Food Services

National School Lunch plan image — *(Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture)*

Our Mission: Good Nutrition

To provide our students and staff with healthy, nutritious meals. We accomplish our goal by providing quality, healthy, delicious, and nutritious foods. We encourage customers to try new foods and use the cafeterias as a learning tool for a lifetime of healthy eating.

The Ross Local Schools' food service department proudly provides meal service to 2,800+ students and employees in our district. Our food department supports the USDA dietary guidelines, "My Plate". This mandates incorporating more whole grains, reducing fats, sugar, and sodium content.

Questions?

Please contact Karen Trousdell, the RLSD Food Services Director, karen.trousdell@rossrams.com.

Free and Reduced Meal Application:

We are asking for all families to please fill out THE OHIO 2023-2024 INCOME FORM. This is for our record-keeping for state reports.

Please register and fill out this application on the PaySchools website. This form must be completed EVERY school year.

Charge Procedure

How to pay for meals:

Ross Local Schools cafeterias use a computer-based cash register system that provides quick and secure access to student information, such as free meal eligibility and allergies.
Regardless of payment method, when students purchase items, they will enter their student ID number.
When the ID is entered, the student's name, picture, and other detailed information appear on the screen of the cash register.
Each child has his or her own ID number. You can remain confident that every student has a unique ID number and all ID numbers remain secure.

Meal payment options:

A parent can place money onto a student's account at Pay School Central (PaySchoolCentral.com). Students may also bring in cash or check (Blue or Black ink ONLY) to the lunchroom to add to their lunch account.

***We encourage parents to pay online so funds can be pre-loaded to the student's account well before their arrival at lunchtime.***

Pay School Central offers the following features:

Payments on Pay School Central can be made by with a debit card or credit card
Allows the ability to set up automatic recurring payments along with being notified via email when account balance runs low on the student's lunch account
Report features that provide history on all purchases and balances
A credit card transaction fee of 3.9% will be charged for processing the funds if funds are loaded online
If payment is made by check, a fee of $1.75 will be applied per transaction
Through registering for Pay For It and creating an account you can gain access to a variety of reports (account balances, history of food purchases, etc.). You will not be charged a fee for accessing reports on the Pay For It system.

Alternative Meal Procedure - when students cannot pay for meals:

Beginning in the school year (SY) 2017-2018, and each year thereafter, the meal charge policy must be communicated in writing to all households at the start of each school year and to households transferring to the school during the school year.

The Food Services Department meal charge procedure goals:

To treat all students with dignity in the serving line regarding meal accounts;
To support positive situations with district staff, district business policies, students, and parents to the maximum extent possible;
To establish policies that are age-appropriate;
To encourage parents to assume responsibility for meal payments and to promote student self-responsibility;
To establish a consistent department procedure regarding meal charges and the collection of charges.

Ross students (Grades K-12) will be permitted to charge 3 lunches:

1st Charge - students will be told to remind parents to send in money
2nd Charge -parent will be notified
3rd Charge -parents will be mailed a reminder and a free and reduced-price meal application

If more than 3 charges occur:

Students will be provided with peanut butter or cheese (Morgan will provide cheese only) on bread, crackers or soft tortilla shell and milk for three days and if charges are not paid in those THREE days it will be the parent's responsibility to pack their student's lunch, or contact the cafeteria manager to make payment arrangements.

As a reminder, you may prepay for a student’s lunch by sending in cash, check or calling the school to pay for lunch by credit card. Sorry, we do not accept debit cards. Also, we have an online payment system, PaySchoolCentral.net on which an account can be set up where you can add funds, check your child’s activity or check account balances. There is a small convenience fee for this option.

Food allergies:

Our cafeterias provide current ingredient information available from our food suppliers for the most common allergens identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (eggs, dairy, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish). We understand each of our students has individual needs when consuming food and drinks outside of their home, especially those with food allergies.

We provide food allergy information to students so they can make safe food selections. However, normal kitchen operations may involve some shared cooking and preparation areas, equipment, and utensils. Keep in mind possibility exists for food items to come in contact with other food products, including other allergens.

Please alert the schools if your child has a food allergy. You need to provide documentation must be provided, such as a note from a physician stating the allergen and any substitutions they feel are necessary.

