Child Nutrition
The goal of the VBSD Child Nutrition Department is to better educate the students of the Van Buren School District in the role of good nutrition and the importance of making nutritious choices at meal time. All schools in the district operate under the Titan/LINQ meal program.
Each menu is planned using USDA nutrition guidelines adopted by the Arkansas Department of Education. Elementary school cafeterias use the “Offer vs Serve” plan, which allows children to make choices for their meals. Students in grades 6-12 are allowed more flexibility through the “Scramble System” and have the option of the main dish, basket meal, or salad bar during lunch.
VBSD Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Meal Costs
VBSD will continue to provide FREE breakfast to ALL K-12 students for the 2024-2025 school year.
The federal USDA waiver that allowed school districts to provide lunches at no cost to students expired on June 30, 2022. As a result, families who don't qualify for free or reduced price meals will be required to pay for lunches for the 2023-2024 school year. Families MUST apply to qualify for free or reduced lunch prices for the 2023-2024 school year.
Breakfast (all students) - FREE
Student Lunch (regular) - $2.85
Student Lunch (families qualifying for free or reduced) - Free
All adults, e.g., visitors, teachers, support staff members, and administrators, must assume the full cost of meals. Breakfast for adults is $3.00 and lunch is $4.00.
If your family meets or falls below these income guidelines, you qualify for free lunch in the Van Buren School District.
Meal Payment
K-12 students are issued a number which is entered as the student comes through the meal line. Food costs are deducted from the account and a daily record is maintained. Parents may send a check or cash to school to pay on their child's meal account. They may also make payments online at the website https://linqconnect.com/HC346K for a fee of 1.50 per transaction. Parents can view their child's account on the at no charge. Parents may request a record of their child’s meal activity and payments. Questions regarding payment options, help with online payments, or a child’s meal account activity can be answered by the school cafeteria manager or by calling the VBSD Child Nutrition Office at 479-474-4736.
Free & Reduced Meal Applications
Families MUST apply to qualify for free or reduced meal prices for the 2024-2025 school year. Students who do not qualify for free or reduced price meals will be required to pay for lunches for the 2024-2025 school year. The meals application can be completed online at: https://linqconnect.com/public/meal-application?identifier=HC346K
Paper applications for free or reduced meals may be picked up from each school office or the Child Nutrition Department in the VBSD Service Center, located at 2804 Industrial Park Road.
For additional information concerning Child Nutrition contact Tessa Clemmons, Child Nutrition Director, at 479-474-4736.
Bid information
VAN BUREN SCHOOL DISTRICT
CHILD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT
2804 INDUSTRIAL PARK RD.
VAN BUREN, AR. 72956
Date: May 10, 2024
This is a request from the Child Nutrition department of the Van Buren School District for proposal to bid. The proposed bid prices must be honored for 1 year and are firm. An inability to hold a price firm for 1 year, will affect to whom the award is granted. However, a bid on produce that guarantees a market fluctuation percentage, will be considered. Any increase over the bid price throughout the year, may result in the termination of the bid contract, on that specific item. An item consistently being unavailable to order, or delayed more than three times may result in award loss for that item. An item that needs to be added to a bid after the closing period will be judged individually and will not be formally placed in a section until the following bid year. Bids will be due digitally via email at Tessa.clemmons@vbsd.us no later than noon on June 3, 2024 and will be opened and awarded by a staff panel by June 10, 2024. Groceries must be delivered the week of July 22, 2024.
Bid Cover Letter SY 24-25 VBSD Request for Bid Proposal.pdf
Bid Letter for Produce 2023-2024.pdf
Dishwasher Supplies and Chemical Supplies Bid 2024-2025.pdf
Buy American Justification Form.pdf
Terms and Conditions VBSD SY 24-25.pdf
Additional information
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Comolaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-941O;
2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
