Nutrition Services

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
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; fax: (202) 690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov.

Your eligible application is one of the ways that our school district receives important state and federal funding to support students in the classroom. All information on your application is confidential. 

If DSHS receives funding for P-EBT again this school year, all students who are currently approved for the Free and Reduced Meal program will be eligible to receive P-EBT funds.

Only one application per household is needed for your Dieringer School District student(s). Please list all children living in your home on the application, whether they attend Dieringer or not. Once your application has been processed, you will be notified (via a letter mailed to your home) of your student's eligibility.

If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Foley.

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits are now available to eligible students in our school district. P-EBT is money for food for meals students missed at school during the school day because of the pandemic. Benefits are available to students who are:

• Eligible for free or reduced-price school meals AND
• Enrolled in our school district this school year.

There is no need to apply to receive these benefits. Each eligible student will receive a P-EBT card in the mail. If your family has moved recently, please make sure your address on file with our district is up to date. The cards with the first payment of these benefits will arrive in your mail sometime in March.

Keep your P-EBT Card! More benefits may be added throughout the school year to students’ EBT cards if:

• Schools remain closed OR
• If students continue to miss meals served during the school day due to reduced school hours.

Do you have any questions about P-EBT? 

• Call the P-EBT Contact Center at 1-833-518-0282 or visit www.dshs.wa.gov/pebt, or
• Kelly Foley at Dieringer School District at 253-826-7108.

The goal of the Dieringer School District is to provide a nutrition program for students that offers breakfast and lunch meals. There may be times when students have insufficient funds in their meal account to purchase meals. This policy is designed to address those situations in such a way that no student is stigmatized or denied a meal.

Purchase and Account Balance

Parents may access their child’s meal account online through Skyward Family Access at https://wa-dieringer.intouchreceipting.com/ Please contact your child’s school if you need assistance to create your user name and password required to access Skyward Family Access. Parents may choose to select low balance notification in Skyward Access when the balance in their child’s account is positive, but low. Parents will receive a courtesy notification when their child’s account balance is between $2.00 and - $.50 up to three times a month. Lunch accounts with a negative balance will receive regular automatic email notifications.

Payments

The district accepts checks and cash payments that are sent to school with the student; please make sure the payment is in a sealed envelope with the student’s first and last name clearly marked. Parent/guardians may also make online payments at http://wa-dieringer.intouchreceipting.com/ or by credit card at the school office.

Charging Limits and Negative Account Balances

Parents will be notified by email when their student owes $.50 or more. Parents/guardians are asked to check their email for automatic, computer generated notices. The system will allow negative balances to accrue on a student’s account. If the parent/guardian is unable to pay a negative balance account, they are asked to call the Child Nutrition office at 253-826-7108 or email kfoley@dieringer.wednet.edu to make payment arrangements. The Child Nutrition office will communicate account balances and payment reminders directly to parents/guardians by email and phone. The District is required to maintain records related to meal charges, debt collection and bad debt. Negative balances are expected to be paid off by the end on the year; balances, positive and negative are carried over to the next school year. The Child Nutrition office will provide account statements, including payments and purchases, upon request. Eighth grade students with a positive balance at the end of the year will be given a refund upon parent request. Balances will automatically be transferred to an active sibling account in the Dieringer School District.