Sorry we’re new to this. How do the kids get to use the funds? We got an email from our principal saying the kids can just give their student ID number which I’m not sure my kindergartner can memorize. What do kids usually do?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And if your child stops eating the lunches for any reason you can not get your $$ back until you move or your child graduates. I put on $20 when my child started K. They ate 1 lunch and never wanted it again. Took me some googling but I figured out how to get my $ back after 13 years just on principle. They did send me a check after a few weeks.

This is not true. You can get your $$ back at any time.
Send refund and balance transfer requests via email to DFNSHelpDesk@mcpsmd.org

They will send you a check within a few weeks regardless of whether your child is still enrolled in MCPS. I have done this, and it was no issue at all.

Thank you for this. I still have to do this for my HS grad - due to covid we didn’t use the balance.

Glad to know they changed the rule. It was not always that way. There used to be no refunds for enrolled students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And if your child stops eating the lunches for any reason you can not get your $$ back until you move or your child graduates. I put on $20 when my child started K. They ate 1 lunch and never wanted it again. Took me some googling but I figured out how to get my $ back after 13 years just on principle. They did send me a check after a few weeks.

This is not true. You can get your $$ back at any time.
Send refund and balance transfer requests via email to DFNSHelpDesk@mcpsmd.org

They will send you a check within a few weeks regardless of whether your child is still enrolled in MCPS. I have done this, and it was no issue at all.

Thank you for this. I still have to do this for my HS grad - due to covid we didn’t use the balance.

Anonymous wrote:Will they use my school bucks this year? Looks like we have gotten no info on how to purchase lunch this year.

Yes, same as before.

Will they use my school bucks this year? Looks like we have gotten no info on how to purchase lunch this year.

Anonymous wrote:And if your child stops eating the lunches for any reason you can not get your $$ back until you move or your child graduates. I put on $20 when my child started K. They ate 1 lunch and never wanted it again. Took me some googling but I figured out how to get my $ back after 13 years just on principle. They did send me a check after a few weeks.

Mine, too. The novelty wore off REAL fast.

I didn’t bother with the leftover money, figuring it could be for emergencies, and eventually forgot all about it. A few years later of exclusively bag lunches, I started getting notices that the funds were low. Fortunately, I checked with my child before I raised hell with MCPS. Turned out my kid’s new school sold ice cream after lunch, and she still remembered her PIN number from K. She’d been eating ice creams after lunch for weeks.

Anonymous wrote:Can you save the service fee from my school bucks by giving the money directly to the cafeteria?

“Important

There is a $1.95 convenience fee for each payment transaction.”

Yes, you can.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food-and-nutrition/meal-payments/

There is a $1.95 convenience fee for each payment transaction. All fees are displayed at the time of payment. There is no cost to set up an account and check your child’s spending history or receive low balance notifications. Neither the school nor the Division of Food and Nutrition Services receive any income from providing this service. Fees are associated with processing online credit/debit card payments.

This service is optional — schools will continue to accept checks and cash for meals in the cafeteria.

Anonymous wrote:And if your child stops eating the lunches for any reason you can not get your $$ back until you move or your child graduates. I put on $20 when my child started K. They ate 1 lunch and never wanted it again. Took me some googling but I figured out how to get my $ back after 13 years just on principle. They did send me a check after a few weeks.

This is not true. You can get your $$ back at any time.
Send refund and balance transfer requests via email to DFNSHelpDesk@mcpsmd.org

They will send you a check within a few weeks regardless of whether your child is still enrolled in MCPS. I have done this, and it was no issue at all.

And if your child stops eating the lunches for any reason you can not get your $$ back until you move or your child graduates. I put on $20 when my child started K. They ate 1 lunch and never wanted it again. Took me some googling but I figured out how to get my $ back after 13 years just on principle. They did send me a check after a few weeks.

Anonymous wrote:Can you save the service fee from my school bucks by giving the money directly to the cafeteria?

“Important

There is a $1.95 convenience fee for each payment transaction.”

AND you can't make a contribution that is more than $120 per child. Seems like a way to rack up more fee revenue. ugh.

Anonymous wrote:Do I need to sign up for this if my kid doesn't eat school lunch?

No you don't, but if you can afford it, you might want to put a small amount of money in the account, as an emergency "just in case". For example, I know one kid who brought a lunch, but some water spilled on the bag and ruined the lunch. Or if you forget to pack one or the child forgets to bring it. I've seen many cases where it helps to have a few bucks so that in an emergency, you child can pick up the lunch.

In our school, it is like $2.50 for a lunch, so I usually keep about $10-20 in our kids' accounts "just in case". At the end of the school year, if there is any left, I contact the school coordinator and have them divert the balance to help pay off some of the overdue balances that some families have left.

Anonymous wrote:Do I need to sign up for this if my kid doesn't eat school lunch?

No.

Do I need to sign up for this if my kid doesn't eat school lunch?

Yes. We always send in a check with my kid made out to the school cafeteria for this reasons

Can you save the service fee from my school bucks by giving the money directly to the cafeteria?

“Important

There is a $1.95 convenience fee for each payment transaction.”