At a previous School Board meeting, it was brought to the board’s attention by the district’s Business Administrator Peter Curro that the students in the middle and high schools were accumulating a remarkable amount of debt – around $15,000 of it, $11,000 of which came from students who were not a part of the free or reduced lunch program.
At this meeting, the board asked Curro to return with a potential policy that would hold the parents of the children responsible, as well as an amendment to the school handbooks that would encompass any debt accrued from lunch purchases as reason to prevent students to participate in non-educational festivities and activities.
The most recent meeting on Sept. 12 discussed the policy, as well as the new wording in the handbooks. The changes to the handbook included amendments that stated parking privileges for students could be taken away if they have an outstanding balance, seniors’ diplomas following graduation could be withheld if they have not paid their debt, and at the middle school level, non-educational field trips could be revoked as well as end-of- the-year festivities.
The policy is geared toward holding the parents/guardians of students responsible, stating that if a student is in debt, they will accrue surcharges and fees each month: for debt from $50 to $99.99 a student’s account will be charged $10 per month until payment; for debt from $100 to $199.99 a student’s account will be charged $20 per month until payment; and for debt over $200 a student’s account will be charged $50 per month until payment.
If an account reaches over $250, the policy states the Londonderry School District has the right to take the parents to small claims court.
Right now, there are seven students in the middle schools and high school that owe over $250.
Curro wanted to clarify to taxpayers that while $15,000 is an exorbitant amount of money, the only amount that is paid for by the General Fund – funded by the taxpayers – are the debts accrued by seniors and students who are leaving the district. Last year, that number amounted to a little over $400.
Board Member Nancy Hendricks was concerned with punishing the children for faults of the parents by taking away some of their privileges. She doesn’t want to embarrass the students, but she also doesn’t want a family to owe so much money, so she would like to see the district going after the parents more heavily.
“I’m perfectly okay with taking that family [that owes money] to court,” she said. “I’m perfectly okay with putting their names in the newspapers.”
She described withholding activities from students as “holding kids hostage” for their parents’ mistakes.
Board Member Leitha Reilly disagreed, stating that “it’s a hard life” and she doesn’t mind taking away privileges because it isn’t always the parents fault. Sometimes students will buy lunches without their parent’s knowledge even if the parents pack them lunches.
Amanda Venezia, director of dining services for the district, said that parents do have the ability to put a hold on students accounts and not let them purchase anything.
Board Member Steve Young found it odd that while parents could potentially “starve” their children and tell them they can’t buy food, the school cannot.
If parents do shut off the children, according to Venezia, and the kids don’t have a lunch the school will send the child to the nurse’s office and the nurse will call the parents and figure out the situation.
It was decided that they would go forward with the handbook amendments and the policy and have first reading at the next meeting.