La Porte Independent School District School Nutrition Department

 

 

Caftrac® Computerized Point of Sale System Frequently Asked Questions

 

“The purpose of this list is to answer the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) concerning the new computerized Point of Sale (POS) system that has been installed in LPISD. It’s our intention to help you understand our new system, how it operates, and better help you and your children adapt to it. If you have additional questions, please contact us at 281-604-6950.”

 

Thank You,

 

Chris Kamradt

Director of School Nutrition      
La Porte ISD

 

 

FAQ

 

How does this new system work?

 

            With the new Caftrac^® Point of Sale system students will no longer have a “meal ticket” but will all have an individual “debit” account. Students access their account by using their District assigned Student Identification number. To use their accounts, they will either tell the cashier their number, enter their number into a keypad, or swipe their identification badge. The system will then credit a meal to the student and withdraw any funds as necessary. If there are charges owed, regardless of the students’ status, the computer will prompt for funds. Students who have prepaid funds on account have their meals deducted automatically from their accounts. Economically disadvantaged students are treated as if they are already “on account” and no money will be requested. Therefore, the cashier treats all students equally and there is no way to tell the status of the students.

 

Parents are encouraged to make regular deposits to this account. Cash will be accepted on the serving line, but prepayments are encouraged to maximize all the benefits of our new system. The accuracy of the tracking of these funds is greatly increased by the computer system and allows us the ability to track and report the pattern of expenditures to the parents upon request. We require the students to present their ID numbers even if they are only going to purchase a snack-bar item with cash and not use their account funds. This provides us with information on the child’s eating habits in a day-by-day format.

 

 

How can I get a copy of this report for my child?

 

            You can get a copy of your child’s meal history by contacting the Cafeteria Manager of the school your child attends. Please allow us at least one week to get the report to you.

 

How can I make deposits to my child’s account?

 

            The easiest way to make a prepayment on your child’s account is to simply send cash or a personal check with your child just like you do now. All we ask is that you include the student’s names and ID numbers on the ‘memo’ portion of the check. When a students account is low on funds, we will notify you by sending home either a “School Meal Money” envelope, sending a note, or by placing a “$” sign stamp on the students hand as a reminder.

 

Can I use one check to pay for more than one of my children?

 

            Yes, if your children attend the same school. However, please indicate how you wish the money to be distributed between the children and include all their names and ID numbers on the check or with an enclosed note. If your children attend different schools, you must send separate checks to each school.

 

What happens if my child forgets their lunch money, forgets their number or has no money in their account?

 

            They will eat. If a student has no funds, an “emergency meal” will be provided. Our Policy states that three regular meals may be charged before an emergency meal is given to the student. (An emergency meal is a sandwich and white milk.) There is a charge of $.50 cents for each emergency meal and there will be a limit of four emergency meals charged. No a la carte snack items may be purchased, even with cash, while there is a negative balance on the students account until the negative balance for emergency meals has been paid.

 

Can this account be used for Meals and Snack A la Carte items?

 

            Yes. Meals and snack items may be purchased with previously paid deposits on accounts. However, if you want the account to be used for meals only, the cafeteria must be notified in writing. Send a signed and dated note stating that the account be used for meals only. This will block the sale of all extra snack items, including drinks and extra milk, from being purchased with this account. Cash will need to be used for any extras as well as for second meals.         We will not allow the charging of a la carte items.

 

 

 

 

What prevents someone from using the wrong account?

 

            No system is perfect, but our cashiers are instructed to ensure that they positively identify the student at the serving time. All students are told to give their name and the ID number to the casher. The cashier will then match the name to the number at the time of sale.

 

How are Free and Reduced meals treated with the New P.O.S. System?

 

            A student approved for free or reduced meals will still present their ID number when obtaining a meal. They will be treated no differently than a full paying student. Since the opportunity is there for any child to place pre-paid funds on their account, there is no way to tell a students status.

 

Will money left on their account transfer to other schools at the end of the year?

            Yes. Money left in your child's account will transfer to the next grade level or school within the L.P.I.S.D. school district over the summer months.

 

What if we leave the district? Can we get the money back?

 

            Yes. Before you leave the district a request for the balance in your child's account must be made to the cafeteria manager. If the balance is under $5.00 then the manager can give you the refund. If the balance is over $5.00 then the Cafeteria Manager must make a check request. Contact the Cafeteria Manager or School Nutrition department and provide your new address for us to mail a check. Please allow two weeks to get the check processed and mailed to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading this Frequently Asked Question list. Once again, this list is not designed to address every possible question that you might have, so if you have a question that is not addressed here, please contact the School Nutrition Office at 281-604-6950 and we’ll be happy to answer it for you.

 

 

Updated 8/8/02