Department Overview
The JCSS Nutrition Program is part of the Operations Department and is an integral partner in student success providing healthy, balanced meals, nutrition education, and community engagement to enrich and support teaching and learning with a professional, dedicated staff all working together to provide meals to make students successful.
The school nutrition program provides a nutritious breakfast and lunch for school children every day. The program provides meals that meet at least two-thirds of the recommended daily dietary allowances. Each day school lunch choices include protein-rich entrees, vegetables, fruit, enriched or whole-grain bread, and cereals, and fat-free or low-fat milk.
Our department is an extension of the educational process of the school district. It maintains compliance with the federally-funded National School Lunch Act, the Georgia Department of Education, and the Jackson County Board of Education.
Sources of funding include income from students and adults, federal reimbursement for student meals, state funds, and food provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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LINQ Connect is the platform JCSS utilizes for its School Food Nutrition program.
How to register with LINQ Connect
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At full price for the 2025-26 School Year:
- Breakfast costs $1.50 in the elementary schools and $1.75 in the middle and high schools.
- Lunch costs $2.25 in the elementary schools and $2.75 in the middle and high schools.
- Adults can eat with their children at $3.00 for breakfast or $5.00 for lunch
During the 2025-26 school year, households which have qualified for Free or Reduced Meals will not be required to pay the reduced price of $0.30 for breakfast, nor the $0.40 for lunch, due to the Georgia Department of Education funding being utilized to cover these costs.
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WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS?
- All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP or TANF are eligible for free meals.
- Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
- Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
- Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
- Children may receive free or reduced-price meals if their household’s income is within the limits of the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.
- Children receiving Medicaid may be eligible for free or reduced priced meals.
- Parents may apply for free and reduced meals at ANY POINT throughout the school year.
To apply for free and reduced meals, parents can log into Linq Connect. Paper applications will also be sent out on the first day of school.
- APPLY FOR FREE & REDUCED MEALS. CLICK HERE!
Please note, there are multiple Jackson County School Systems throughout the nation. Please ensure you select the Jackson County School System located in Jefferson, Ga.
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Jackson County School Nutrition Program Charge Policy
In accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture regulations, a copy of the meal charge policy shall be sent home with each student at the beginning of the school year.
The charge policy shall also be included in handbooks and/or online portals. Elementary and Middle School students may charge up to the cost of five (5) meals. High school students may charge up to the cost of one (1) breakfast and one (1) lunch. Charges are not allowed for supplemental or a la carte items. A student may not purchase supplemental or a la carte items if they have a negative balance, even if they have cash on hand. Once the charge limit has been met the student may receive a designated alternate meal as defined by the School Nutrition Program.
A charge notice will be completed for each occurrence and notification will be sent home to the parent/guardian through the head of household’s email on file. Additionally, once the charge limit has been met the parent/guardian will be notified by the local school via phone call, letter, or email. A charge list will be provided to the Principal upon request. After three (3) notifications with no success in collecting outstanding charges, the principal or district social worker will be asked to intervene in the collection of the delinquent amount and assessment of the need for free or reduced priced meals. Should a student or family accumulate greater than $100 in charges, a referral to the district social worker will be submitted for intervention. Charging for meals will not be permitted after April 30th. All charges must be cleared prior to the last day of the school year or prior to withdrawal/graduation from the district, whichever comes first. Payments on student accounts may be made by cash, check, or for your convenience, via credit card through our online payment system at CLICK HERE FOR LINQ CONNECT.
Through this system, you may also establish daily spending limits, block charges, and sign up for auto-payment on the account either when the account balance drops below a designated amount or below $10.00. Please note the school nutrition department does not start, stop, or modify how payments are made through this system. Parents who apply for free and reduced-price meal benefits are responsible for payment of all school meals and accumulated charges until approval is granted.
Federal guidelines allow a maximum of ten (10) days to approve new applications. Parents will receive a notification letter and/or email to the email address on file of a student’s eligibility showing the effective date. If a notification letter is not received within ten (10) days of submitting the application, parents should check with the school nutrition manager to verify receipt. Applications and eligibility statuses from the previous school year expire thirty (30) days into the current year.
All free/reduced eligibility statuses that were processed for School Year 2024-2025 that have not been renewed for School Year 2025-2026 will expire on September 11, 2025, at 12:00am. If you have any questions about your child’s meal accounts, please contact the cafeteria manager at your child’s school.
Taylor Blake MS, RDN, LD
School Nutrition Director -
The JCSS Foundation partners with various agencies to keep student meals debt free. Click here to make a donation toward the JCSS Angel Fund.
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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, 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 State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). 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, Mail Stop 9410, 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.Mail
U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
Fax
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442
Email
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Notice for Language and Disability Assistance for the School Nutrition Program
If you have difficulty communicating with us or understanding this information because you do not speak English or have a disability, please let us know. Contact the Director of School Nutrition, Taylor Blake, at 706-367-5151 or via email at tblake@jcss.us. Free language assistance or other aids and services are available upon request.
Spanish – Español:
Si tiene dificultades para comunicarse con nosotros, o para entender esta información porque no habla inglés o tiene alguna discapacidad, por favor infórmenos. Comuníquese con Rebecca Thorpe a 706-367-5151 o rthorpe@jcss.us. Tenemos disponibilidad de servicios gratuitos de ayuda en otros idiomas y otro tipo de asistencia y servicios cuando lo solicite.Vietnamese – Việt:
VI: Vui lòng cho chúng tôi biết nếu quý vị gặp khó khăn khi giao tiếp với chúng tôi hoặc khó hiểu thông tin này vì quý vị không nói tiếng Anh hoặc bị khuyết tật. Liên hệ với Rebecca Thorpe theo số 706-367-5151 hoặc rthorpe@jcss.us. Luôn có hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí hoặc trợ giúp và dịch vụ khác theo yêu cầu.French – Français:
Si vous avez des difficultés pour vous communiquer avec nous ou pour comprendre ce document car vous n’êtes pas anglophone ou parce que vous êtes en situation d’handicap, veuillez nous en informer. Contact Rebecca Thorpe au 706-367-5151 ou rthorpe@jcss.us. Une assistance linguistique gratuite ou d’autres aides et services sont disponibles sur demande.This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
