National School Lunch Program
Pandemic EBT - COVID 19
Letter to Parents from DC Department of Human Services
Letters to Parents from DC Department of Human Service (SPANISH VERSION)
Updates and Frequently Asked Questions about Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer(Updated)
Preguntas frecuentes sobre el programa P-EBT(Updated)
COVID-19 P-EBT TEMPORARY FOOD BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN
Bridges Public Charter School participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), a federal program providing funding for well-balance nutritious meals. Through our partnership with Whitsons Culinary Group, we offer breakfast, lunch and an afterschool snack. Breakfast and lunch are available to all students at Bridges. Breakfast is free for all students, and lunch is free for all students. The afterschool snack is free to students who participate in aftercare and any other academic afterschool programs.
Breakfast and lunch are served daily in the classrooms.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
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, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
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 responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or 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 discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint 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. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
District of Columbia Human Rights Act
Also, the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, approved December 13, 1977 (DC law 2-38; DC official code §2-1402.11(2006), as amended) states the following:
It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice to do any of the following acts, wholly or partially for a discriminatory reason based upon the actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, or political affiliation of any individual. To file a complaint alleging discrimination on one of these bases, please contact the District of Columbia’s Office of Human Rights at (202) 727-4559 or ohr@dc.gov.
Bridges PCS Notice to Parents: Breakfast, Lunch and Snack
Breakfast, lunch and snack are FREE to all students
When in school, classes eat breakfast and snack daily as a group. Students who arrive to school late will subsequently receive breakfast and snack, unless their arrival is close to lunch time, at which time they will receive or eat their lunch. Menus for the month are posted on the BPCS website and lobby bulletin board.
Lunch or Home Lunch
Lunch is free to all students
This school year, Bridges PCS can offer healthy meals every school day to all students at no cost. Typically, a student’s household must meet income eligibility requirements to qualify for free or reduced-price meals. However, we are eligible to participate in the Community Eligibility Provisions (CEP) that allows us to provide free meals to all students at no cost for the 2023-2024 school year.
When in school, classes eat lunch daily as a group. Afterschool snack is free to students who participate in aftercare or academic afterschool activities.
Home lunch students
Families may send lunch to school for their child in lieu of school lunch. Bridges PCS is a nut-free school, so please be mindful of the meals packed for your children. Students are not permitted to consume unhealthy snacks on the premises to include candy, soda, chips, etc. Teachers will ask students to keep such snacks in their lunchbox for later consumption off premises.
If a home lunch student forgets their meal, they can receive a school lunch for free.
Ordering lunch
Parents who wish to have their children eat school lunch must inform the school, via their (re)enrollment documents, by checking “yes” to wanting to receive a school lunch. Or parents can inform Jerusalen Elizaldi-Hernandez, Operations Specialist, of your request for school lunch. In addition, parents must inform the school of the type of meal their child should receive. The choices at Bridges PCS are: regular(could include meat, dairy and wheat), vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free. The school will order meals for school lunch students. If you wish to opt-in or opt-out of school lunch for your child, you must inform Jerusalen Elizaldi-Hernandez, Operations Specialist at jelizaldi@bridgespcs.org and the classroom teacher two weeks in advance of starting or discontinuing school lunch. Many times the food vendor will not honor requests that are made less than two-weeks out.
Meals for Virtual Learning Students with Medical Exemptions
School will be open five days a week for in-person instruction for school year 2021-2022. If your child does have a medical condition, and cannot participate in in-person learning, we will need documentation signed by a doctor or nurse practitioner. Please email Georgia Vergos, Chief Operating Officer, gvergos@bridgespcs.org if you have filled out the form or have any questions.
For meals during distance learning, we will package five days worth of meals and have them available for pickup. If the family can’t pick up, our family engagement specialists will deliver to the student’s home.
Bridges PCS Aviso a los Padres: Desayuno, Almuerzo y Bocadillos.
