Starting in January, parents can add money to their child’s meal account online through My Payments Plus with no service charges. My Payments Plus currently charges users a 3.75 percent service fee per transaction. Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) recently negotiated an agreement with My Payments Plus to eliminate service fees for system users.
According to William Kreuter, supervisor of food and nutrition services for CCPS, the goal of the agreement is to encourage parent use of the system. My Payments Plus is an online cafeteria prepayment system parents can use to pay for their child’s meal accounts. My Payments Plus is available online at https://www2.mypaymentsplus.com/welcome. The system is also accessible from the Quick Links section of the CCPS website, www.ccboe.com.
Through My Payments Plus, parents can monitor their child’s meal account online, including purchases, and use a checking or savings account, or a credit/debit card, to make a deposit. Funds are usually available immediately. Parents can also set up low balance notifications to receive email alerts when their child’s meal account is reaching a low balance.
CCPS also will begin its meal account parent notifications in January. Parents will receive a weekly automated phone call if their child’s meal account falls below $5. Parents with accounts that have a negative balance will receive two weekly phone notifications.
The automated notifications apply only to balances on a student’s meal account, and not balances that fall under the general account. Students can only use meal accounts to buy complete meals. Students use general account funds to buy a la carte items such as milk, bottled water and snacks.
Food and nutrition services staff at elementary schools will continue to provide printed notifications to students with low account balances. Letters are printed and mailed home monthly for middle and high school students with negative meal account balances.
Parents who feel they receive an automated food services call or letter from school in error should contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 301-392-5570.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 26,900 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 36 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Patricia Vaira, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
