School Meals
School meals such as breakfast and lunch are available at all schools. Supper is available at no charge in schools with 50% or more of the children are eligible for meals at free or reduced charges. Information on meal prices, menus, and special diets are “Quick Links” on the Food and Nutrition Services website at: https://www.ocps.net/departments/food_and_nutrition_services
Meal Applications for Free or Reduced Priced Meals
Applications for free or reduced priced meals are available at: https://www.myschoolapps.com/
Students in families receiving federal benefits such as SNAP do not need to fill out an application. They already qualify for meals at no charge. Schools in high poverty areas in Orange County offer a USDA program called the Community Eligibility Program or CEP. In these schools all students eat at no charge. A list of these schools can be found at: https://www.ocps.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_54619/File/Departments/Food%20and%20Nutrition%20Services/Parent/CEP%20&%20P2%2018-19.pdf
Prepay for School Meals
Parents may open an account for their student and prepay for their meals on the School Pay application. The application can be set to remind of low balances and/or set the restrictions for the student purchases. Information on prepayment of meals on-line or other information regarding meals may be found at: https://www.schoolpay.com/
Negative Debt
NO student will be denied a meal in the serving line. A meal charge will apply to student meal accounts when there are no funds available. Per USDA regulations, cashiers may not discuss meal balances with students. Connect Orange will be used to contact parents when student account balances reach $10 or more. You may check your child’s account at SchoolPay.com. There is no charge for checking the account. When the account reaches greater than $20, you will receive an email regarding the overdrawn account. The district will mail letters seeking payment when there is no email on file. Meals will never be denied to students unless the parent sends a written statement that their student may not eat school meals.
Medications at School
Do not send medications to school with your child. This practice puts your child, as well as his/her peers, at risk. Should your child require medication while he or she is at school, please contact your school’s nurse or health assistant to obtain the appropriate forms. OCPS staff members are unable to administer expired medications. In the case of a child’s medication expires the parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up the expired medications. NOTES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AS AUTHORIZATION FOR MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION.
Illness
Do not send your child to school if he or she has a rash, fever, eye drainage, severe vomiting or diarrhea, a productive cough, or any symptoms that may be an indication of a communicable disease. Students with any of these symptoms will be sent home. Any call for a child to be picked up due to an illness to a parent or guardian is to ensure the health and safety of the child. It is expected that the child be picked up in a timely manner. If your child has any of these symptoms, please notify the school that your child is ill and request a doctor’s note so that your child’s absence can be excused.
Immunization Requirements
All student immunizations and documentation of immunizations must be correct and up-to-date to attend school in Orange County. The immunizations are recorded on a Florida Certification of Immunization (DH 680) form, which can be obtained through the Orange County Health Department or your medical provider’s office. All students entering Orange County public schools for the first time should have a physical exam completed and documented by a licensed physician within the last calendar year.