What’s New?

Nutrition Program Updates for School Year 2024 - 2025

This year we joined the National School Lunch Program in order to be able to offer free lunch and breakfast to all of our students everyday.

We have finally launched School Cafe, our point-of-sale system, and this means a few things for you and your child:

First of all, all students can get one free breakfast and one free lunch every day at GRS. The point-of-sale system tracks which students have taken a meal so we can claim money from the state and federal government to pay for those meals.

However, if your child wants a second meal, part of a second meal, or to only take part of the meal in the first place, these are not reimbursable, and we will need to charge you through School Cafe. These rules are part of the National School Lunch Program and we have no control over them if we want to offer free meals to students.

We are educating the students to understand this so they know if they take a second meal, for instance, that you will get charged.

"Family Hub" (https://family.schoolcafe.com/GRS) is the parent-facing part of School Cafe where you can view your child's balance, the school lunch menu and nutritional breakdown and fill out an electronic Application for Educational Benefits. In Family Hub, we have rolled over the balances from last year’s accounts, so do not worry if you had money in the system previously, it is still there. If you want to add money, you will need to follow the instructions on the flyers below.

The documents below describe how to set up a School Cafe account for your child.

Notice that there is a fee for online payments through School Cafe. You can also bring cash or a check to the main office to deposit money in your account without paying that fee. Best practice is to send the check or cash in an envelope named Lunch money, marked with your child's name and grade level. Please note that cash or checks will not be accepted in the lunch or breakfast line.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we launch this complicated program.

We look forward to serving you,

Your friends in the Great River kitchen, Dan, Tess, Julie and Mel

Food Forms For Families

Complete the Educational Benefits Application: If you haven’t already, please fill out the attached application form. It helps us get the appropriate funding as a school.
(Additional languages available: Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Karen)
Submit the GRS Google Form: This tells our staff if your child intends to eat lunch at school. This should be completed for each child that attends GRS.
If your child has a medical dietary need (and they plan to eat lunch at school), this Special Diet Statement Form will need to be filled out by your child's licensed physician, physician assistant or certified nurse practitioner. (Note: Lactose- free milk may be provided without a physician's note) As always, students are able to bring food from home that meets their dietary needs.

Why This Matters:

Access to Healthy Meals: Ensures your child receives nutritious meals at school.
Support for Our School: Helps our school receive funding that supports various programs and services.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or

(2) fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Questions can be directed to lunch@greatriverschool.org.

Quick Links

Application for Educational Benefits (free/reduced lunch) - English

Application for Educational Benefits - (free/reduced lunch) - Spanish

2024–25 Solicitud de Beneficios Educativos - Español

Application for Educational Benefits - (free/reduced lunch) - Hmong

2024-25 Daim Ntawv Thov Kev Pab Cuam - Hmoob

Application for Educational Benefits - (free/reduced lunch) - Somali

2024–25 Codsi ku saabsan Faa'iidooyinka Waxbarashada - Somali

Application for Educational Benefits - (free/ reduced lunch) - Karen

GRS School Lunch Sign-up Form
This tells our staff if your child intends to eat lunch at school. This should be completed for each child that attends GRS.

Special Diet Statement Form
If your child has a medical dietary need (and they plan to eat lunch at school), this will need to be filled out by your child's licensed physician, physician assistant or certified nurse practitioner. (Note: Lactose- free milk may be provided without a physician's note)

What’s New?

Food Forms For Families

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