Food & Nutrition Services

PaySchools Central offers a one-stop venue for managing lunch accounts, completing Free & Reduced-Price Lunch applications, and paying school fees.

PAYSCHOOLS CENTRAL

All Free & Reduced-Price Lunch applications will be processed online at:

PAYSCHOOLS CENTRAL

We encourage all families to complete an online Free & Reduced-Price Lunch Application through their PaySchools Central account.  A new application must be completed after July 1 of each school year.  Any Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Applications approved during the 2024-2025 school year will carry over into the 2025-2026 school year for the first 30 days of school or until a new application is processed, whichever occurs first.  Applications can be completed at any time during the school year.

Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches also qualify for free or reduced-price school fees.  This includes a complete waiver of fees for students who qualify for free lunches.  A new application must be approved for the 2025-2026 school year, along with a parent signature to share the lunch application status with other departments in the district, to receive the waiver for free or reduced-price school fees.  School fees will be posted after 30 school days if students do not qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

All applications on file will be subject to verification.  You may be asked to send written proof of your income.  If you fail to provide proof of income, free/reduced-price lunch benefits will be revoked and school fees will be reinstated.

There are two methods for qualification:

1. Direct Certification

• If you received a letter stating that your student is ELIGIBLE FOR DIRECT CERTIFICATION, YOU DO NOT need to fill out an application for free or reduced-price lunches. Your student is automatically eligible for free lunches.  Fees can only be waived with parent/guardian permission.
• All children living in the household with a student who qualifies under Direct Certification are also eligible for free lunches and fee waivers with parent/guardian permission. Please contact Lynne Hutchison, Director of Food & Nutrition Services, at (440) 349-7703 or LynneHutchison@solonboe.org, if there are additions in the household that were not listed in the letter.

2. Online Free & Reduced-Price Lunch Application 

• You only need to complete one application for all the students living in your household regardless of which school they attend.
• You will need your students’ Solon student ID numbers to complete the application.
• Your application must include ALL members living in the household and their income.
• Once you have filled out the application, you will receive confirmation of qualifying within 12-48 hours.
• If you do not receive confirmation that your application has been processed, please contact Lynne Hutchison, Director of Food & Nutrition Services, at (440) 349-7703 or LynneHutchison@solonboe.org.

Income Eligibility Guidelines

Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on the chart below.

Income eligibility guidelines
Household size	Yearly	Monthly	Weekly
1	25,953	2,413	557
2	39,128	3,261	753
3	49,303	4,109	949
4	59,478	4,957	1,144
5	69,653	5,805	1,340
6	79,828	6,653	1,536
7	90,003	7,501	1,731
8	100,178	8,349	1,927
Each additional person:	10,175	848	196

Our menu has been designed to best meet the needs of our students:

• "Daily Dish" & "The Grill" hot lunches
• Daily "Grab & Go" options
• A la carte offerings
• Papa John’s Pizza Days!
• Gluten-free meals available upon request

Food & Nutrition Services operates as a self-sustaining program that receives revenue from meals served. When students and parents choose to purchase meals from school, it is the equivalent of supporting a local business.  We greatly appreciate your support and thank you for purchasing your child's meal through Solon City Schools' Food & Nutrition Services! 

VIEW OUR SCHOOL LUNCH MENUS HERE!

Lunch (Grades 7-12)	$3.75
Lunch (Grades K-6)	$3.50
Reduced-Price Lunch	$0.00*
Breakfast (Grades 9-12)	$2.00
Milk	$0.50

 

*Students who qualify for Reduced-Price meals will receive free meals for the 2025-2026 school year.

 

All allergy-related dietary restrictions on file with the school nurse will be automatically loaded on to student lunch accounts at the beginning of each school year and monitored closely to ensure the safety of the students purchasing food from the cafeteria.

If you wish to place additional dietary restrictions for religious, personal preference, or other reasons, please complete the form below.  You must complete a separate form for each child for whom you wish to place a restriction.

REQUEST A DIETARY RESTRICTION

Funds in your student’s school lunch account will remain available year to year and move with them from building to building. Upon graduation or withdrawal from the district, families may request a transfer, refund, or donation of any remaining balance.

REQUEST A LUNCH ACCOUNT TRANSFER/REFUND/DONATION

UNPAID MEAL CHARGE DISTRICT POLICY

The parent/guardian is responsible for ensuring their student has money in their lunch account, a packed lunch, or a Free & Reduced Lunch application on file. If applying for free or reduced-price meals, parents/guardians must provide lunch money or a packed lunch for their student until the application has been fully processed and they have received notification that their student has been approved to receive free or reduced-price meals.

Food & Nutrition Services encourages every parent/guardian who uses the PaySchools Central system to set up a low balance alert notifying them of a low balance on the lunch account and/or set up the auto-replenish feature to automatically add funds when lunch accounts reach a set point.

Any student PreK-8 who would like to purchase a lunch and does not have sufficient funds in their lunch account is permitted to “borrow” money from the district to receive a full reimbursable meal of choice.  Students whose meal accounts have insufficient funds of any amount will not be allowed to purchase a la carte items (except milk) until the account has sufficient funds.

Grades 9-12 will not be permitted to purchase items in the cafeteria without sufficient cash in hand or funds in their lunch account.

Meal balance reports are run weekly, indicating who has received a meal with insufficient funds in their account. This information is provided to the front office of each school.  The front office staff will communicate weekly via email to parents/guardians if their student has a negative balance and will provide instructions for payment options (cash or online with PaySchools Central).

