Deer Lakes School District to offer free meals through end of year

Free in-school and to-go meals are being offered by the Deer Lakes School District through the end of the year.

The district offered free meals during the spring and summer as part of the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option. That program was extended through Dec. 31 because of the coronavirus.

Jake Douglas, director of food services, expects a large number of students will participate in the meal program. During the summer, the district was feeding 950 students a day, Douglas said.

“I’m a big proponent of trying to feed every student that I can. I believe … every student should receive a meal for free,” Douglas said. “I know it helps families. It helps students. It’s a healthy meal that they can have rather than eating chips.”

Thank you Mr. Douglas for making sure our children are fed. You are a champion of education https://t.co/QKzACgxMBx

— Dr. J. Logue-Belden (@DLSDSuper) September 11, 2020

Superintendent Janell Logue-Belden agreed.

“The program has been received very well with high participation and I am so grateful that this will be in place through the end of the year,” Logue-Belden said. “This is one less thing our parents and students need to worry about and I hope it lessens stress for them.”

The district’s school year began Aug. 31. Students were given the choice of hybrid or fully online learning. Students who chose hybrid learning attend in-person classes twice a week and learn remotely the other three days.

The meal program is open to students in all learning tracks, as well as children 18 years and younger who aren’t enrolled in the district.

“We’re serving all meals free to all students in school, and then, on Wednesdays, we’ll have Grab n’ Go Meals for the days they’re not in school,” Douglas said. “For the distance learners, we’ll have all five days of breakfast and lunch.”

Deer Lakes students have pin numbers and accounts through which they can buy school meals. Douglas said the meal program is retroactive to Sept. 1, which means any meals paid for since that date will be removed from those accounts. Extra, or À la carte items will not be removed.

“Their account will be credited, and then if they’d like a refund we can process a refund through our business office,” Douglas said. “We process refunds weekly, so if they truly need that money we can get that to them as soon as possible.”

Deer Lakes students will be asked to provide their pin numbers and names in order to receive free meals. Children who aren’t Deer Lakes students will be asked to provide their first and last names.

Certain requirements must be met in order for a meal to be free.

For lunch, each plate must include three of the five food groups, and one must be a fruit or a vegetable. If a plate doesn’t include those items, the student will be charged À la carte pricing and not be reimbursed.

For breakfast, each plate must have three items, one of which must be a fruit. More detailed menus can be found on the Food Services page on the district’s website.

Grab n’ Go Meal distribution will be offered every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Deer Lakes High School. Grab n’ Go Meals include breakfast and lunch.

Douglas hopes the meal program will ramp up Grab n’ Go Meal participation, which has started off slow this school year. Since Aug. 31, the district has distributed more than 100 Grab n’ Go Meals.

“You have parents who are worried (about covid), so the participation drops,” Douglas said. “Parents pack meals for students.”

Douglas said the district would like to possibly extend Grab n’ Go Meal distribution to other days because it can be tough for students and parents who have to work or can’t drive yet.

“We’re actually looking into ways of getting meals to students while they’re in school,” Douglas said.