Cafeteria General Information and Guidelines
Hyer's Cafeteria
Did you know? Buying lunch in the cafeteria is another way to support Hyer? The Hyer PTA has run and operated the Hyer cafeteria since 1949! And buying lunch means supporting the operations of the cafeteria that includes the incredible staff who select healthy food choices for our students.
The tradition of PTA-sponsored lunch programs is as old as HPISD itself, starting in 1914 when Armstrong Elementary opened as the first HPISD school without a cafeteria. Moms volunteered to heat up and serve soup to the students during their scheduled lunch hour. This tradition has passed to each successive school opened in HPISD and continues strong today.
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Our PTA Cafeteria Finance Officer and PTA Cafeteria Volunteer Chair oversee general cafeteria operations, while parent volunteers help to serve lunches. But it is our amazing Cafeteria Manager, Lorena and her staff who are on the front lines ensuring the Hyer Cafeteria is a success!
Questions about cafeteria student accounts? Contact Lauren Palmer, Cafeteria Finance Officer and Brittany Hunt, Cafeteria Finance Elect
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Questions about cafeteria shifts? Contact Jen Lavell, Cafeteria Volunteer Chair and Lindsey Strawn, Cafeteria Volunteer Elect
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Questions about cafeteria operations? Contact Lorena Escobedo, Hyer Cafeteria Manager
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Lunch Schedule & Options
If your planning a lunch visit, see Hyer's lunch schedule. Classes have designated snack times either before or after lunch; so be sure to include a snack in case they get hungry.
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ONE adult is welcome to join their student for lunch in the designated tables or in Balto's court. Your student can invite ONE friend to join them for lunch.
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Lunch Choices: Menu and Price List
Kindergarten and first grade students can choose between a set hot or cold lunch as listed on the menu. Their lunch includes a drink with an up-charge for soy milk.
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Second to fourth grade can make a la carte selections from hot and cold food. They are allowed a second helping after eating their first selections at an additional charge. You can help your student budget by reviewing the price list.
Dessert is available for purchase as follows:
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Kinder & 1st grade - Fridays only
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2nd grade - Tuesdays & Thursdays
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3rd & 4th grades - Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
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The menu rotates every 4 weeks. On the menu, you can find exact ingredient lists, allergens and nutritional information. You also have the option to print out the menu by week or month.
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Nutrislice App
Download the Nutrislice app to access the districts daily menu, view nutrition information and plan for dietary and allergy restrictions.
Lunch from Home: Tips!
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Remember to include napkins, condiments or disposable utensils your child will need
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Use packaging that your student can open independently! Yogurt tubes, pouch drinks and twist off drinks can be difficult for little hands. Ziplock bags are also easier than sealed bags.
Account Set-up & Information
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Go to eFunds (use your Skyward login information). eFunds is also available in Skyward by clicking on "Food Service" and then "Make a Payment."
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Click "Fund Lunch"
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Click "Login"
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Enter your Skyward username and password
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Select the student whose account you will fund and enter the desired amount
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Complete the required steps to enter your payment information and finish check-out.
Set-up Low Meal Balance Notifications
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In eFunds on the left menu bar, select the "Manage Account" tab
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Select "Notification Settings"
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Turn on"Low Meal Balance for All Students"
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Click "Confirm Settings"
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Set-up Low Meal Balance Reload Payments
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In eFunds on the left menu bar, select the "Payment Settings"
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Select "Low Meal Balance Settings"
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Then "Activate Low Meal Balance Settings"
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Adjust settings to the desired amount
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Negative Balance Policy
Please ensure that your student's cafeteria account is positive at all times. If a student's cafeteria account reaches a negative balance of $25, the account will be closed until payment is made. If the student's account reaches a negative balance of $25 for second time, the account will be permanently closed for the remainder of the school year. Failed payments (i.e., bounced or returned payments) will not be counted towards account balances.
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Volunteer
Hyer's PTA oversees the cafeteria's finances, student accounts and volunteers. Did you know that cafeteria volunteers save the district $400,000 per year?! Volunteering in the cafeteria is an opportunity to socialize with other parent volunteers, as well as, see your child connecting and building friendships.
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Every year and before their first shift, all volunteers are required to review volunteer information and submit their volunteer acknowledgment form.
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Cafeteria Volunteer Opportunities
It takes 9 volunteers each school day to run the cafeteria smoothly. When a shift is short volunteers, it is the ice cream line that is immediately effected.
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The cafeteria cashier's role (3 volunteers) is to verify and charge lunch items to student accounts. The lunch cashier's role is face-paced; whereas, the ice cream cashier's role is less so. Both roles allows volunteers to interact in between grade lunch shifts.
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The cafeteria server's role (5 volunteers) is to serve lunch or ice cream items to students. Lunch servers prepare pre-set cold or hot lunch for kinder and first grade students. For second to fourth grade students, lunch items are available a la carte. Ice cream servers serve selected ice cream items as determined by the cafeteria lunch schedule. The lunch server's role is face-paced; whereas, the ice cream server's role is less so. Both roles allows volunteers to interact in between grade lunch shifts.
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The cafeteria support's role (1 volunteer) primarily assists kinder and first grade students with their lunch items, as well as direction and assistance for all grade levels for disposing of trash. This role is the busiest during the first month of school and has limited volunteer interaction during the shift.
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Questions about cafeteria volunteer roles and/or shifts? Contact Jen Lavell, Cafeteria Volunteer Chair and Lindsey Strawn, Cafeteria Volunteer Elect