The Garretson School District will again be offering school breakfast and lunch for free to all students, preschool through 12th grade.
On August 2, an email was sent to all parents in the district announcing the continuation of the program, which was started in March 2020. This action was taken by the federal government to alleviate financial strain on parents and families as students were relegated to at-home learning during the beginning stages of the pandemic, and found to be successful in ensuring all students received at least one meal per day regardless of parental income without incurring a meal ticket balance.
During the last school board meeting, board members were happy to offer the program again, but they worried that the lack of data for free and reduced meals would affect future program offerings. At this time, they have been given guidance to utilize pre-pandemic numbers if the free and reduced meal program should be re-instituted in the future.
While breakfast and lunch offerings will be free of cost to students, some guidelines are applicable. Extra entrees, snacks, and snack milks will not be included. Snack milk is priced at $0.50/carton, extra breakfast entrees are $1.25 each, and extra lunch entrees are $1.80 each.
Lunch account money can be sent with students on the first day of school. Checks are to be made out to the Garretson School District.
