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         PUBLIC RELEASE        

Public Release

Bradley County Schools today announced its policy for free and reduced-price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program. For School Year 2023-2024 Bradley County Schools will continue participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). All children at the following schools will receive breakfast, and lunch at no charge under this provision:

Charleston Elementary School

Lake Forest Middle School

Oak Grove Elementary 

Parkview Elementary

Prospect Elementary 

Taylor Elementary 

Valley View Elementary 

Waterville Elementary

CEP is a key provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which allows schools in low-income areas to eliminate school meal applications and serve breakfast and lunch at no charge to all enrolled students. Breakfast and lunch meals will follow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for healthy school meals, so please encourage students to participate.

Families at the following schools are encouraged to submit a free and reduced-price meal application to determine their eligibility for free and reduced-price meals.

Black Fox Elementary

Bradley Central High School

Hopewell Elementary

Michigan Ave Elementary

North Lee Elementary

Ocoee Middle School

Pie Center

Walker Valley High School

Children need healthy meals to learn. Bradley County Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast and lunch meals will follow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for healthy school meals, so please encourage students to participate. “In the operation of child feeding programs, no child will be discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age or disability.”

Parents or guardians who need further information may contact Emily Thompson or , Child Nutrition Program Director Emily Brown.

  1. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY? Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Ms. Season Morgan  semorgan@bradleyschools.org.

  1. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD? No. Use one Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Emily Brown 800 South Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37311
  2. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS? No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Emily Brown 800 South Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37311 ebrown@bradleyschools.org  immediately.

  1. CAN I APPLY ONLINE?

  1.          Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit [website] to begin or to learn more about the online application process. School Café Contact Emily Brown 800 South Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37311 ebrown@bradleyschools.org  if you have any questions about the online application.

 

  1. MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE? Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year, through [date]. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price for meals.

  1. 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 send in an application.

  1. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED? Yes. In accordance with program regulations school officials will be verifying the income of some households at some time during the school year. Selected households will be requested to provide income documentation in order to continue receiving free and reduced-price meals.

  1. IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER? Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.

  1. 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 by calling or writing to: Dr. Linda Cash 800 South Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37311 

                                                                                                                                   423 476-0620 lcash@bradleyschools.org

  1. MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN? Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced-price meals.

  1. WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME? List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made

$1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.

  1. WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT? Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.

  1. DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER? Only the last 4 digits of the social security number of the household’s primary wage earner or another adult household member (or an indication of “none”) is required.

  1. MAY I DECLINE BENEFITS? Yes. Households notified of their children’s eligibility must contact Bradley County Schools or the school if they choose to decline the free meal benefits.

  1. WHAT IF ALL CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS ARE NOT ON THE NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY LETTER? If children or households receive benefits under Assistance Programs or Other Source Categorically Eligible Programs and are not listed on the notice of eligibility and are not notified by the school of their free meal benefits, the parent or guardian should contact the school or should submit an income application.

  1. WE ARE IN THE MILITARY. DO WE REPORT OUR INCOME DIFFERENTLY? Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.

  1. WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY? List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. Contact Emily Brown 800 South Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37311

  1. Emily Brown ebrown@bradleyschools.org 423 476-0620 to receive a second application.

  1. MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT FOR? To find out how to apply for Tennessee SNAP 866 311-4287 or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 423 478-0300.

If you have other questions or need help, call Emily Brown 423 476-0620 ext 2011

USDA 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: USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form 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:

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: (202) 690-7442; or

  1. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.