Adult lunch costs raised to statewide level

Last year the Kimball Schools nutrition program served more than 20,000 breakfasts and more than 50,000 lunches between both schools.

“Of course, it goes down every year because our enrollment goes down,” Program Director Danessa Terrill said.

Many of those meals were served at a reduced cost or free to families. Last year more than 125 students qualified for free or reduced cost lunches in Kimball. Families receiving SNAP and medical benefits through the state are automatically eligible for free or reduced cost meals.

“Those students that are already qualified don’t have to go through the application process,” she said.

That process has undergone changes that make it even easier for families that are not already qualified, according to Terrill.

“Last year and this year we started online applications for the program. Last year we had 17 families take advantage of the online process,” she said. “I think it is easier. It walks (users) through the process then it comes right to me and with the click of a button the program tells me yes or no. It streamlines the paperwork process.”

In addition to serving two meals each day, some students, faculty and guests take advantage of snack options at the schools.

The program purchased a vending machine last year that offers smart snacking choices in the high school. The new equipment sits in place of a Coca-Cola machine that jammed often and rarely worked, according to Terrill.

“It has both drinks and snacks, and all of them are smart snack compliant, which means that they meet the criteria for us to sell them,” she said. “We purchased it and it arrived over the Christmas break. We got it up and running and over the course of the school year we brought in $1,240 from that vending machine.”

The equipment works for student athletes who want to purchase after school snacks as well as visitors during games and other events who may not want to stand in line at the concession stand.

The snacks, whether from vending machines, the concession stand or the food service program generate waste. To combat that Terrill is looking forward to initiating more recycling throughout the schools as well.

Finally, cost was discussed at the meeting. The cost of adult lunches was raised last year by a nickle, but when Terrill contacted the state regarding the program, she was informed that the cost was not high enough to meet state requirements.

“It needs to be at $3.65, so basically we have two options,” she said. “Leave it the way it is, at $3.50, and use general funds to offset the cost and that total would be $216 and if the supervision meals are also included, the total would be $374 from the general fund.”

Instead, the board voted to raise the cost by another 15 cents.

“That is very fair,” board president Lynn Vogel said.