School Menus | Breakfast | Meal & A la Carte Price Information | Free and Reduced Price Meals | Directly Certified | Payments & LINQ Connect | Dietary Restrictions | Meal Charge Policy & Prohibition Against Meal Shaming| Wellness Policy | Food Assistance Resources| Non-Discrimination Statement |
Department Overview
Welcome to BCSD Food Services. Our mission is to provide students with delicious, healthy, affordable and safe options for meals and snacks at school. Elementary and Middle School students are offered breakfast, lunch and a la carte snacks daily. High School students are offered breakfast from the BC Blend Café, a wide variety of grab and go or traditional lunch options during scheduled lunch periods, and After School Café from 1:00-2:30 p.m. daily. We strive to create an environment that is friendly and promotes nutritious choices to support the learning environment at BCSD. In an effort to support the local community and procure the freshest ingredients, BCSD Food Services purchases food locally whenever possible. Please see your student’s school schedule for breakfast and lunch times. If you have questions or comments, please contact the BCSD Food Service Office.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served in each of our schools daily at the following times:
Elementary Schools
9:10-9:40 a.m.
Middle School
7:30- 8:30 a.m.
High School
7:00-9:15 a.m.
If a student arrives after the instructional day begins, they can grab a “to-go” breakfast when signing in.
Research shows that children who eat breakfast:
- show improvement on math, reading and standardized test scores
- establish healthier habits later in life
- have fewer absences and incidences of tardiness
- have improved memory and focus
- consume more calcium, fiber, folate and protein
Meal & A la Carte Price Information
Lunch
K-5
- Full pay: $3.00
- Free/reduced eligible: No charge
6-8
- Full pay: $3.25
- Free/reduced eligible: No charge
9-12
- Full pay: $3.50
- Free/reduced eligible: No charge
Adult
- $5.00 (incl. tax)
Breakfast
K-5
- Full pay: $1.75
- Free/reduced eligible: No charge
6-8
- Full pay: $2.00
- Free/reduced eligible: No charge
9-12
- Full pay: $2.50
- Free/reduced eligible: No charge
Adult
- $3.00 (incl. tax)
Free and Reduced Price Meals
Families are encouraged to fill out the online meal application to determine if their child qualifies for free or reduced price meals at school. Per New York State, all students qualifying at the reduced rate will also receive meals at no charge.
All information received on applications is strictly confidential and students who receive a benefit are never publicly identified.
We encourage all families to fill out the online application, as it is quick, easy and confidential. The paper application is still available for families who do not have access to a computer.
If you have trouble accessing the application or need assistance, please contact Erin Wright, Capital Region BOCES Shared Food Service Program Specialist, at (518) 464-3945, erin.wright@neric.org.
Directly Certified Students
Students who are directly certified through the state based on their enrollment in SNAP, certain Medicaid programs, or foster, migrant, runaway or homeless status, will also receive free meals at school. If families receive notice that their students have been directly certified, there is no need to fill out a meal application.
Payments & LINQ Connect Online Payment System
Important update: As of May 28, 2024, LINQ Connect has replaced MySchoolBucks as BC’s online payment system. Learn more about LINQ Connect.
The Bethlehem School District’s Food Service Department serves breakfast and lunch daily in all school cafeterias. The district offers families several ways to pay for breakfast and lunch:
Check
Checks should be made out to “Bethlehem Central School District” and sent to your student’s school. It is recommended that you send the check in a sealed envelope marked “School Lunch” with your child’s name.
Cash
Cash is accepted in all cafeterias, however, cash payments are not encouraged as they are more difficult to track. If sending cash, please include in a sealed envelope marked “School Lunch” with your child’s name.
Pre-Payment with LINQ Connect
Secure online payments can be made using LINQ Connect There is a $2.60 convenience fee per transaction charged by LINQ Connect. All fees go directly to LINQ Connect to cover the vendor’s costs of operating the online payment system.
Why should I set up a LINQ Connect account?
LINQ Connect allows parents/guardians to:
- Make an online payment to their children’s cafeteria accounts.
- Remotely monitor their children’s accounts.
- Set purchase limits.
- Set up automatic recurring payments.
- Set up low-balance email message alerts.
- Make other school related purchases.
How to Setup a LINQ Connect Account
- Register: Create an account at https://linqconnect.com and select register.
- Verify Account: Click the email verification link sent to the provided email address to verify your account.
- Sign In: Sign in at https://linqconnect.com using your email and password. Please note: You will need to add your student(s) to your LINQ Connect account.
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- Click on +, then type, Bethlehem Central School District in the “District*” field and complete the information to link your student; name and student ID number (note: you can find your student’s ID number through the ASPEN parent portal). * You will need to complete this process for each student you wish to add.
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Dietary Restrictions
Restrictions for food allergies and other medically necessary dietary restrictions should be communicated to the nurse at your child’s school. A doctor’s note is required to set up an alert and/or special diet plan.
Please communicate any changes in allergy or diet prescription to the school nurse. If you would like to discuss non-medically necessary dietary restrictions or diet preferences your student has, please contact the Food Service Director, Claire Groudine at cgroudine@bethlehemschools.org.
Food Assistance Resources
Food insecurity and hunger can affect anyone. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits on an Electronic Benefit Card (EBT) to spend at local grocery stores and farmers’ markets.
Eligibility
Together with school meals, SNAP helps kids get the nutrition they need. To see if you may be eligible for SNAP, visit: SNAPHelpNY.org.
Apply
To apply for SNAP online, visit MyBenefits.ny.gov
Help with SNAP
The Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) offers one-on-one help applying for SNAP. NOEP is a free and confidential service. For more information on NOEP please contact Kristen Cordero, Albany County NOEP Coordinator at (518) 238-8677 or kcordero@unityhouseny.org.
Summer Meals
Kids ages 18 and under can get free, healthy meals throughout the summer at places nearby. No sign up needed, to locate the summer site closest to you visit: Summer Meals NY, text “food” to 304-304 or call 1-866-3-HUNGRY.
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCRP-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.