| 411 5TH AVENUE SOUTH, VIRGINIA, MN 55792 | 218.742.3900 | FAX: 218.741.8522 | WWW.RRPS.ORG |

| OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT | DR. NOEL SCHMIDT | NOEL.SCHMIDT@RRPS.ORG |

DearParent/Guardian:

Ourschoolprovideshealthymealseachday.TheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgricultureisallowingschoolstoprovidemealsforthe2021-22schoolyear throughaprovisionoftheNationalSchoolLunchProgramcalledtheSeamlessSummerOption(SSO).AwaiverhasbeenissuedinordertosupportaccesstonutritiousmealswhileminimizingpotentialexposuretoCOVD-19.

OurschoolhaschosentousethiswaiverandoperatetheSSOwhichenablesustoprovidemealsfreeofchargeforallstudents.Noapplicationisrequiredtoreceivethisfreemealbenefit.

However,yourchild(ren)mayqualifyadditionalbenefitssuchasreducedfeesorthePandemicElectronicBenefitTransfer(P-EBT)whichisafederaltemporaryemergencynutritionbenefitthatisloadedontoelectroniccardsforfamiliestopurchasefood.Atpublicschools,yourapplicationalsohelpstheschoolqualifyforeducationfundsanddiscounts.

Toapply,completetheenclosedApplicationforEducationalBenefitsfollowingtheinstructions.ReturnyourcompletedApplicationforEducationalBenefitstoyourlocalcampus:

RockRidgePublicSchools,411South5thAvenue,Virginia,MN55792or801JonesStreet,Eveleth,MN55734

Whoshouldcompletethisapplication?Children inhouseholdsparticipating in theSupplementalNutritionAssistanceProgram(SNAP),MinnesotaFamily InvestmentProgram(MFIP)orFoodDistributionProgramon IndianReservations (FDPIR),and foster,homeless,migrantandrunawaychildrencanqualifywithoutreportinghouseholdincome.Alternatively,childrencanqualifyiftheirhouseholdincomeiswithinthemaximumincomeshownfortheirhouseholdsizeontheinstructions.

COMMON QUESTIONS:

IgetWICorMedicalAssistance.Canmychildrenqualify?ChildreninhouseholdsparticipatinginWICorMedicalAssistancedonotautomaticallyqualify.Childrenmaybeeligibledependingonotherhouseholdfinancialinformation.Pleasefilloutanapplication.

WhoshouldIincludeashouseholdmembers?Includeyourselfandallotherpeoplelivinginthehousehold,relatedornot(suchasgrandparents,otherrelatives,orfriends).

MayIapplyifsomeoneinmyhouseholdisnotaU.S.citizen?Yes.YouoryourchildrendonothavetobeU.S.citizensforyourchildrentocompleteanapplication.

Whatifmyincomeisnotalwaysthesame?Listtheamountthatyounormallyget.Ifyounormallygetovertime,includeit,butnotifyougetovertimeonlysometimes.Forseasonalwork,writeinthetotalannualincome.

WilltheincomeinformationorcasenumberIgivebechecked?Itmaybe.Wemayalsoaskyoutosendwrittenproof.

Howwilltheinformationbekept? Informationyouprovideonthe form,andyourchild’sapproval,willbeprotectedasprivatedata.FormoreinformationseethebackpageoftheApplicationforEducationalBenefits.

IfIdon’tqualifynow,mayIapplylater?Yes.Pleasecompleteanapplicationatanytimeifyourincomegoesdown,yourhouseholdsizegoesup,oryoustartgettingSNAP,MFIPorFDPIRbenefits.

Pleaseprovidetheinformationrequestedaboutchildren’sracialidentityandethnicity,whichhelpstomakesurewearefullyservingourcommunity.Thisinformationisnotrequiredforapproval.

Ifyouhaveotherquestionsorneedhelp,call(218)742-3903.

Sincerely,

Dr.NoelSchmidtSuperintendent