September 14, 2022
On Jul 8, 2022, the FDA granted another three-month shelf-life extension for the iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test, which extended the shelf-life of all iHealth tests from 6 months to 12 months.
To check the expiration date for a test kit you may have at home, visit this page: iHealth Expiration Date Check. Please note, you will need to enter the Lot Number, which is printed on the box itself.
Program fees for the 2022-23 school year can be found on the NPS Program Fees webpage. You can download a PDF document of the fees here: PDF of 2022-23 program fees. There is a "supercap" of $1500 for fees paid to NPS. Find out more on the NPS SuperCap Information page.
The Newton Public Schools utilizes the MySchoolBucks (MSB) Online Payment Portal to process fees. MSB is NOT just for lunch/meal payments!
Every student in grades 6-12 in the Newton Public Schools is issued a Chromebook. The Chromebook is for use both in school and at home. Entering 6th graders are provided with a Chromebook they will use for the length of time they are in middle school. Entering 9th graders are provided with a Chromebook they will use for the length of time they are in high school. Devices are kept by the student over the summer.
Chromebooks are issued in September. To issue your student a Chromebook, and for those who have not yet completed the form, please do the following:
Sign the Chromebook Loan Agreement - please read and agree to the Chromebook Loan Agreement available in our Aspen Portal. Printable and translated copies are also available. We will not issue devices to students in grades 6 and 9 until the loan agreement is signed. Please also review with your child.
Consider Opting-In to the NPS Chromebook Repair Fund - We encourage you to sign up for our Optional Chromebook Repair Fund. For $25 per year, all accidental damage to the device, including screen cracks, liquid spills, damages from dropping, etc. will be covered. Sign-up and payment for the Chromebook Repair Fund is done through the MySchoolBucks Portal.
In addition, we encourage you to examine some of the resources on Online Safety and Digital Citizenship posted on our website, and engage your children in conversations on these topics on a regular basis.
More information about the 1:1 Device program can be found on the NPS 1:1 Technology Overview Page.
The cafeterias are returning to pre-pandemic normal this year as students relearn or learn the standard processes. Thank you to the Newton students who are being patient in line, patient with Whitsons team - many whom are learning to use the registers this year - and patient with each other at the middle and high school as each student keys in their student number.
What is free - and what is not?
Please note that first "reimbursable" meals are free for all students. However, second meals and a la carte items are fee-based and must be paid for with cash or with MySchool Bucks.
What does a "reimbursable" lunch mean?
As part of the National School Lunch Program, a lunch must have a minimum of three of five of the required meal components - a meat/meat alternative, grain, fruit, vegetable, or fluid milk, with a fruit or vegetable as a necessary component. We strongly encourage students to take all five of the meal components; however, they must have three - one being a fruit or vegetable - to be considered reimbursable and therefore free under USDA meal requirements. Your student may be asked to grab a missing component if their lunch does not have three required components so that their meal can count as free.
Is milk free this year?
Milk is free if part of a reimbursable lunch. However, if a student brings their lunch from home but would like milk, there is a charge for the milk. As of today, 9/13, we have reduced the price of a single milk to just $.40.
How does my student pay for a single milk?
If a student wants to purchase milk, they need to have money in their MySchoolBucks lunch account or have cash on-hand. If your child will be purchasing milk, a second meal, or any a la carte items, please add money to their lunch account. This makes for an easy, cashless transaction for them. Directions for how to add money to their account can be found on the NPS website under the Food Services tab.
A la carte items
With the return of the registers this year - necessary for Newton to claim both the federal and state reimbursements that fund the program - we are also able to offer students "a la carte" options to purchase. An individual milk, just an entree (a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger), baked chips, juice, water bottles, granola bars, cheese sticks, yogurt, and other healthy options are all examples of a la carte items. To purchase a la carte items, you student must either cash or funds available in their MySchoolBucks account
It is causing some confusion for students given that not all food is free this year. This is definitely an issue at the middle schools as this is a new option for them. We limit the a la carte items at the elementary school generally, and all students currently in middle school have not experienced being able to purchase a la carte items for the two previous school years while we operated under the pandemic USDA lunch program. Please talk to your children about these paid options and decide whether you do or do not want them to purchase a la carte items.
Paid Meal Pricing for Second Meals
The student charge for second meals is $5.25 for elementary students and $5.50 for middle and high school students. If a student purchases just an entree, the cost is $3.50.
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) FAQ
Please review the National School Lunch Program FAQ found on the Free and Reduced Price Documents tab on the NPS Food Services website for more information about free and reduced-price eligibility.
Questions or Support
If you have questions or require support, please contact Amy Mistrot, Director of Business Operations at 617-559-9038 or mistrota@newton.k12.ma.us.
The Department of Children and Families is seeking to keep Newton children in their schools and communities. We want to ensure that when DCF assumes care and custody of a child, that child is able to remain in their school, with their friends and the adults that support them. In order to accomplish this, DCF is looking for Newton parents who would consider becoming a short-term caregiver for a student in need at their child’s school.
Please complete this brief survey if you are interested in participating or learning more.
