19_letter_explaining_requirements-for-sm_modifications_spa_06_2024
- spanish c19_meal_modification_request_form-spa_06-2024
Meal Guidelines
School meals in Haysville USD 261 include more fruits, vegetables, and whole grain-rich foods; only fat-free or low-fat milk; "right-size" meals with portions designed for a child's age; and less saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium. The changes in school meals, the first in 15 years, are based on the latest nutritional guidelines. Changes to guidelines for meals served by schools across the country came from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and are funded by the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.
Click below to see the Recipe Nutrient Composition-Summary.
Meal Guidelines Files
USDA Civil Rights Policy Statement
The hallmark of my tenure as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to do right and feed everyone and I don’t intend for that to be just a hollow creed. This pledge is at the heart of our work, which includes our commitment to protecting the civil rights of all USDA employees and customers.
Doing right means treating all people equally, regardless of an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, genetic information, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). We are part of the same human family, imbued with dignity and worthy of respect. I expect every USDA employee to foster a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation so everyone can reach his or her full potential. Workplace harassment will not be tolerated, and managers and supervisors will correct the harassing conduct before it becomes severe or pervasive. Our workplace will be a model for proper enforcement of civil rights protections, not only because it’s the law, but also because it’s the right thing to do.
Equal employment opportunity covers all personnel/employment programs, management practices, and decisions, including, but not limited to, recruitment/hiring, merit promotion, transfer, reassignments, training and career development, benefits, and separation.
Feeding everyone means it doesn’t matter what you look like or where you come from, USDA programs are for you. Hunger knows no color or creed. Whether we are responding to disasters with food aid, cultivating sustainable agriculture programs overseas, or improving school meals here at home, at USDA we know food has the power to unite.
When you start with a simple expression of integrity and equality, upholding civil rights and all the freedoms enshrined in our laws is not just compulsory, it becomes intrinsic. For that reason and working together, we will continue to return to our touchstone: Do right … by everyone … and feed everyone.
Sonny Perdue - Secretary
Click below to view as PDF.
USDA Civil Rights Policy Statement Files
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
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.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement - Spanish Translation
De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las normas y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA), esta entidad está prohibida de discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo identidad de género y orientación sexual), discapacidad, edad, o represalia o retorsión por actividades previas de derechos civiles.
La información sobre el programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas que no sean el inglés. Las personas con discapacidades que requieren medios alternos de comunicación para obtener la información del programa (por ejemplo, Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje de señas americano (ASL), etc.) deben comunicarse con la agencia local o estatal responsable de administrar el programa o con el Centro TARGET del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY) o comuníquese con el USDA a través del Servicio Federal de Retransmisión al (800) 877-8339.
Para presentar una queja por discriminación en el programa, el reclamante debe llenar un formulario AD-3027, formulario de queja por discriminación en el programa del USDA, el cual puede obtenerse en línea en: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027s.pdf, de cualquier oficina de USDA, llamando al (866) 632-9992, o escribiendo una carta dirigida a USDA. La carta debe contener el nombre del demandante, la dirección, el número de teléfono y una descripción escrita de la acción discriminatoria alegada con suficiente detalle para informar al Subsecretario de Derechos Civiles (ASCR) sobre la naturaleza y fecha de una presunta violación de derechos civiles. El formulario AD-3027 completado o la carta debe presentarse a USDA por:
(1) correo:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
(2) fax:
(833) 256-1665 o (202) 690-7442; o
(3) correo electrónico:
program.intake@usda.gov
Esta entidad es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades.
Food Service Board Policy
A supervisor may be hired by the board to oversee the district's food service program.
Sanitation Inspections:
The building principal shall inspect each lunchroom to ensure that proper sanitation procedures are being followed.
Records:
The supervisor shall be responsible for keeping food service records required by state and federal laws and regulations.
The supervisor shall be under the direct supervision of the superintendent and shall have control over all aspects of the district's food service programs subject to board policy, rules and state and federal regulations.
Meal Prices:
Meal prices shall be determined by the board.
Free and Reduced Price Meals
Parents or guardians of students attending schools participating in federal school meal programs must be informed of the availability of reimbursable school meals and provided with information about eligibility and the process for applying for free or reduced price meals on or before the start of school each year. Access to this policy will be provided to parents or guardians when they receive information regarding eligibility and applying for free or reduced price meals.
Unpaid Meal Charges
There will be no charge account established for students paying full or reduced price for meals provided by the District. Therefore, once the student's meal account has been depleted below the purchase price of the student's portion of any meal or ala carte food item, the student will have insufficient funds to obtain additional school meals or ala carte food items until additional funds have been provided for this purpose.
