District hopes to provides meals

By Melinda L. Lucas

School breakfast and lunch for local students during the period that classes are suspended were still up in the air at press time, but Albany ISD administrators were hopeful that the cafeteria staff could begin distributing meals as soon as Thursday morning, March 19.

According to AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott, many school districts are “ready to roll” because the initial guidelines are those used for summer food programs.

“We have never been able to qualify for summer food programs because our percentage of disadvantaged students on free and reduced lunches is just below the 50 percent mark,” said Scott.

A waiver request was send to the Texas Education Agency earlier this week, but had not been approved at press time on Tuesday night.

If the request is okayed by TEA, cafeteria manager Debra Boyett plans to start distributing breakfasts in the Nancy Smith Elementary School circle drive between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 19, then lunches will be available between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. each weekday starting Thursday.

There doesn’t need to be any notice for student breakfast, but workers need to know by 9:00 a.m. each morning how many lunches to prepare. Parents can call the NSES office at 325-762-3384 or tell the staff when they drive through for breakfast.

Boyett emphasized that parents must bring the students with them to pick up meals.

“We are not allowed to hand out food to anyone other than the students themselves,” she said, adding that older students can pick up their own meals.

If approved, the meal program will include all students 18 and under who are enrolled in school, not just those on free and reduced lunches.