Child Nutrition
Sheila Oak, DTR, Director
Stacy Bergstedt, Area Supervisor
Thomas Rusk, Site Supervisor
Ph: 218-336-8707
Main Office:
Denfeld High School
401 N 44th Ave W
Duluth, MN 55807
Nutritious meals are served every day and meet patterns established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Child Nutrition Information
Beginning in August 2022, the Child Nutrition Department will change back to the way it operated before March 2020. Breakfast will be free for all students. Lunch will not be free to all students. That means that families will need to complete the Free and Reduced-price Family application to qualify for free or reduce-price meals. Students who do not qualify for free or reducepriced meals must pay full price for lunch. Lunch prices are: Elementary Schools--$2.70 Middle and High Schools--$2.95 Students that wish to bring lunch from home and purchase milk from the school, the price for milk is $.50. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.
To apply, complete the enclosed Application for Educational Benefits following the instructions. A new application must be submitted each year. The income tables change yearly, so a new application must be processed each school year. At public schools, your application also helps the school qualify for education funds and discounts. State funds help to pay for reduced-price school meals, so all students who are approved for either free or reduced-priced school meals will receive meals at no charge. Return your completed Application for Educational Benefits to: Child Nutrition Department, Denfeld High School, 401 North 44th Ave. W, Duluth MN 55807 or for faster processing, Complete an on-line application at https://paypams.com/OnlineApp.aspx.
Free or Reduced Price Meals FAQ
We appreciate families taking time to apply for free or reduced price school meals - thank you!
There's no difference between students who receive free/reduced price lunch and those who don't. All children use the school lunchroom keypad to input their student number when receiving meals.
Applying for free or reduced-price lunch is easy and confidential, choose which works best for you:
Apply online at www.paypams.com/onlineapp, click the link and follow the instructions. Safe, secure, convenient and available 24/7.
OR fill out a hard copy form and submit by mail or drop off at the school office. Hard copy forms are available from the school office, from the Child Nutrition Office or download an Application for free and reduced meals.
- Qualifying for free or reduced price lunch may also qualify your family to pay a lower fee or no fee for school activities.
- Students who qualify take the ACT Test at school for free.
- Families who qualify are helping Duluth schools receive additional education funds and discounts.
Children in households participating the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Minnesota Family Investment Plan (MFIP), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) and foster children can get free school meals without reporting household income.
Also, children can get free or reduced price meals if their household income is within the income shown for the household size on the instructions.
A new application must be submitted each school year. Approval for school meals is good for the school year.
Questions about Free or Reduced Price meals? Please call us at 218-336-8807, we're happy to help!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can foster children get free meals? Yes, foster children who are the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals regardless of household income. An application must be submitted.
I get WIC. Can my children get free meals? Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please fill out an application.
Will the information I give be checked? Yes, we may ask you to send written proof.
If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later? Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your income goes down, household size goes up or if you start getting Food Support (SNAP), MFIP, or FDPIR benefits.
May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? Yes. You or your children do not have to be U.S. citizens for your children to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Who should I include as members of my household? Include yourself and all other people living in the household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives or friends). Include a household member who is temporarily away, such as a college student.
What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally get. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get it only sometimes.
How will the information I provide be kept? Information you provide on the form, and your child’s approval for school meal benefits, will be protected as private data. See the back page of the application for more information about how the information is used.
What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application? You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing.
Why is it important to turn in the free and reduced lunch application by September 27, 2019? In order for your school to receive extra federal funding (which can keep classes small), our district must submit your application to the federal government by October 1, 2019. Applications sent to the federal government after that time will not help schools receive extra funding. Also, if you don’t submit the form and aren’t able to pay your lunch bill, the federal government may not reimburse your school for all your child’s meals. In short, your school loses money.
An additional benefit for families of students that are in activities is that they will pay a lower fee or no fee for participating in an activity if you qualify for free or reduced lunch.
What happens if I turn in the application later in the year? You will still be eligible for free or reduced lunches, but you won’t help your school qualify for extra federal funding. Also, some families are not able to pay their lunch bill and build up a debt.
Does the district “forgive” lunch debt if a family later turns in an application? The district does not “forgive” outstanding lunch debt. Consistent with the treatment of other debts owed to the district, all outstanding debt related to the lunch program will be subject to handling by a collection agency.
How often do I need to fill out the application? You must submit a new application each school year. You need just one application per family with names of all the adults and children who live in your household.
Can you help me if I have trouble filling out the application? Yes, if you need help with the form, please call the Child Nutrition Department at 336-8707 and they will be happy to assist you. Forms are available in the following languages: English, Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Paying For School Lunch
To provide efficient service, ISD 709 school cafeterias operate on a pre-paid lunch system. Families put money in a school lunch account and students enter a computer code each day to pay for their lunch.
There are three ways to put money in your child's lunch account:
- PayPams Online: A secure, convenient online payment system. Check account balances and monitor what your student is choosing to eat at any time. A convenience fee of $1.95 per student is charged by the site for each payment submitted online. To use PayPams, create an account at paypams.com. The site will take a credit card for payment or receive payments from your bank account.
- Check - Write a check to Child Nutrition and mail to 401 N 44th Ave W, Duluth, MN 55807, or send with your student to school. Student name and student number are required on the check memo line.
- Cash - Send cash in a sealed envelope with your student's name printed on the envelope. Your child's teacher will send it to the school cafe for deposit. Your student may also pay cash on a daily basis at the register.
Families are encouraged to apply for free or reduced price meals:
All children use the school lunchroom keypad to input their student number when receiving meals. There's no difference between students who receive free/reduced price lunch and those who don't. Applying is easy and confidential, choose which works best for you:
- Apply Online: www.paypams.com/onlineapp
Apply anywhere, anytime - the process is safe, secure, convenient and available 24/7. Data is transmitted to your local school district office the same day you apply, allowing for quicker processing. Families qualifying for free/reduced school meals may also qualify for reduced school activity fees. - OR download the application and return by mail or to your school office.
- OR request a hard copy form by calling 218-336-8707 and submit by mail or drop off at your school office.
How are returned checks handled?
Money will be withdrawn from the meal account. Returned checks are subject to a $30.00 service charge. Consistent with the treatment of other debts owed to the school district, all outstanding debt related to the lunch program will be subject to handling by a collection agency.
How do I know when my child's lunch account is running low?
PayPams Online: Check balances any time using PayPams. Families can also choose to receive an e-mail from PayPams when the account reaches a certain balance (suggested amount is $10.00).
Infinite Campus Parent Portal: Parents can check Infinite Campus Parent Portal for their lunch balance.
School Meal Fees
Breakfast is offered at no cost at all school cafeterias each day before school starts.
ISD 709 District Policy regarding unpaid meal charges: DISTRICT POLICY 534 .PDF
Elementary Lunch (K-5)
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Full Price - $2.70
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Reduced Price - Due to recently passed state legislation, students eligible for reduced price meals may eat breakfast and lunch at No Charge.
Secondary Lunch (6-12)
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Full Price - $2.95
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Reduced Price - Due to recently passed state legislation, students eligible for reduced price meals may eat breakfast and lunch at No Charge.
Adult Meals
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Lunch price - $4.95 Breakfast price - $2.25
Milk Price
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½ Pint - $.50
A la carte items (yogurt or bottles of water, etc.) are priced individually and not included in meal prices. If your child plans to purchase a la carte items, please put additional funds in their meal account.