Welcome Newsletter To Families

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! The Acton-Boxborough Food & Nutrition Services Department is excited to provide healthy, delicious meals to all students in our district. If you have any questions, please contact us at lunchonline@abschools.org or at (978) 264-4700 x15001

🍎 Free Meals for All Students
We are pleased to share that every student is eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. Please note that 2nd meals and ‘a la carte’ items are not free and will be charged to the student’s account.

Each meal includes an entrée, milk, fruit, and vegetables. We encourage students to take all the components.
Additional Meals & Pricing:
* Extra breakfast: $1.75
* Additional lunch (Elementary): $3.50
* Additional lunch (Junior High & High School): $3.50 to $4.50 (tiered pricing)
* À la carte milk: $0.50
* Other à la carte items are available at individual schools.
Monthly menus, ‘a la carte’ items, pricing, and other info can be found on the Food Services website

📄 Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application
While meals are free for all, qualifying for free or reduced-price meals can provide your family with additional benefits, such as:
* Waived school and test fees (e.g., SAT, college applications)
* Discounts on internet and utilities
* Waived school fees such as afterschool care, athletic and music fees, field trips, etc
If you received an email from Food Services in August saying you qualified for free or reduced price meals, you do NOT need to apply again. If you did not receive an email and believe you may qualify, we encourage you to apply online beginning on 8/4/26. The PowerSchool portal opens on 8/14/26 for the High School, 8/17/26 for RJ Grey Jr High, and 8/6/26 for Elementary families. Paper applications are also available on the Food Services website or through your school’s main office. You only need to complete one application per family.

🔄 Sharing Eligibility for Other School Benefits
Your family's eligibility for free or reduced-price meals may also qualify you for waivers of certain school-related fees, including athletics, music, SAT exams, field trips, after-school programs, and other school-based costs. To allow your meal eligibility to be shared with these programs, you must grant permission in the School/Parent Group Permissions section of PowerSchool when completing your emergency information. After granting permission, email finassistance@abschools.org to request a fee waiver. Even if your family does not qualify for free or reduced-price meals, you may still be eligible for financial assistance with other district fees, such as activity fees and transportation, through the district's centralized financial assistance application process. To learn about the centralized process for applying click financial assistance.

💳 Cafeteria Purchases & Student Meal Accounts
Each student has a personal meal account accessed via their school-issued Meal ID/PIN. Students enter their PIN at checkout; younger students will receive assistance as needed. PIN numbers remain the same throughout a student’s time in the district. If a student forgets their PIN, we can look it up, but this may cause delays—please help your child memorize their number. You will receive an email before the start of school with your child’s PIN number or see below for instructions on how to view your Student’s PIN in PowerSchool.

💵 Prepaying for Meals & À La Carte Items
We encourage families to add money to their student’s account for 2nd meals and a la carte purchases. To pay for additional items or meals:
Option 1: Send cash or a check (made out to “AB Food Services Dept.”) to your school cafeteria.
Be sure to include your student’s name and Meal PIN in the memo line.
Option 2: Log in to SchoolCafe to pay online with a credit card (note: $1.75 transaction fee applies).
To split payments between multiple students, please include the Prepayment Form found here.

🧾 Manage your child’s meal account with SchoolCafe
With SchoolCafe, you can add funds via a credit card, set low balance alerts, view purchases, manage prepackaged a la carte items and apply for free/reduced price meals. To create an account, you will need your Student’s ID and Meal PIN. See below for instructions.

📄 Finding Student Meal PIN and Student ID in PowerSchool
Your student’s Student ID, Meal PIN and meal balance are available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal on the ‘School Information’ page for High School Students and the home page for Jr High and Elementary School students.

⚠️ Food Allergies
Please make sure school nurses are aware of any food allergies your child has.
*Monthly virtual menus highlight the top 9 allergens. Virtual menus can be found here. If your child has changed schools, it is important to make sure the nurse and nutrition@abschools.org have the most up-to-date allergen information.
*We offer a prepackaged allergen-friendly meal (chicken, brown rice, and rotating vegetable) with 24-hour notice via this Google form.
*For questions related to the menu, please email nutrition@abschools.org

🤝Additional Resources for Families

Acton-Boxborough Resource Center
The center offers free seasonal clothing, English Language learning groups, and connections to local support programs to anyone who lives, works, or worships in Acton or Boxborough.
15 Charter Road, Acton, MA.
Open Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (until 7 p.m. every Wednesday).
Visit the Resource Site anytime for up-to-date listings of food access, volunteer opportunities, and more

Acton Food Pantry
The Acton Food Pantry is committed to alleviating food insecurity. Visit us at www.actonfoodpantry.org
Provides groceries at:
📍 21 Maple Street, Acton, MA 01720
🕙 Mon 2p-4p (by appointment), Tues 9a-1p (by appointment), Wed 9:30-11:30(drive thru only),
1p-7p(by appointment), Thurs 10a-2p (by appointment). We are now following the AB school schedule and will be closed the weeks of school vacations and on federal holidays.

📞 Need a ride? Call Cross Town Connect: 978-844-6809 (24 hours in advance)

Backpack Program for Elementary Students
Receive a weekly bag of food sent home with your child. Contact your principal or email reddy@abschools.org