Dist. 87 students could soon be swiping their lunch

The term fast-food will take on new meaning next year for students in Glenbard High School District 87.

Instead of stopping at a cashier, dragging out cash and paying for a meal, they'll be able to walk by and pay with a simple swipe. No more scrounging for change -- unless they want to, of course.

School board members are looking to use a new system that equips students with debit cards that are stocked up online with cash for meals.

If everything flows smoothly, the district could eventually expand the system to cover the bookstore and the library as well, explained Paul O'Malley, assistant superintendent for business services.

"It decreases the amount of cash flowing through the building," he said.

It has the added benefit of assisting students who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program, too.

Now, students who receive lunch assistance are given red lunch tickets they can provide to cashiers in lieu of payments.

There's a shame factor involved for many students who need to use the tickets, District 87 board President David Brown said.

O'Malley said using a card payment system increases participation in the program -- usually by double.

"I think it comes down to the fact that they're easily identifiable," he said. "This lets them feel a little more empowered."

There's an $80,000 upfront cost to purchase the system that works with existing student identification cards. Those IDs already have bar codes on the back and that's what they'll use to activate the program.

Parents -- or students -- can then add money into their accounts through the school or online.

School board members discussed the plan this week and are scheduled to vote on it later this month.

O'Malley said he would like to have it up and running this spring to begin testing it on a limited basis so all the kinks are worked out in time for widespread use next fall.