Internet option

Mountain Ridge parents have online account access

There’s something new at Mountain Ridge High School, Allegany County’s newest institute of public education.

Starting tomorrow, parents in that district will have online access to their children’s food service accounts. They’ll be able to make payments, check meal account balances, receive low-payment reminders, and even find out if their teen has been putting ice cream or other extras on his tray.

The parent account management system, or PayPAMS, is used by other school districts across the United States, and local education officials are hoping to have all schools included in the system by the first of the year.

Parents can pay any time over the Internet or by phone using a credit or debit card or with an electronic check. There is a slight catch, however. PayPAMS requires a $1.95 fee per transaction for processing. The local board doesn’t profit from the arrangement.

At the end of the last school year, more than $30,000 reportedly was past-due for student lunches. Officials have called parents, sent home letters and even withheld diplomas.

For several years, officials have been exploring the possibility of adding a credit card payment system. During a May meeting, board member Tom Striplin asked that the project be “prioritized.”

“Having a credit card system is not going to solve this problem, but it could help,” Striplin said then.

At a time when Americans conduct many of their personal affairs via the Internet, including filing their income tax returns, it’s an idea whose time has come.