School efficiency

[Kuan]

In order to buy milk, I have to put $0.50 in an envelope, write his name on it, hand it to the kid who hands it to the teacher, who tallies up who gets what for lunch, hands it over to the lunch person who then loads up each tray individually and then hands it back to the teacher who then hands out the lunches.

Get it?

My kid wants a milk. I can't just give him $0.50 and have him drop it in a box and grab a milk. Quick and easy.

[davidmash]

If everyone knew that you and your child were honest and would actually drop in the $.50 and only grab one milk that would probably work well.

As it is, the Kitchen staff probably does not have the time to go around collecting and tracking the money. They do not want to be short inventory and money so this is the best they have come up with. I guess the other option is to have everyone prepay whether they are eating or not or have a cash register set up at the end of the line like I did when I was in school. Down side is the kid who does not have enough money for the jello snack feels embarrassed and that is not fair to the kid.

[lutzTD]

Originally Posted by davidmash

If everyone knew that you and your child were honest and would actually drop in the $.50 and only grab one milk that would probably work well.

As it is, the Kitchen staff probably does not have the time to go around collecting and tracking the money. They do not want to be short inventory and money so this is the best they have come up with. I guess the other option is to have everyone prepay whether they are eating or not or have a cash register set up at the end of the line like I did when I was in school. Down side is the kid who does not have enough money for the jello snack feels embarrassed and that is not fair to the kid.

also with my daughters school the free lunch kids are not singled out, they have a pin same as everyone else so no one knows where they money comes from

[lutzTD]

you need a better school, we put $20 in an account and all she has to do is remember her pin and she can buy whatever she wants at lunch. In kindergarten she didnt even need to know that, the lunch lady put it in for her after she learned all the faces. This system also allows the parent to set what they cant buy like candy and ice cream and it puts her egg and milk allergies on record so she cant get that either

we can also access the list of exactly what she got as well as set up low fund email reminders

[Kuan]

Originally Posted by lutzTD

you need a better school, we put $20 in an account and all she has to do is remember her pin and she can buy whatever she wants at lunch. In kindergarten she didnt even need to know that, the lunch lady put it in for her after she learned all the faces. This system also allows the parent to set what they cant buy like candy and ice cream and it puts her egg and milk allergies on record so she cant get that either

we can also access the list of exactly what she got as well as set up low fund email reminders

Yeah we got that too. He only needs his milk once in awhile when his parents WHO ARE SO ON THE BALL forget his soy drink.

[lutzTD]

Originally Posted by Kuan

Yeah we got that too. He only needs his milk once in awhile when his parents WHO ARE SO ON THE BALL forget his soy drink.

Ah so the school was indicted for a parents failing.....

[Skid Row Joe]

Originally Posted by Kuan

In order to buy milk, I have to put $0.50 in an envelope, write his name on it, hand it to the kid who hands it to the teacher, who tallies up who gets what for lunch, hands it over to the lunch person who then loads up each tray individually and then hands it back to the teacher who then hands out the lunches.

Get it?

My kid wants a milk. I can't just give him $0.50 and have him drop it in a box and grab a milk. Quick and easy.

That's Up from the $0.02 milk cost when I was a youngster.

Wonder how much the school system skims off the $0.50 for all the admin costs?

[elchivito]

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

That's Up from the $0.02 milk cost when I was a youngster.

Wonder how much the school system skims off the $0.50 for all the admin costs?

Stop wondering and do some research. You clearly have no idea how school lunch programs work, what federal and state regulations they operate under, or even how much the schools are paying for milk and other lunch ingredients. Nobody "skims" from school lunch programs.

As to the OP, schools have been models of inefficiency for decades. If it concerns you, start with either the principal or the person in charge of you district's food service and get answers to your questions. You might be surprised to find that your school, or perhaps your Parent Teacher Organization might appreciate constructive criticism and ideas for improvement. If you're not willing to do that and only want to b!tch, get over it.

[Hatterasguy]

My school had like a CC the parents could put money on.

It worked great except instead of lunch we would buy chips and good stuff with it.

[SirNik84]

When I was a kid parents would pay the school, and the school gave the kid a lunch card, the lunch lady would punch it when a meal was bought. I think the card was good for a month. The poor kids got the card for free.

Me, I got lunch packed by my mom... until 6th grade when my mom and dad split and I lived with my dad. Then it was my responsibility to make my own lunch. That worked for like a week, then I stopped eating lunch at school. I would take 2 bananas to school, one for snack and one for lunch, I'd get home at 3 and make a sandwich at home.

In 8th grade I got a job taking care of a pool at a condo community across town. That ended all my lunch problems. I'd just go buy lunch with real money, or eat bananas, depending on how I felt.

Having to deal with how I got lunch myself taught me a lot about the real world. Back then I thought my dad was a jerk, but now I really appreciate that I started working and having my own money at a young age.

[Mistress]

Originally Posted by SirNik84

When I was a kid parents would pay the school, and the school gave the kid a lunch card, the lunch lady would punch it when a meal was bought. I think the card was good for a month. The poor kids got the card for free.

Me, I got lunch packed by my mom... until 6th grade when my mom and dad split and I lived with my dad. Then it was my responsibility to make my own lunch. That worked for like a week, then I stopped eating lunch at school. I would take 2 bananas to school, one for snack and one for lunch, I'd get home at 3 and make a sandwich at home.

In 8th grade I got a job taking care of a pool at a condo community across town. That ended all my lunch problems. I'd just go buy lunch with real money, or eat bananas, depending on how I felt.

Having to deal with how I got lunch myself taught me a lot about the real world. Back then I thought my dad was a jerk, but now I really appreciate that I started working and having my own money at a young age.

I remember when a whole lunch cost .35 cents....oh god help me.

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by Mistress

I remember when a whole lunch cost .35 cents....oh god help me.

HA HA HA HA Gotcha beat--- 12 cents!

[Skid Row Joe]

Originally Posted by SirNik84

When I was a kid parents would pay the school, and the school gave the kid a lunch card, the lunch lady would punch it when a meal was bought. I think the card was good for a month. The poor kids got the card for free.

Me, I got lunch packed by my mom... until 6th grade when my mom and dad split and I lived with my dad. Then it was my responsibility to make my own lunch. That worked for like a week, then I stopped eating lunch at school. I would take 2 bananas to school, one for snack and one for lunch, I'd get home at 3 and make a sandwich at home.

In 8th grade I got a job taking care of a pool at a condo community across town. That ended all my lunch problems. I'd just go buy lunch with real money, or eat bananas, depending on how I felt.

Having to deal with how I got lunch myself taught me a lot about the real world. Back then I thought my dad was a jerk, but now I really appreciate that I started working and having my own money at a young age.

Sounds to me like you got good basic training in life from your folks. Could be why you are a responsible adult.

I guess we didn't have any poor kids where I went to school. Everyone had the money to buy their kid's lunch, or pack their kid's lunch. $0.02 for a half pint of milk seemed to be affordable for everyone.

[Mistress]

Originally Posted by Kuan

In order to buy milk, I have to put $0.50 in an envelope, write his name on it, hand it to the kid who hands it to the teacher, who tallies up who gets what for lunch, hands it over to the lunch person who then loads up each tray individually and then hands it back to the teacher who then hands out the lunches.

Get it?

My kid wants a milk. I can't just give him $0.50 and have him drop it in a box and grab a milk. Quick and easy.

The Lunch Lady used to work for the government....

[TheDon]

I remember the punch card thing.