LPOSD OKs meal price increase

PONDERAY — The Lake Pend Oreille School Board voted to approve a $0.05 increase in school meals for the 2016-2017 school year during their Aug. 9 meeting.

The recommendation made on July 8 by the district’s child nutrition director, Bobbi Coleman, is based on the “Meal Price Equity Tool,” as required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The act requires school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program to use the tool to review and increase prices as necessary to ensure sufficient funds are provided to the nonprofit school food service account.

However, the increase does not apply to free or reduced meal prices.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Coleman proposed to amend the original recommendation for student second meal and adult meals, for lunch only, to a $0.10 increase. Her original recommendation of $3.65 was not sufficient because the USDA recently sent out an update stating the minimum charge based on the sales tax rate is no less than $3.67. The board voted to approve that increase as well.

The 2016-2017 breakfast prices are:

• Preschool and Kindergarten through sixth grades: $1.80

• Seventh to 12th grades: $1.95

• Student second meal and adult: $2.55

• Milk: $0.50 (no price change)

• Reduced price breakfast: $0.30

The 2016-2017 lunch prices are:

• Preschool and kindergarten through sixth grades: $2.70

• Seventh to 12th grades: $2.95

• Student second meal and adult: $3.70

• Milk: $0.50 (no price change)

• Reduced price lunch: $0.40