WPS Free & Reduced Lunch

Additional Information

If anyone in your household participates in any of the following assistance programs, your children are eligible for free school meals: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or MA SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or MA TANF, or The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). Households receiving any of these benefits are only required to provide the recipient’s name, their Agency ID, TANF or FDPIR number, student names(s) and adult signature when submitting an application. For up to 30 operating days into the new school year, eligibility from the previous year will continue. When the carry-over period ends, unless the household is notified their children are directly certified* or the household submits an application that is approved, the children must pay full price for school meals.

*No application is required if the district directly certifies a child through the Mass Executive Office of Health and Human Service’s Virtual Gateway as receiving MA SNAP,MA TAFDC, Medicaid or is a foster child. This electronic match process is required by Federal Regulation. (The Virtual Gateway is an internet portal designed by the EOHHS to provide the general public, medical providers, community-based organizations and EOHHS staff with online access to health and human services). All children in these households are eligible for free meal benefits. If you receive a notice of Direct Certification for your child to receive free school meals and there are other children in your household that are not listed, you may contact Nancy Clark at 781-721-0000 x1080 to have the benefit extended to them. Households notified of the children’s eligibility must contact Nancy Clark at 781-721-0000 x1080 or submit in writing if they want to decline the free meal benefits.

Students who are homeless, migrant, runaway or enrolled in an eligible Head Start or pre-kindergarten class are also eligible for benefits. If children or households receive benefits under Assistance Programs or Other Source Categorically Eligible Programs and are not notified by the school of their free meal benefits, the parent or guardian

Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court, are categorically eligible for free meals. A foster child may be included as a member of foster family if the foster family chooses to also apply for benefits. If a foster family is not eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits it does not prevent the foster child from receiving free meal benefits. Note, however, that a foster child’s free eligibility does not automatically extend to all students in the household should contact Nancy Clark at 781-721-0000 x1080.

Application forms for all other households must list the names of all household members, all household income with the amount, source, and frequency of the income received by each household member. An adult signature is required along with the last 4 digits of the adult’s Social Security Number or the box checked that applicant does not have a Social Security Number. Completed applications should be submitted to Nancy Clark, 80 Skillings Road, Winchester, MA 01890. Under the provisions of the policy for determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals, Nancy Clark will review applications and determine eligibility. If a parent is dissatisfied with the ruling of the determining official, he/she may wish to discuss the decision with the determining official on an informal basis by calling 781-721-0000 x1080. If he/she wishes to make a formal appeal, a request either orally or in writing may be made to: Andrew Marron, Director of Finance & Operations, 80 Skillings Road, Winchester, MA 01890. If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size changes at any time, the family can file a new application.