The student is allowed to reach a negative balance of no more than ($50.00). The Food & Nutrition Service Office will notify each Cafeteria Manager and Building Principal when a student has reached ($50.00).  Building Principals will communicate with parents/guardians via phone to discuss the negative lunch balance, a transition to an alternate meal, as well as provide instructions on how to complete the Federal Free & Reduced Lunch application.

Upon reaching a negative balance of ($50.00), the student is provided an alternate meal that includes an uncrustable WowButter sandwich, vegetable juice, applesauce cup, and milk. The alternate meal contains all food groups and meets the reimbursable standard for a complete meal. The student will continue to receive the alternate meal until the account is paid in full.

Students who have qualified for Free lunches are still responsible for paying off any debt that was incurred prior to qualifying for Free lunches. 

Negative lunch account balances will carry-over from year-to-year until paid in full or until a student enters 9^th grade.  Upon entering 9^th grade, any negative lunch account balances will be converted to school fees.  Parents/guardians will be responsible for paying all fees listed in PaySchools Central.  Negative lunch account balance fees do not qualify for fee waivers.

12/13/2022

As required by law, the Board of Education establishes the following wellness policy for the Solon City School District as a part of a comprehensive wellness initiative.

The Board recognizes that good nutrition and regular physical activity affect the health and well-being of the District's students. Furthermore, research suggests that there is a positive correlation between a student's health and well-being and his/her ability to learn. Moreover, schools can play an important role in the developmental process by which students establish their health and nutrition habits by providing nutritious meals and snacks through the schools' meal programs, by supporting the development of good eating habits, and by promoting increased physical activity both in and out of school.

Schools alone, however, cannot develop students' healthy behaviors and habits with regard to eating and exercise. It will be necessary for not only the staff, but also parents and the public at large to be involved in a community-wide effort to promote, support, and model such healthy behaviors and habits.

Board Policy 8510 can be found here.

The District develops, implements, and periodically reviews and updates this policy in collaboration with stakeholders.

The Wellness Policy is assessed every three (3) years.

A link to the results of that assessment can be found here. 

Fuel your family’s wellness! Find fun, practical resources to help you build healthy habits at home and keep your student energized, focused, and ready to thrive!

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Eat Right Recipes

Healthy Children Recipes

Healthy Start Healthy Families

Solon Snack Allergen List

Hershey Ice Cream Allergen Letter

Hershey Ice Cream Smart Snack Approved Allergen List

Hershey Ice Cream Smart Snack Approved Artificial Coloring Informational Chart

Gluten-Free Certified Snacks for Classroom Celebrations

PUBLIC RELEASE

Solon City Schools today announced its 2025-2026 program year policy for free and reduced price meals for students unable to pay the full price of meals or milk served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast.  Each school office and the central office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party. The State of Ohio Budget for school year 2025-2026 includes funding to cover the cost of reduced meals for breakfast and lunch. This provision allows schools to provide no cost meals to reduced price meal eligible students.

The Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines will be used to determine eligibility. Children from families whose annual income is at or below the federal guidelines are eligible for free and reduced-price meals or free milk if the school participates in the Special Milk Program. 

Application forms are distributed to all homes in a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free and reduced-price benefits, households should complete an application and return it to the school. Additional copies are available at the Board of Education. A complete application is required. Households which currently receive Special Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits (SNAP, formally known as food stamps) or Ohio Works First (OWF) funds for a child must provide the child’s name, the SNAP or OWF case number and signature of an adult household member on the application. Households that do not receive SNAP or OWF funds must provide the names of all household members, the last four digits of the Social Security Number of the adult signing the application or state “none” if the adult does not have a Social Security Number, the amount and source of income received by each household member (state the monthly income) and the signature of an adult household member.  If any of this information is missing, the school cannot process the application.

FREE HEALTH CARE: Families with children eligible for school meals may be eligible for free health care coverage through Medicaid and/or Ohio’s Healthy Start & Healthy Families programs. These programs include coverage for doctor visits, immunizations, physicals, prescriptions, dental, vision, mental health, substance abuse and more. Please call 1-800-324-8680 for more information or to request an application. Information can also be found on the web at http://jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/consumers/familychild.stm. Anyone who has an Ohio Medicaid card is already receiving these services.

The information provided on the application is confidential and will only be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program official. To discourage the possibility of misrepresentation, the application forms contain a statement above the space for signature certifying that all information furnished is true and correct. Applications are being made in connection with the receipt of federal funds.  Schools or other officials may check the information on the application at any time during the school year. Deliberate misrepresentation of information may subject the applicant to prosecution under applicable state and federal laws.

Households will be notified of the approval or denial of benefits. 

Foster children are categorically eligible for free meal benefits regardless of the household’s income. If a family has foster children living with them and wishes to apply for such meals for them, contact the school for more information. Under the provision of the policy, Lynne Hutchison, MS, RDN, LD, Director of Food & Nutrition will review applications and determine eligibility. If a parent or guardian disagrees with the decision on the application or the result of verification, the decision may be discussed with the determining official on an informal basis. If a formal appeal is desired, the household has the right to a fair hearing. A fair hearing can be requested either orally or in writing from:

Mike Acomb, Director of Business and Personnel
33800 Inwood Road
Solon, OH 44139

The policy contains an outline of the hearing procedure.

Households may apply for benefits any time during the school year.  If a household is not currently eligible and if the household size increases or income decreases because of unemployment or other reasons, the family should contact the school to file a new application.  Such changes may make the children of the family eligible for free or reduced-price benefits if the family income falls at or below the levels shown above.

Nondiscrimination Statement

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/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.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:

 This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, 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). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

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 state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint 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, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.