Kimball schools begin search for school nurse, receive Farm to School beef

The Kimball Public School Board is in the hiring process of finding a new school nurse after the board approved Emily Stull’s resignation last Monday night, Aug., 14, during their regular meeting.

For the coming school year, Kimball Public Schools will serve locally raised beef, according to the report by Danessa Terrill, Food Service Director for the district.

Terrill reported to the Board that KPS partnered with Farm Bureau, who donated one beef. The school district had the beef processed, and originally thought the entire animal would be processed as ground beef.

“The processor called me and said this is such great meat it doesn’t all need to be made into patties and ground hamburger,” Terrill said.

After hearing that great news, Terrill asked to have some cut into roast in addition to hamburger patties and ground beef.

According to Superintendent Marshall Lewis, the Farm-to-School program was thought to be a break-even program and was all about getting healthier food products for students and teachers. However, in the end, not only did everyone get better beef, but the budget got to keep a few extra dollars.

Because the school had only to pay for processing, the total was under $630 for about 350 pounds of local beef after processing.

“For 350 pounds of beef from the vendor, it would have cost us around $1,124,” Terrill said.

Lewis and Terrill consider this a win-win for everyone, better quality, as well as, a little change not spent.

Where the Farm-to-School program will go next locally is still under consideration. Terrill is considering trying to get more than one beef.

“Farm Bureau has been phenomenal through this entire process,” added Lewis.

Terrill added that 350 pounds of beef lasted both Mary Lynch and the High School about half of the school year. Terrill kept the roasts for the older students and served those throughout the year.

Additionally, Terrill said that the totals for the summer breakfast and lunch tallies are in and the numbers this summer are up from the summer of 2016. For breakfast this summer, the program served 1,107 kids and 12 paying adults. Lunch totals were even higher, with 2,669 kids and 158 paying adults.

“We even had some community members that didn’t have kids come join us for meals,” Terrill reported.