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KarenSteele · Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Posts: 14

Very interesting proposal -- let me ask my teens how they think it'd go over.

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LenMullen · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Danville, NH

Frankly, I'm not sure the teens need to be consulted. Objectives would be to control cost, control quality, and improve efficiency of delivery.

The primary beneficiary would be the parent.

Other stakeholders would see a lesser benefit. For instance, students who have extemely early or late lunches would benefit from improved efficiency of delivery. Taxpayers would too as this is one of the reasons for cited for replacing the middle school.
_________________
"I've been teaching here for 20 years so please don't assume that kids can add, subtract, multiply and divide integers without problems. Especially subtraction, as I found that many have trouble with." TRMS Math Teacher

TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 147

Collection agency may handle Hampstead overdue lunch accounts
Delinquent accounts could go to collection agency

By Margo Sullivan
margosullivan@eagletribune.com

HAMPSTEAD — Parents who put off paying their children's school lunch bills will have one last chance to discuss their tabs with the school principal — or they could wind up fielding calls from a collection agency.

In a break from past practice, the Hampstead School Board decided Tuesday to allow the use of collection agencies to go after delinquent accounts.

Assistant Superintendent Winfried Feneberg asked for the authority partly to deal with two families who failed to pay their bills and ignored letters from the principal and the district.

"My recommendation is to ramp up," he said.

In coming weeks, the Timberlane Regional School District could take similar action. That board is mulling a new food service policy, which includes hiring a collection agency as one way to end delinquencies, according to Kathleen Smith, assistant business administrator.

Overdue cafeteria bills have become a nationwide problem, she said, and numerous districts have gone to collection agencies to solve the problem.

Smith didn't know of other New Hampshire school districts using collection agencies and, so far, no other local districts have used that approach, according to a survey of school business managers.

But many said they had to find other ways to deal with the problem.

Derry reduced its unpaid debt from $11,000 to $1,500 over the past two years by changing its lunch policy, according to Jane Simard, the district's business manager. Under the new rules, students who owe $5 cannot charge any more lunches, she said.

"We used to let the children charge because you certainly didn't want them to go without a meal," she said.

But now, if the children have no lunch money, the school provides a cheese sandwich, fruit and milk.

Derry lunches cost $2.05 at the elementary schools and $2.30 at the middle school. Breakfast costs $1.25.

Lunch at Hampstead Central School costs $2 and the middle-school lunch costs $2.25.

Hampstead this week raised the price of adult school lunch by 25 cents to $3.50. The School Board also raised the price of adult and student breakfast 25 cents to $1.25. But the panel opted to keep student lunch prices the same.

"It's not the time to raise food prices because of the economic situation," Feneberg said.

Timberlane's school lunch debt runs high because School Superintendent Richard La Salle made the decision to continue to allow youngsters to charge lunch. He does not want to stigmatize children by giving them an alternative lunch, Smith said.

This year, Timberlane's delinquent accounts climbed to about $24,000, she said, and $14,000 of that total is money carried over from previous years.

Londonderry has between $1,200 and $1,300 in back lunch debt, according to Peter Curro, the business manager. Londonderry school principals write letters to parents whose debts are more than $5, but the district has a surefire last resort at graduation, Curro said.

"That's where we really get them," he said.

If students owe library fines or for lunches, they will not receive a diploma.

Pelham also contacts parents when the bill approaches $5, according to Kathleen Sargent, that district's business manager. The children without money receive an alternative meal — a tuna sandwich.

Hampstead's delinquent accounts amount to about $5,500, but most of those parents are working out a payment plan with school officials, Smith said.

Feneberg did not say how much the two uncooperative families owe. He did say the collection agency, which would receive about 33 percent of the total due as its fee, would only earn between $100 and $200, suggesting the balances are between $300 and $600.

"It's a last resort," Feneberg said, adding they wanted to send the parents a message, "We will continue to feed our kids, but we will hold adults responsible for the bills."

Feneberg said the principal sends a letter to parents when the lunch bill is more than $10. The case goes to the district level when the tab surpasses $50. Most parents pay up as soon as they receive a letter, but two families repeatedly ignored the letters, he said.

He added that the school district's letter does warn parents the account may be turned over to a collection agency.

School Board member Jaye Dimando asked Feneberg to send the parents one last letter, warning them any action taken by a collection agency could be reflected in their credit rating.

Feneberg said all parents have to do to avoid dealing with a collection agency is contact the schools.

"It's not about money; it's about communication," Smith said.

Smith said Hampstead schools have not refused to serve the children lunch, even if their parents owe money.

"We don't give them a cheese sandwich, like some districts, which is really kind of humiliating," she said.

Smith has interviewed two or three collection agencies about working with the district, Feneberg said.

PBealo · Site Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 307

I wonder if anyone picked up the phone and called those two delinquint families??

Peter B.

LenMullen · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Danville, NH

Let me get this straight...

1) School gives food to minor
2) School engages collection agency to collect fees for said food from parent

Unless there is something in the agreement that says parents are responsible for negative balances, I think Mr. La Salle is personally responsible for the cost.
_________________
"I've been teaching here for 20 years so please don't assume that kids can add, subtract, multiply and divide integers without problems. Especially subtraction, as I found that many have trouble with." TRMS Math Teacher

therents · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 140

the Lunch is a cheese sandwich, fruit and milk.

what about those kids with milk allergies?

LenMullen · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Danville, NH

My opinion of Mr. La Salle sinks with each school board meeting and newspaper interview. Does anyone know when his contract is up?
_________________
"I've been teaching here for 20 years so please don't assume that kids can add, subtract, multiply and divide integers without problems. Especially subtraction, as I found that many have trouble with." TRMS Math Teacher

TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 147

LenMullen · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Danville, NH

No. The current board with oft noted exceptions is a super pta. They rubberstamp each SAU recommendation. We need to fix that. The school board is the second most powerful political assembly in the district.

BTW, the budget committee is THE most powerful political assembly in the district. If we replace two of the three members up for election in March, parents, taxpayers, and students will be the priority during contract negotiations and budget preparation.

We need some candidates. One of the three is in Danville. Know anyone in town who is willing to help out? $60,000,000 is a lot of money and there is no way I want Mr. La Salle spending it.
_________________
"I've been teaching here for 20 years so please don't assume that kids can add, subtract, multiply and divide integers without problems. Especially subtraction, as I found that many have trouble with." TRMS Math Teacher

PBealo · Site Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 307

Len,

I think you are under-rating the HS PTSA. They are dead against nonleveling for instance but move quietly than you or I...

Peter B.

TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 147

LenMullen · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Danville, NH

NWhitman · Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 16

LenMullen · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Danville, NH

That doesn't leave much time to elect a school board that will not give him a new one.
_________________
"I've been teaching here for 20 years so please don't assume that kids can add, subtract, multiply and divide integers without problems. Especially subtraction, as I found that many have trouble with." TRMS Math Teacher

Le Canard · Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 106 Location: Danville

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