Parent Letter

Dear Estelline School District Families,

School lunch is more important than ever in these uncertain times. School meals provide nourishment that allows students to excel in the classroom and lead happy, healthy lives. They also help families stretch their food budget. This school year the Estelline School District is proud to be able to offer free meals to all students, thanks to a waiver granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Even as our district continues to provide free meals to all students, we still ask families to submit school meals applications. These applications are used for more than determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals. At the District level, free and reduced student numbers are used to help determine state and federal grant funding. These grants are an important part of the Estelline School District’s budget. This year these applications can also qualify parents for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits.

Here is some information to consider as you fill out an application for your family:

  • Only one application is needed per family; if you have more than one child attending a school in our district, you only need to submit one application for all children.
  • Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year.
  • Families also can submit a new application if there is a change in the household, such as a parent loses a job or has their work hours cut. A new application must be submitted each school year.
  • Eligibility for free or reduced-price school meals is determined based on the federal income guidelines. Children may be eligible automatically for free school meals if one or more family members participates in a federal nutrition program, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or if they are classified as homeless, runaway, or migrant.
  • All families enrolled in the district can apply for free or reduced-price school meals.
  • Applications are confidential and do not require a Social Security number.
  • What you will need to fill out the application:
    • Your case number if you participate in SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR.
    • If not, you will need to provide your family’s total pre-tax income data, including:
      • the earnings of anyone in your household with a job;
      • Social Security or retirement benefits for anyone in your household; and other sources of income.

You can find the school meals application for our district, along with detailed instructions on how to complete it, following this letter. We look forward to providing healthy school meals for your child with the goal of helping them learn and grow throughout this school year and beyond.

Thank you,

The Estelline School District