Alpine School District has opened applications for free and reduced-priced meals for the current school year. The district serves more than 32,000 meals each school day to support student success.
According to Kristine Scott, Nutrition Services Director for Alpine School District, applying for these benefits is the best way to ensure students receive necessary meals while minimizing the financial impact on families. Scott stated that the district never turns away a student for a meal, but the application process helps ease the burden on parents caused by rising food prices.
At the end of the previous school year, more than 14,000 students had a negative lunch balance, with an average debt of -$40.49 per student. This resulted in a total district balance of -$586,362.97, according to Scott. She emphasized that because federal meal benefits cannot be applied retroactively to meals already consumed, submitting applications early is vital to protect parents from carrying unpaid balances into the new school year.
Families are required to submit a new application each school year because prior benefits expire at the end of September. While the district works with the state to automatically apply benefits to as many students as possible, Scott noted that parents must still create a Linq Connect account to verify their student's status.
The district provides breakfast and lunch at every school, offering multiple meal options alongside fresh fruits and vegetables. Maria Villanueva, a nutrition services manager at Mount Mahogany Elementary in Pleasant Grove, stated that staff work to prepare high-quality food that students enjoy.
Applications can be completed online at Linqconnect.com or through paper forms available in English and Spanish at all local schools. Parents can also contact their local school main office to complete an application.
By partnering with district staff early in the school year, parents can help eliminate lunch debt and reduce family stress while keeping students nourished for learning.
