Dear Parents and Guardians:
Hawkins County Schools is very pleased to inform our students, families, and stakeholders that beginning January 3, 2024, students at all schools will have access to free breakfast and free lunch each school day. This will be a pilot program for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year.
During the fall semester of the 2023-24 school year, all students have had access to breakfast at no charge and 6 of 16 schools in Hawkins County were operating under the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), allowing all students access to free meals, including lunch. Piloting an extension to the CEP program to the remaining 10 schools in Hawkins County is now an option due to the federal government lowering the threshold for CEP participation, in addition to Tennessee directly certifying students receiving certain Medicaid benefits to those already receiving benefits like SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (Families First). The addition of certain Medicaid benefits has significantly increased our number of directly certified students across the district this fall.
Hawkins County Schools will re-evaluate the directly certified student data in late spring to assess the feasibility of continuing the pilot for future school years. Our goal is to always offer our students and families the best possible benefits and we believe this will be a tremendous immediate financial assistance.
What does this mean for you and your child(ren)?
All students enrolled in Hawkins County Schools will be eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no cost to your household each school day. Your student will be able to participate in the meal programs without having to pay or submit an income-based application.
While one breakfast and one lunch meal per school day will be offered for free, students may still purchase second meals and ala carte items; however, please remember that charging for these items is not allowed. Students must have cash or funds in their meals account to purchase any ala carte items.
Families of students with a negative balance in their school cafeteria as of January 3, 2024, will have until the end of the school year to pay the balance; however, early payment would be accepted and appreciated. Payments may be made directly to your student’s school cafeteria by cash or check. Secure online payments (which may include convenience fees by the vendor) may be made at www.myschoolbucks.com.
Should you have any questions about CEP or your student’s meal account, please contact the Hawkins County Schools Child Nutrition Office at 423-272-2128 or mandy.kenner@hck12.net.
Best regards,
Mandy Kenner
Director of Child Nutrition
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.