Child Nutrition
We are pleased to inform you that Harmony School of Excellence – Austin, Harmony School of Innovation -Austin, and Harmony Science Academy – Austin will be implementing the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs for School Year 2024 – 2025.
In CEP schools, applications are not required. Schools that participate in CEP provide healthy breakfasts and lunches each day at no charge for ALL students enrolled in that CEP school during the 2024 - 2025 School Year.
Harmony Public Schools – Central Texas
Attention: Mr. Hernandez, ana.hernandez@harmonytx.org – District Child Nutrition Specialist
Child Nutrition Department
9601 Amberglen Boulevard, Suite:119
Austin, TX 78729
Welcome
Reduced | Paid | Visitor |
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$0.00 | $0.00 | $3.50 |
Reduced | Paid | Visitor |
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$0.00 | $0.00 | $5.00 |
Federal funding for all students to receive free school meals is no longer available to school districts. This means that students must either pay for school meals or qualify for free or reduced-price school meals for the 2023-24 school year.
There is a possibility that your child may qualify for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). To find out if the children in your household are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, simply complete the Application for Free and Reduced - Price Meals online or via paper form. Here is some important information about applying for free and reduced-price meals:
- Any family can apply. There is no penalty for families who apply and do not qualify.
- Families who have not qualified in the past may qualify this year, as income eligibility qualifications have been adjusted.
- The application and free or reduced-price meal status are completely confidential. Teachers, administrators, and fellow students do not have access to this information and will have no way of knowing throughout the school year which children qualify for free and reduced-price meals.
- Children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals have the same food options as children who do not qualify. There are no “special lunch lines” or different menu items for qualifying students.
- Qualifying for free and reduced-price meals may provide access to many additional benefits, including:
- Pandemic EBT benefits
- Reduced registration fees for AP, SAT, and/or ACT tests
- Free or discounted participation fees for activities
- Discounted rates associated with college applications
- Discounted rates on internet services
Child Nutrition is pleased to offer parents comprehensive access to lunch balances, payments, eligibility application, and even more through School Café. To create a parent account, click on the schoolcafé button below and read the instructions to set up an account.
Student Eligibility for Free or Reduced Price Meals
Applications for free and reduced price meals may be submitted online through School Café. This can be accessed through personal computer, computer available at the school for this use, or by downloading the School Café app for iPhone or Android devices. Paper applications are also available in the school office.
Once an application is submitted, please allow up to 10 operating days to process the application. During this time the household is responsible for paying for meals until an eligibility determination has been made.
When completing an application, remember to include the names and ID#’s of ALL students who attend Harmony schools.
Meal Charge Policy
Upon enrollment in Harmony Public Schools, each student is provided a lunch account onto which money may be deposited for breakfast, lunch, or a la carte milk. Money may be deposited by credit card, check, or money order in the school office. You may also deposit money online by setting up an account at www.schoolcafe.com. In addition to making payments, you may also arrange for low balance alerts and schedule automatic payments.
School Café is available online and as an app for both iPhone and Android devices.
If you would like to apply for free or reduced price meals, the lunch application is available online at www.schoolcafe.com. A paper copy of the application is also available at the school office. Once an application is submitted, the school will inform the household within 10 operating days of the student’s eligibility.
Should a student’s meal account balance fall below $0, he/she will be allowed to charge up to the district limit. Once the negative meal account balance limit is reached, the student will receive an alternate meal.
Harmony goes to great lengths to communicate with parents about the status of their student’s lunch balance. Parents will be notified when a student’s balance approaches $0. The school will make several additional attempts to contact the parents regarding negative balances prior to the student receiving an alternate meal. Parents may view meal account balances at any time by logging in to their School Café account. Please note that while households later approved for free meals will begin receiving free meals immediately, they are still responsible for paying negative balances accrued on the meal account.
Students are not allowed to purchase a la carte items if their account has a $0 or negative balance. If they are purchasing a milk, we will allow them one charge as a courtesy. The Child Nutrition Assistant will inform the student and parent that there must be funds in the meal account for a la carte purchases. The next attempt to purchase a la carte items will be denied until the account shows a positive balance
The district charge limit applies to reimbursable meals only and not a la carte purchases.
Special Accommodations
Special Dietary Accommodations
Special Dietary Accommodations FAQs
Special Dietary Accommodations Form 2024-25
Please provide the Special Dietary Accommodations Form to your child’s medical authority if special dietary accommodations are requested. This form must be filled out
completely. If you have any questions, please contact the Child Nutrition Assistant at your child’s school.
Wellness Policy
The next meeting of the Wellness Policy Advisory Council is scheduled for TBD. The district invites the attendance of parents, students, Child Nutrition, physical education teachers, school health professionals, Board members, administrators, and members of the public to attend the meeting. During the meeting the committee will discuss the current Wellness Plan and include updates for the next school year. The committee will also assess the previous year’s achievement of set goals and create a Wellness Plan Assessment for the current school year. If you have any questions, please call the District office and ask to speak with the District Child Nutrition Coordinator.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
English
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:
- mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW
- fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- email: Program.Intake@usda.gov This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Spanish
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:
- correo: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; o
- fax: (833) 256-1665 o (202) 690-7442; o
- correo electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov. Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.