Food Service

Bear Creek Community Charter School participates in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Food & Nutrition. The programs provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free school meals to children each school day.

Through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, USDA made the first major changes in school meals in 15 years, which will help us raise a healthier generation of children.

The new standards align school meals with the latest nutrition science and the real world circumstances of America’s schools. These responsible reforms do what's right for children's health in a way that’s achievable in schools across the Nation.

The new school meals standards make the same kinds of practical changes that many parents are already encouraging at home, including:

Ensuring students are offered both fruits and vegetables every day of the week;
Substantially increasing offerings of whole grain-rich foods;
Offering only fat-free or low-fat milk varieties;
Limiting calories based on the age of children being served to ensure proper portion size;
Increasing the focus on reducing the amounts of saturated fat, trans fats and sodium.

This new law requires changes to the way we prepare and serve meals, including requiring certain types of vegetables and whole grains as part of a school meal, as well as providing minimum and maximum caloric requirements based upon a student’s grade level.

Learn more about the requirements imposed as a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

Download the most current breakfast and lunch menu.

Free & Reduced Priced Student Meals

Free & Reduced Priced Student Meals are available through the National School Lunch Program. Depending upon family income, students may be entitled to a free or reduced priced school breakfast and lunch. We urge all families to apply. Application information is kept strictly confidential. It is easy to apply. Either print and complete a hard-copy application or apply online through COMPASS. If you have questions about applying for free and reduced priced school meals, don't hesitate to contact Jerry Weihbrecht, Food Service Director at (570) 820-4070

View the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines for the 2022-2023 school year.

Notice to families receiving Free & Reduced Priced Student Meals.

mySchoolBucks

Bear Creek Community Charter School has implemented the mySchoolBucks point-of-sale system to improve the efficiency of our food service program. mySchoolBucks even offers parents online access to allow you to prepay money into a separate account for your child, view what your child has been purchasing for breakfast and lunch each day, and setup up automatic low balance alerts by e-mail.

Compass

COMPASS is a web-based system that allows families to apply for social service benefits online. The Pennsylvania Department of Education partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare to provide families the opportunity to apply for free or reduced price meals online and make this system available to schools.

Privacy

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act requires the information on the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application. You do not have to give the information, but if you do not, we cannot approve your child for free or reduced price meals. You must include the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application. The last four digits of the social security number is not required when you apply on behalf of a foster child or you list a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) case number or other FDPIR identifier for your child or when you indicate that the adult household member signing the application does not have a social security number. We will use your information to determine if your child is eligible for free or reduced price meals, and for administration and enforcement of the lunch and breakfast programs. We MAY share your eligibility information with education, health, and nutrition programs to help them evaluate, fund, or determine benefits for their programs, auditors for program reviews, and law enforcement officials to help them look into violations of program rules.

Non-Discrimination

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. 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
E-mail: program.intake@usda.gov.

Bear Creek Community Charter School is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Food Service FAQ's

COMPASS FAQ's

Reports