How can I pay for my child's school meals?
Meal payments may be made via credit card using the LINQ Connect portal. On-site payments and prepayments may be made using cash or check.
Please note that daily meal prices can be found online.
Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Details on Free and Reduced Meals are available online.
What happened to my child's meal balance from 2022-2023?
MySchoolBucks meal balances were automatically transferred to LINQ Connect.
Parents/guardians can create an account to make online payments to their child’s meal account, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more.
If your child had a balance at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, when you add your child to your profile, that meal balance will be displayed.
Where can I get help with LINQ Connect?
LINQ Connect is an online portal for families to use for meal payments, Free and Reduced Meals applications and more.
A LINQ Connect help site is available online, and includes answers to frequently asked questions, video resources, navigation tips, and more.
What is LINQ Connect?
LINQ Connect is a secure, online portal that allows families to:
- View breakfast and lunch menus
- Make online payments to their child’s meal account
- Monitor their child’s accounts
- Schedule recurring payments and/or low balance alerts
- Submit an online application for the Free and Reduced Meals program
LINQ Connect can easily be accessed online or via mobile app. Full details and information are available online.
In the event of a threat or a lockdown while students are traveling to and from school, how will schools communicate with students, parents, etc.?
Our commitment is to do everything we can to ensure that our children and staff are provided a safe, healthy, and supportive environment. We constantly encourage community members, students and staff to report suspicious activity or any concerns to school administrators and/or staff as soon as possible.
When there is an incident during school, HCPSS will continue to follow standard procedures, which include informing students, staff and families as soon as possible.
How will HCPSS ensure the safe arrival of students to and from school during severe, inclement weather, poor air quality days or when there is a threat of severe weather?
The safe arrival and dismissal of students to and from school is paramount and this requires the collaborative effort of families, county agencies, and the school system. The HCPSS Office of Student Transportation regularly coordinates with the Chief Operating Officer to evaluate weather conditions to determine if there is a likelihood that weather will have an impact on student safety as students travel to and from school. Students traveling to and from school—whether by bus, car, riding a bike, or walking—are always considered when making weather-related decisions.
How will walking areas be assessed for ongoing safety?
The Howard County Police Department will have an increased presence around schools when the new school year begins. Their H.A.S.T.E. (Helping Arriving Students Through Enforcement) program has officers focused on enforcing traffic laws in school areas.
Additionally, while School Resource Officers (SROs) are assigned to high schools, they are often in close proximity to middle and elementary schools to assist as needed.
Will there be more Howard County EMS and police patrolling walking routes during times when students are traveling to and from school?
The Howard County Police Department will have an increased presence around schools when the new school year begins. Their H.A.S.T.E. (Helping Arriving Students Through Enforcement) program has officers focused on enforcing traffic laws in school areas.
Additionally, while School Resource Officers (SROs) are assigned to high schools, they are often in close proximity to middle and elementary schools to assist as needed.
If a parent submits an appeal to a student transportation decision, what is entailed in the appeal process and where is that process posted? How is a verdict reached?
The Implementation Procedures outlined in Policy 5200 detail the appeals process under section
V. Walking Route and School Bus Stop Appeals, where it states: