BROOKINGS With school starting three weeks from Thursday in Brookings, families are encouraged to start applying for free and reduced meals through the National School Lunch Program. Laura Swier, director of child nutrition for the Brookings School District, said the school will give free meals for all kids from qualifying households.
Our school board just approved that again at the July meeting to waive the reduced price fees, she said. So any students who are eligible for free or reduced price meals will get their breakfast and lunch meals for free.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 21.1 million children nationwide received free or reduced meals last year a 6.8 percent increase from the prior year. Swier said 21 percent of Brookings students qualified last year.
It is a federal program that determines eligibility based on household income, she said. Families that are interested in seeing whether they are eligible or not must complete a free and reduced price application each year. With that being said, for our district, we can now complete them online.
Brookings uses the EduTrak system to both handle regular meal accounts and process free and reduced price applications.
New users of EduTrack whether theyre new to the district or just havent had an EduTrack account previously should email me for a family key to create an account, Swier said. Existing users can use their same login, and the free and reduced application is available through that. Families can make a payment through that program, and they can also view their account balance and transactions.
EduTrack is at the schools website and families can email Swier.
She said the district participates in myriad state and federal food programs.
We offer the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and we are hoping to offer the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program again, Swier said. We usually find out about that in August. It is one fresh fruit and one fresh vegetable offered two different days of the week one day its a fruit, one day its a vegetable for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Last year, Brookings added a section of up to 20 preschoolers at each of the three elementaries. Their meals are handled through USDAs Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Theres no breakfast with CACFP. Its just a morning, lunch and afternoon snack, Swier said. The preschoolers that we feed are 4 years old, and to be a part of the National School Lunch Program you have to be 5. The preschoolers receive the same lunch option. If were having a hamburger that day, thats what the preschoolers will receive. Its not a different menu.
Nationally, some schools have recently been hit by federal cuts. In March, USDA terminated two programs providing $1 billion for meals at schools and child care centers. Congress has also mandated a 10-year, $287 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Among other things, that program automatically enrolled kids from eligible households in the free school lunch program.
Swier said those cuts have not impacted Brookings, and theyve worked hard to keep meal prices low.
No. Our district has not been (cut), she said. Food costs are kind of on the rise for everybody; but for our meal prices, this year we raised 5 cents across the board. So, if we serve about 170 days, that would only be an $8.50 raise for the year for all meals.
Breakfast will cost $2.35 this year. Preschool snacks are $1.45 each. Lunch prices vary $3.25 at the elementaries and Camelot; $3.45 at the middle school; and $3.50 at the high school.
Swier noted the district also recently passed its federal nutrition standards review.
We just had our reviews of all of our programs, she said. As far as the nutrition components of everything, we did great. We did great overall in all the reviews as well, but we are in compliance nutritionally.
Swier said her staff is busily preparing for the start of school and could use some help.
We currently have two job openings an elementary manager and we have a part-time general help (position), Swier said. My to-do list is pretty long, but thats normal for this time of year. Im excited to get some of the managers in for a production prep meeting. Its great to see their excitement, because they are all so excited to see the students back, too.
Swier said theyve already got the first days menu planned.
School starts on Aug. 21, she said. Were having pancakes on a stick for breakfast and hamburgers for lunch.
Contact Jay Roe at [email protected].
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