Any student failing to keep his/her account solvent as required by the District shall not be allowed to charge further meals or to purchase food items that would result in a negative food account balance. However, such students will be allowed to purchase a meal or food item if the student pays for the meal or item when it is received. Students who have insufficient funds to purchase additional food in their account and cannot pay our of pocket for a meal will be provided an alternative meal.
A written low-balance reminder will be sent to the student's parent or guardian when the student's account balance falls below $5.00 In the event a student's meal account has insufficient funds to purchase additional food items, written communication with information on the free/reduced application for consideration will be sent to the parent or guardian requesting payment.
While it is not the district's policy to allow a student's meal account to incur a negative balance, if the child qualifies for the free or reduced price meals and a negative balance exists, the negative balance will require payment per federal guidelines. Parents or guardians may send meals with the student from home, but the negative balance will require payment.
if payment of any negative balance is not received within ten working days, the debt will be turned over to the superintendent or superintendent's designee for collection per board policy DP. If the debt is not paid within twenty days of mailing the final notice of the negative account balance under policy DP, it will be considered bad debt for the purposes of federal law concerning unpaid meal charges
Balances will be maintained in Mosaic, Power School and www.MySchoolBucks.com. Payments for school meals may be made at the school or online at www.myschoolbucks.com. Students, parents, or guardians of students are encouraged to prepay meal costs.
The District will provide a copy of account balances and meal charge policy to all households at or before the start of each school year and to families and students that transfer into the district at the time of transfer.
The terms of this policy will be communicated to all district staff responsible for enforcing any aspect of the policy. Records of how and when it is communicated to households and staff be we retained.
Contact Us
School Kitchen Managers
| School | Manager | Telephone |
|---|---|---|
| Campus High School | Angel Graves | 316-554-2242 |
| Haysville Middle School | Teresa Sykes | 316-554-2318 |
| Haysville West Middle School | Heather Stewart | 316-554-2263 |
| Freeman Elementary | Destiny Warrington | 316-554-2265 |
| Nelson Elementary | Dawn Long | 316-554-2273 |
| Oatville Elementary | Kathy Autrey | 316-554-2307 |
| Prairie Elementary | Pam Delzer | 316-554-2350 |
| Rex Elementary | Teresa Lankford | 316-554-2281 |
| Ruth Clark Elementary | Aubrey Russell | 316-554-2339 |
FAQs
1. WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS?
All children in households receiving benefits from Food Assistance (FA), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations WDPIRI or Temporary Assistance for Families (TAF) are eligible for free meals. Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals. Children participating in their school's Head Start program are eligible for free meals. Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals. Children may receive free or reduced-price meals based on certain Medicaid benefits or if your household's income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
2. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY?
Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven't been told your children will get free meals, please call or email Gillian Macias, Superintendent (316) 554-2200; email: gmacias@usd26l.com.
3. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD?
No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Gina Lee, Director, 132 Stewart Ave. Door #l5 Haysville, KS 67060 (316) 554-2219; email: ginalee@usd26l.com.
4. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS?
No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Gina Lee, Director, 132 Stewart Ave. Door #15, Haysville, KS 67060; (316) 554-2219; email: ginalee@usd261.com, immediately.
5. CAN I APPLY ONLINE?
You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit www.usd261.com to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact Gina Lee, Director, 132 Stewart Ave. Door #l5 Haysville, KS 67060 (316) 554-2219; email: ginalee@usd26l.com if you have any questions about the online application.
6. MY CHILD'S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE?
Yes. Your child's application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year, through 09/24/2026. You must submit a new application unless the school has told you that your child is eligible for the new school year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price for meals.
7. I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Please send in an application.
8. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?
Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
9. IF I DON'T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
10. WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL'S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Craig Ryan, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance, 1745 W. Grand, Haysville, KS 67060 (316) 554-2200; email: cryan@usd261. com.
11. MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN?
Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals.
12. WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.
13. WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write an O in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
14. WE ARE IN THE MILITARY. DO WE REPORT OUR INCOME DIFFERENTLY?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
15. WHAT IF THERE ISN'T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY?
List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your application. Contact Gina Lee, Director, 132 Stewart Ave. Door #15, Haysville, KS 67060 (316) 554-2219; email: ginalee@usd26l.com to receive a second application.
16. MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR?
To find out how to apply for Food Assistance (FA) or other assistance benefits, contact your local
assistance office or call 1-888-369-4777.
If you have other questions or need help, call (316) 554-2219.
School Meals
Online Pay
Haysville Schools utilizes the online program, My School Bucks, which allows parents/guardians the ability to manage their child's meal account online. Go to www.myschoolbucks.com to view details of this time saving program.