Allergies are addressed on an individual basis. Please reach out to our district nurse, Shelli Turco, shelli.turco@rossrams.com, with questions or for help with your child's allergies.

Menus and Nutritional Information

Breakfast information and cost:

$1.75 for Full Pay, $0.30 cents for Reduced and Free for those who qualify.
Individual Milk is $0.60 cents at all cafeterias.

Ross High School - 6:45 am to 7:15 am
The RHS cafeteria offers both a hot breakfast item every day and a Grab-and-Go selection for breakfast. This includes whole grain Pop tarts, cereal, granola bars, muffins, bread, and more. Milk is offered daily. A Hot Chocolate or Coffee may be included with a breakfast meal when obtained at the Mocha Cafe only at RHS.

Ross Middle School - 7:50 am to 8:15 am
The RMS cafeteria offers both a hot breakfast item every day and a Grab-and-Go selection for breakfast. This includes whole grain Pop tarts, cereal, granola bars, muffins, bread, and more. Milk is offered daily.

Ross Intermediate School - 7:50 am to 8:15 am
The RIS cafeteria offers a hot breakfast each morning. Each day includes a grain option (students can choose between the entre offered or cereal), a fruit or vegetable and milk.

Elda and Morgan Elementary - 8:50 am to 9:15 am
Both Elda and Morgan Elementary cafeterias offer a hot breakfast each morning for the students. Each day includes a grain option (students can choose between the entre offered or cereal), a fruit or vegetable and milk.

Lunch information and cost:

A complete lunch consists of five components- grains, protein, fruits, vegetables, and milk. Under the National School Lunch guidelines, students must choose three of the five food components and one must be a fruit or vegetable. Please encourage your child to take full advantage of all the offerings that make up lunch.

Please use our Menu Nutritional Analysis Guide as a reference for nutrition information. Please note menus are subject to change. Any additional information required may be obtained by emailing Karen Trousdell, the RLSD Food Services Director, karen.trousdell@rossrams.com.

Make it a meal, it's the best deal!

Ross High School:
Student Lunch = $3.50
Adult Lunch = $4.50
Entre only = $2.95
Reduced Lunch =$0.40
Individual milk = $0.60

Ross Middle School:
Student Lunch = $3.50
Adult Lunch = $4.50
Entre only = $2.95
Reduced Lunch = $0.40
Individual milk = $0.60

Ross Intermediate School:
Student Lunch = $3.25
Adult Lunch = $4.50
Entre only = $2.75
Reduced Lunch =$0.40
Individual milk = $0.60

Elda and Morgan Elementary:
Student Lunch = $3.25
Adult Lunch = $4.50
Entre only = $2.75
Reduced Lunch =$0.40
Individual milk = $0.60

Summer Meals:

Looking for the cafeteria menus?

All buildings cafeteria menus - breakfast and lunch - are emailed out via Final Forms each month. Please keep your email address up to date to ensure you receive them. You can also find them on the each buildings Facebook page.

Tips for Healthy Living

Have fun- Figure out which activities you like best. If basketball and soccer aren't for you... try karate, kickball, dancing, or even a game of hide & seek! Ask your parents and friends to join you in your favorite activities.
Move- Try to have no more than 2 hours each day of "screen time". This includes TV, computer games, video games, and handhelds.
Variety- You may have one favorite food, but the best choice is to eat a variety! When you eat different foods, you're more likely to get the nutrients your body needs. Try some new foods, and retry some old ones you didn't seem to like before. When you get older, your taste buds can change. The foods you didn't enjoy before can become your favorite food later in life. Shoot for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Drink water and milk- Did you know cold water is the #1 thirst quencher? Your cafeteria offers milk choices for an important reason. Growing children need calcium to produce strong bones. Milk is an excellent source of calcium. Try to limit sugary drinks, like sodas and fruit punches.
Mom & dad can help too- They can stock the kitchen with healthy foods and plan fun activities to get the whole family moving. Share your ideas with them and soon your whole family could be fit and be having more fun together.

Enjoy Healthy Living!

USDA-United States Department of Agriculture
This institution is an equal opportunity provider

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