Welcome to the 2025-26 school year! We have some important information to share with our Career Academy Network of Public Schools families from the Food Service Office.

Greetings students and guardians!

The Chartwells Team at the Career Academy Network of Public Schools is excited to be serving up Happy and Healthy to our students for the 2025-2026 school year. As we prepare to start this next year, we would like to provide some important information to our families to have a successful experience in the café.

CEP Notification – CANOPS continues to be eligible for the state Community Eligibility Provision. All students that attend classes in our district will receive one breakfast and one lunch and no charge each day. Additional breakfast meals may be purchased for $3.00 and additional lunch meals may be purchased for $4.70.

Alternate Household Applications – Even though meals are provided at no cost to
our students, all households should complete the alternate household application. Your household may qualify for additional benefits that require the completion of this application. Additionally, the district’s Title funding and grant eligibility are based off the percentage of students that qualify for benefits. Collection of this data is vital to continue funding the amazing programs that we offer our students. Please complete the application by visiting myschoolapps.com and searching "Career Academy South Bend” or scan the QR code:

A la Carte – Career Academy, The Bend, The Portage School of Leaders, and Success Academy Primary School all currently offer a la carte sales. Students may purchase extra milk, side dishes, or entrees, beverages, ice cream, chips and snacks. A la carte items meet SmartSnacks guidelines. Students must have a positive balance on their account to purchase a la carte items.

Annual Notice of Offer-vs-Serve – Our school nutrition department participates in the National School Lunch Program, and implements Offer versus Serve. Offer versus Serve allows students to decline some of the food offered as part of a complete meal.
The goals of Offer versus Serve are to reduce food waste in the school nutrition
programs and to allow students more customization of the meal they select. For general OVS guidelines, please read the OVS notification posted on the network webpage under the foodservice tab. *All of our district building operate OVS with the exception of Success Academy at Boys and Girls Club. This location is straight-serve and students must take all meal components.

MySchoolBucks – Parents or students can add funds to their child’s account by visiting myschoolbucks.com or downloading the free app! You will need to know your student’s ID number to access their account and add funds. Additionally, funds may be added by sending your student with cash or check made out to Career Academy. If the funds are not taken directly to the cafeteria, please be sure to make a note that the funds are for foodservice and be sure to include your student’s first and last name. Only deposits can be made at the register. No change will be given. All excess funds will be applied to your student’s account.

Special Dietary Needs – If your student has a food allergy or special dietary restriction based on a medical diagnosis, please be sure to update the allergy/dietary needs form with the nurse. Additional documentation may be required to ensure that your student is receiving the appropriate meal. This information needs to be updated annually. For questions, please reach out to your school’s nurse.

Meal Times – Please be advised that meals cannot be served outside of the service
times. If students arrive at school past the scheduled breakfast serving time, they will not be able to receive a breakfast. It is important for students to arrive on time to be eligible for benefits. Please note breakfast times for your student’s location below:

CASB: 7:15 am to 8:30 am

PSOL: 7:30 am to 8:30 am

SASB: 8:00 am to 9:00 am

SABGC: 8:00 am to 9:00 am

These times are subject to change and households will be notified by their school if any adjustments are made throughout the school year.

Nutrislice Menus – All location menus are published online at Nutrislice.com. A free app is also available so you can access the menu right from your smartphone or tablet. Help your child plan their day or check for possible allergens! Search “South Bend Academy” to find your child’s menu today!

For additional questions, please reach out to Lauren Balanow, Director of Dining Services at (574) 931-8670 ext 6218 or at lbalanow@mycanops.com.

USDA Nondiscrimination 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/ad-3027.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.