El desayuno, almuerzo, y bocadillos son GRATIS para todos los estudiantes
El desayuno y los bocadillos son gratis para todos los estudiantes. Las clases comen el desayuno y los bocadillos diariamente como un grupo. Los estudiantes que lleguen tarde a la escuela recibirán subsecuentemente el desayuno y los bocadillos, a menos que su llegada sea cercana a la hora del almuerzo, momento en el que ellos recibirán o comerán su almuerzo. Los menús del mes se publican en el sitio web de BPCS y en el tablón de anuncios del vestíbulo.
Almuerzo o Almuerzo de la Casa
El almuerzo es gratis para todos los estudiantes.
Este año escolar, Bridges PCS puede ofrecer comidas saludables todos los días para todos los estudiantes sin ningún costo. Típicamente, el hogar de un estudiante debe cumplir con los requisitos de elegibilidad de ingresos para calificar para comidas gratis o a precio reducido. Sin embargo, somos elegibles para participar en las Disposiciones de Elegibilidad Comunitaria (CEP) que nos permiten proveer comidas gratis a todos los estudiantes sin costo para el año escolar 2023-2024.
Las clases comen el almuerzo diariamente en grupo. Los bocadillos después de las clases son gratis para los estudiantes que participan en actividades de cuidado de niños después de clases o en actividades académicas después de clases.
Estudiantes que traen el almuerzo de sus casas
Las familias pueden enviar el almuerzo a la escuela para su hijo en lugar del almuerzo escolar. Bridges PCS es una escuela libre nueces, por lo tanto, por favor sea cuidadoso de las comidas empacadas para sus hijos. No se les permite a los estudiantes consumir bocadillos poco saludables en las instalaciones, esto incluye, dulces, refrescos, papas fritas, etc. Los maestros les pedirán a los estudiantes que mantengan esos bocadillos en sus loncheras para su consumo posterior fuera de las instalaciones escolares.
Si a un estudiante que regularmente trae el almuerzo de la casa se le olvida su comida, él/ella puede recibir un almuerzo escolar. Se cobrará a los padres que no califican para el almuerzo gratis o de precio reducido por los almuerzos escolares recibidos, y por lo tanto los padres recibirán una factura para que la paguen.
Ordenando el almuerzo
Los padres que deseen que sus hijos coman el almuerzo escolar deben informarlo a la escuela, a través de sus documentos de (re)inscripción, marcando "sí" para querer recibir un almuerzo escolar. O los padres pueden avisarle a Jazmin Balbuena, Especialista de Operaciones, de su solicitud para recibir el almuerzo escolar. Además, los padres deben informar a la escuela sobre el tipo de comida que su hijo debe recibir. Las opciones en Bridges PCS son: regular(podría incluir carne, lácteos y trigo), vegetariana, sin lácteos y sin gluten. La escuela ordenará las comidas escolares para los almuerzos de los estudiantes. Si usted desea optar por recibir o por no recibir el almuerzo escolar para su hijo, usted debe informar a Jazmin Balbuena, Especialista de Operaciones a jbalbuena@bridgespcs.org y al maestro del salón de clases dos semanas antes de comenzar o suspender el almuerzo escolar. Muchas veces el proveedor de los alimentos no cumplirá con las solicitudes que se realicen con menos de dos semanas de anticipación.
Comidas para Estudiantes de Aprendizaje Virtual con Exenciones Médicas
La escuela estará abierta cinco días a la semana para la instrucción en persona para el año escolar 2021-2022. Si su hijo tiene una condición médica y no puede participar en el aprendizaje en persona, necesitaremos documentación firmada por un médico. Por favor envíe un correo electrónico a Georgia Vergos, Directora de Operaciones, gvergos@bridgespcs.org si ha llenado la forma o si tiene preguntas.
Para las comidas durante aprendizaje virtual nostros vamos a dar comidas para los cinco dias. Las familias pueden venir a recojerlo, si no puede venir nuestro Especialista de Familias va poder ir a dejar las comidas a la casa de el estudiante.