Here’s A-K Valley schools' plan to feed students in need

School districts started announcing how they will get food to students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches amid a statewide public school shutdown over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered all Pennsylvania schools to close for two weeks in an effort to stem the spread of the virus. School districts are permitted during the closure to serve meals off-site at no cost to low-income students, according to the state Department of Education.

In Pennsylvania, 885,000 children, or about half of the state’s students, qualified for the National School Lunch Program, according to Kids Count’s data center.

Among those announcing plans were:

• Deer Lakes will provide breakfast and lunch grab-and-go meals from 9-10 a.m. weekdays at the high school entrance. If people are unable to get to the school, they are encouraged to call Food Service Director Jake Douglas at 724-265-5300, ext. 2114. The meals are available to any student but will be free or reduced for those who qualify.

• Highlands will provide grab-and-go lunches for students that can be picked up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays at three locations — Highlands High School entrance door 23 nearest the student parking lot; Highlands Elementary School entrance door 22 nearest the cafeteria; and the Hayden Center at Sheldon Park.

• New Kensington-Arnold is offering breakfast and lunch free of charge to all school-age students in its area. Lunch and breakfast can be picked up between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays on a first-come, first-served basis at Martin, H.D. Berkey and Roy A. Hunt elementary schools; Arnold police station; New Kensington city hall; the former Fort Crawford school; and the former Saint Joseph school in New Kensington.

For information contact food service Director Kayla Solomon at 724-335-4401,. ext. 1035.

• Plum Borough: Brown-bag breakfasts and lunches are available for any student starting Monday. The meals can be picked up at Holiday Park Elementary School entrance 4 (313 Holiday Park Drive) or Plum High School (900 Elicker Road) at the cafeteria. Breakfast will be available from 8-9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Any student with dietary needs should contact Jessica Griggle at grigglej@pbsd.net.

• Riverview: Breakfast and lunch will be available for any student starting Monday. Meals can be picked up from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at Verner Elementary (700 1st Street, Verona). Service will be pick up only. Families will need to provide student pin upon pick up. People with questions or who need to make arrangements for medically necessary meal accommodations are advised to contact their building principal.

Staff writer Brian C. Rittmeyer contributed to this report.