NAZARETH, Pa. - Nazareth Area School District officials will reconsider participating in the state’s free breakfast program that started this fall.
Administrators plan to brief the board on what would be required to put the program in place at its Jan. 12 meeting.
- Nazareth Area officials will brief the school board in January on possible free breakfast implementation
- The food services director says the main issue is the timing of the buses to schools
- Southern Lehigh School District said it solved that issue by adjusting the bus transportation schedule
Though Pennsylvania implemented a universal school free breakfast program for this academic year, Nazareth Area officials say it is the only Lehigh Valley district not participating.
Food Services Director Donna Garr said the biggest issue with offering the no-cost meal is bus transportation. Students get to school right before classes start, so they don’t have time to eat.
Nazareth Area School Board Director Linda Stubits said she’s heard from parents who want their kids to benefit from the state’s free breakfast program.
“I understand our challenges, I understand that. But I also know that from research if students come in hungry, they’re not going to do as well academically.”<br/>Nazareth School Board Director Linda Stubits
“I understand our challenges, I understand that,” she said. But I also know that from research if students come in hungry, they’re not going to do as well academically.”
Southern Lehigh School District Superintendent Michael Mahon said it had to solve that problem too when putting in the time for students to grab some food. It took the district some time to put the program into effect after the October effective date.
“We’ve moved back the bus arrival times a little bit, gotten a little better at processing kids through the lines. So right now, things are working and we’ve seen increased participation right along the way.”
Mahon says about 18 percent of students in the district currently get the free breakfast.
The program runs just through this academic year. It's not clear whether the incoming-Gov. Josh Shapiro will continue the program or what shape the next state budget will look like.
