Area schools announced its 2010-2011 program year policy for free and reduced-price meals for students unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. Each school office and the board of education office have a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

The Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines will be used for determining eligibility. Children from families whose annual income is at or below the Federal Guidelines are eligible for free and reduced price meals.

Application forms are being distributed to all homes in a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free and reduced-price benefits, households should fill out the application and return it to the school. Additional copies are available at the principal's office in each school. A complete application is required. Households which currently receive Special Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits (SNAP, formally known as food stamps) or Ohio Works First (OWF) funds for a child must provide the child's name, the SNAP or OWF case number and signature of an adult household member on the application. Households which do not receive SNAP or OWF funds must provide the names of all household members, the Social Security Number of the adult signing the application or state "none" if the adult does not have a number, the amount and source of income received by each household member, (state the monthly income) and the signature of an adult household member. If any of this information is missing, the school cannot process the application.

FREE HEALTH CARE: Families with children eligible for school meals may be eligible for free health care coverage through Medicaid and/or Ohio's Healthy Start and Healthy Families programs. These programs include coverage for doctor visits, immunizations, physicals, prescriptions, dental, vision, mental health, substance abuse and more. Please call 1 (800) 324-8680 for more information or to request an application. Information can also be found on the Web at http:// jfs.ohio.gov/OHP/consumers/familychild.stm. Anyone who has an Ohio Medicaid card is already receiving these services.

The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program official. To discourage the possibility of misrepresentation, the application forms contain a statement above the space for signature certifying that all information furnished is true and correct. Applications are being made in connection with the receipt of federal funds. Schools or other officials may check the information on the application at any time during the school year. Deliberate misrepresentation of information may subject the applicant to prosecution under applicable state and federal laws.

Households will be notified of the approval or denial of benefits.

In certain cases, foster children are also eligible for these benefits regardless of the household's income. If a family has foster children living with them and wishes to apply for such meals or milk for them, contact the school for more information.

Households may apply for benefits any time during the school year. If a household is not currently eligible and if the household size increases or income decreases because of unemployment or other reasons, the family should contact the school to file a new application. Such changes may make the children of the family eligible for free or reduced-price benefits if the family income falls at or below the levels.

For more information, the guidelines, or an application, contact the school’s superintendent’s office or the building principal at these telephone numbers:

• Bloom-Vernon Schools:

Superintendent’s office — (740) 778-2281

South Webster High School — (740) 778-2320

Bloom Vernon Elementary — (740)778-2339

• Clay schools:

Superintendent — (740) 354-6645

Clay High School — (740) 354-6644

Rosemount Grade School — (740) 353-0428

Rubyville Elementary — (740) 353-0272

• Green schools:

Superintendent — (740) 354-9221

Green High School — (740) 354-9150

Green Elementary — (740) 354-9290

Primary and Hearing Impaired Classes — (740) 354-9551

• Minford schools:

Superintendent’s office — (740) 820-3896

Minford High School — (740) 820-3445

Minford Middle School — (740) 820-2181

Minford Primary School — (740) 820-2287

• New Boston schools:

Superintendent — (740) 456-4626

Glenwood High School — (740) 456-4559

Oak Elementary — (740) 456-5225

Stanton Elementary — (740) 456-4637

• Northwest Schools:

Board of Education — (740) 259-5558

Northwest High School — (740) 259-2366

Northwest Middle School — (740) 259-2528

Northwest Elementary School, K-2 — (740) 259-2250

Northwest Elementary School, 3-5 — (740) 259-4522

Family Resource Center — (740) 372-2812

• Notre Dame schools:

Notre Dame High School — (740) 353-0719

Notre Dame Elementary — (740) 353-8610

• Portsmouth City schools:

Administration office — (740) 353-5663

Superintendent’s office — (740) 354-4727

Food Service Office — (740) 353-2395

Portsmouth High School — 353-2398

Portsmouth Junior High School — (740) 353-6129

Portsmouth Elementary — (740) 353-6719

East Portsmouth Elementary — (740) 776-6444

Fair hearing request to Ralph Applegate, 724 Findlay St., Portsmouth, OH 45662, or (740) 353-2395.

Scioto County Board of DD:

Administrative office — (740) 353-0636

Vern Riffe School — (740) 353-1876

• Scioto County Joint Vocational School:

Administrative office — (740) 259-5522

• Sciotoville Community School:

East High School — (740) 776-6777

• Valley schools:

Administrative offices — (740) 259-3115

Valley High School — (740) 259-5551

Valley Middle School — (740) 259-2651

Valley Elementary School — (740) 259-2611

• Washington-Nile schools:

Board office — (740) 858-1111

Portsmouth West High School — (740) 858-1103

Portsmouth West Middle School — (740) 858-6668

Portsmouth West Elementary School — (740) 858-1116

• Wheelersburg schools:

Board of Education office — (740) 574-8484

Wheelersburg High School — (740) 574-2527

Wheelersburg, 5-8, — (740) 574-2515

Wheelersburg, K-4 — (740) 574-8130

• Waverly schools:

Superintendent — (740) 947-4770

• Eastern schools:

Superintendent — (740) 225-4851

High school — (740) 226-1544

Elementary/intermediate — (740) 226-6402

• Lewis County:

Superintendent’s office —(606) 796-2811

Garrison Elementary — (606) 757-2122

Laurel Elementary — (606) 796-2214

Lewis County Central Elementary School — (606) 796-2831

Tollesboro Elementary School — (606) 798-3231

Lewis County Middle School — (606) 796-6228

Foster Meade Vocational Education Center — (606) 796-6106

Lewis County High School — (606) 796-2823

• Greenup County schools:

Superintendent’s office — (606) 473-9819

Argillite Elementary — (606) 473-7213

Greysbranch Elementary — (606) 473-9653

McKell Elementary — (606) 932-3383

McKell Upper Elementary — (606) 932-2699

Wurtland Elementary — (606) 836-6987

McKell Middle — (606) 932-3221

Wurtland Middle School — (606) 836-1023

Greenup High School — (606) 473-9812

• Community Action Head Start — (740) 354-3333

• Shawnee State University Children’s Learning Center — (740) 351-3252

• West End Day Care Center SCM Inc. — (740) 353-1812

• Giggles and Wiggles Inc. — (740) 584-5636