Food service debit system now available at Voorheesville schools

A new computerized payment system will allow Voorheesville students, faculty and staff to pay for their meals without carrying any cash in their pockets.

The NutriKids system was unveiled at Voorheesville Elementary School on Tuesday, Oct. 2, and will be available at the middle and high schools on Wednesday, Oct. 3.

The system works like a debit plan, meaning users deposit money into their account, and the cost of each meal is deducted from the amount deposited. Parents and staff can deposit as much as they want into the accounts, but there is no discount for paying in advance.

The new prepayment system replaces the previous one, which required students to carry paper tickets with them to pay for their meals.

Faculty, staff, and middle and high school students will be issued four-digit pin numbers, which they must provide to cashiers to pay for meals. Debit cards will not be issued, so users are required to remember their pin numbers.

Elementary students will NOT have to remember a pin number. Cashiers will have a list of each student’s pin number, which will be entered into the computer for the students.

Once the pin number is provided, the user’s picture pops up on a screen to verify that it is for the correct person. If it is, the system automatically deducts the appropriate amount from the account.

The system keeps track of which students must pay full-price for their meals, and those who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. However, the system does not in any way identify to others if a particular student pays full-price or a lesser amount for their meal.

For the time being, parents must either mail payments to the school district or send payments to school with their children.

In the near future, however, the system will be available online. When that happens, parents will be able to pay online, see how much money is left in their children’s accounts, as well as what their children have been eating for the past 30 days.

Questions about the new system should be directed to Christy Rivenburg at 765-3313, ext. 109.