All Onteora students will receive free breakfast and lunch. thanks to additional funding for the school district.
“I’m sure that many of our families will be relieved to know that it’s not something they need to be concerned about moving forward,” superintendent Victoria McLaren said at the August 29 school board meeting. “And it should also eliminate the issue of charging and students having negative balances on their accounts, because now they can have a meal and they don’t need to worry about it.”
All students qualified for free meals in the height of the pandemic, but that program was discontinued.
The free meals include one breakfast and one lunch meal for every student. A second breakfast is available for $2.84 and a second lunch for $4.33. Extra breakfast portions are $2 each and extra lunch portions are $2.50. A la carte items are also available.
Prior to this change in designation, only certain families qualified for free meals.
Even though everyone now qualifies, parents and guardians are encouraged to complete the household eligibility form on the district website. Completing the form can lead to additional benefits such as home Internet and help with academic testing and college applications. It will also help the district get additional state funding.
“This allows all of our students to start the day with a nutritious breakfast and to have the opportunity for a full meal at lunch,” McLaren said. “This is critical for students in maintaining their focus on learning and growing in school.”
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