Orono Schools Debuts Secure Online Payment System

Yes, there is such a thing as a free lunch.  Well, maybe not the lunch itself.  But starting this school year, there will be no fee for putting money in a student’s lunch account online.  Orono is debuting FeePay, a new online payment system, that offers a convenient method for parents to pay all school-related fees with no additional charges.

Using their SchoolView accounts, parents of Orono students in grades K-12 will be able to, with one login, pay for school lunches, as well as Community Education classes, before and after-school child care, athletics and aquatics, field trips, book fines, parking permits, Spartan Passes and more.  Eventually, the district hopes to expand the use of the system to include play tickets, prom tickets plus other events and activities.

Not only does this new system expand the scope of what parents can pay for online, it offers greater convenience.  In the past, Community Education and Food Service used different payment systems.  Now, one “shopping cart” will handle it all.

If there is a form or permission slip required, parents will be able to complete that document online and electronically sign it.  No more lost permission slips!

Users will be able to use a credit card (VISA, Mastercard or Discover), debit card or electronic check.  All forms of payment will not incur additional charges.  Parents will be able to monitor students’ meal purchases and view account balances and payment history.

Community members whose children attend school elsewhere or who have no children enrolled in school will also be able to take advantage of the system.  Instead using a SchoolView account, these users will establish an account through Community Education.  Go to https://orono.feepay.com/ and select the Community Education catalog to get started.

Parents aren’t the only ones who will benefit from the new system.  The district expects the potential for problems and audit issues to be greatly reduced with fewer cash and check transactions.  Collecting forms online will save time, while teachers will no longer have to wear the hats of “bookkeeper” and “bill collector.”

FeePay incorporates the highest industry-standard security, ensuring data privacy and safe transactions.  The software won a Tekne, Minnesota’s most prestigious technology award, from the Minnesota High Tech Association for its innovation and benefits for school districts.