Nordonia’s participation the National School lunch program

NORDONIA HILLS CITY SCHOOLS today announced its 2024-2025 program year policy for  students unable to pay the full price of meals or milk served under the National School Lunch and  School Breakfast, After School Care Snack or Special Milk Programs. 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 2024-2025 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 principal’s office in each school. 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 or milk for them,

2024-2025 Public Release Last Revised June 2024

contact the school for more information. Under the provision of the policy, Susan Petonic, Food  Service Supervisor, 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:

Steve Marlow, Business Director, 330-908-6207

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:

  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

  1. fax: 

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

  1. email: 

program.intake@usda.gov

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