Dear Crookston District Families,

Major Change for School Breakfasts & Lunches

As we continue to plan for the start of another successful year in the Crookston School District, we are disappointed to share that the United States Department of Agriculture DID NOT renew the Free Breakfast & Lunch Program that has been in place the past two years for all school districts in the state of Minnesota. Even though this information was made public last spring, we want to make sure that our families are well aware of this change and that breakfast and lunch for students/families this year may come at a cost.

One way to possibly eliminate or reduce the cost of your child’s breakfast/lunch is to complete an Education Benefits Application (Free & Reduced Meals application). We encourage ALL families to fill out the Educational Benefits Application that is available through our district – link to application. Click on "Apply for Meals Today". ALL families that fill out the Educational Benefits application will receive a $25 credit to their breakfast/lunch account, no matter if you qualify or not. Our goal is for 100% of our families to fill out an application for Educational Benefits, regardless of their income status, to help our families and help our school.

Did you know that our school district receives additional state funding beyond the school meal program funding, based on our Free & Reduced Lunch Percentage. Compensatory Aid from the State provides our district with a very valuable revenue stream, which is based on the percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced meals. Filling out the application is a “Win, Win, Win” opportunity for everyone – a “Win” for a family that qualifies for free or reduced rates, including a $25 credit; a “Win” for families who do not qualify where they receive a $25 credit to their lunch account; and a “Win” for the school district due to an increase in state revenues that we receive.

**Very Important: Some of you may already be qualified and do not need to fill out this application. To check on your meal price status, you can go to your account on the Titan Family Portal https://family.titank12.com or email Anna Ogaard Brekken at annaogaard@isd593.org.

To apply, please complete the Application for Educational Benefits (link was shared above). A new application must be submitted each year. ALL FINANCIAL INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE IS CONFIDENTIAL UNDER THE PENALTY OF LAW. Return your completed Application for Educational Benefits to: Crookston High School, Attn: Anna Ogaard-Brekken, 402 Fisher Avenue, Crookston MN 56716. Parents/Guardians can also drop off their completed applications at any of our school offices at any time or the completed application can be dropped off at the “Welcome Back to School Day” on August 18th. We need to get this information (qualifying applications) to the state by Tuesday, September 20th. Please provide the information requested about children’s racial identity and ethnicity, which helps to make sure we are fully serving our community. This information is not required for approval of school meal benefits.

Please help us achieve our 100% Goal!! If you have any questions or need any assistance with the application process, please feel free to contact Anna Ogaard-Brekken, Food Service Director at annaogaard@isd593.org or via phone at 218-281-5313 ext. 2110 or Dave Kuehn, Superintendent at davekuehn@isd593.org or via phone at 218-281-5313 ext. 2102.

Thank you in advance for your assistance on completing this application process.

Anna Ogaard-Brekken, Food Service Director

Dave Kuehn, Superintendent

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