OGDENSBURG -- Ogdensburg School District students will soon have a limit on the number of lunches they can purchase on credit.

A letter issued to parents March 17, by the Superintendent Timothy Vernsey, outlines the new policy, which takes effect April 1.

The issue was addressed by the Board of Education after the district found it was losing thousands of dollars due to unpaid lunch charges.

The new policy will allow elementary students to charge up to six lunches. Students in grades seven to 12 will be allowed only three charges.

If a student’s lunch account exceeds the maximum allowable charges, the student will be given an alternative meal consisting of fruit juice, cereal and milk.

Parents will also be notified if students have charged three meals.

Previously the district did not have a limit on allowable charges.

The letter issued by Vernsey, informs parents of an online program where parents can monitor their children’s accounts, as well as add money to it. The program can be accessed at www.myschoolbucks.com. To register parents will need the child’s school ID number.

Reminders may also be set up to inform parents when accounts are running low. Parents with outstanding charges are asked to pay the balance prior to April 1. For more information contact School Lunch Manager Brian Mitchell.

Details on the policy are at http://www.ogdensburgk12.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/2322235/File/New%20Lunch%20Charge%20Policy%203-17-15.pdf?840a30