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No hike in milk or meal prices Brainerd School Board Staff Writer Got milk?
Fortunately for its thirsty students, the Brainerd School District still does. And parents might be happy to know that meal prices will remain the same for the 2009-10 school year.
On Monday the school board accepted its lone bid from Kemp's for milk at a variable pricing for the upcoming school year after requesting bids from six dairy suppliers.
Steve Lund, director of business services, told school board members that Brainerd students consume about 1.6 million half-pints of milk per year, or about 100,000 gallons. He said the average dairy cow produces 20,000 pounds of milk a year so the school district basically supports nearly a 50-head dairy cow operation.
Lund said 67 percent of milk consumption is for chocolate skim milk.
Based on a recommendation made by Lund, the school board decided to not increase breakfast and lunch prices for the upcoming school year. The district served 203,924 breakfasts and 880,116 lunches during the 2008-09 school year.
Breakfast costs $1.50, elementary lunches are $2.40 and secondary lunches are $2.50. Adult prices are $2.50 for breakfast and $3.80 for lunch.
The district experienced a 7 percent increase in breakfasts and a 6 percent increase in lunches consumed by students who qualify for free and reduced lunches. Paid breakfasts also increased by 16 percent while paid lunches decreased by 3 percent, said Lund.
Overall, the district served 1,084,040 meals last year, a 3 percent increase.
Lund said the district received an "overwhelming" increase in families who now qualify for free and reduced lunches after an article appeared in the Dispatch letting parents know that if they've lost their jobs or experienced a wage reduction to not to forget to reapply for the program.
Board member Bob Nystrom said he's heard of parents whose students have had their trays taken away and dumped if they have a negative lunch account balance. Colette Pohlkamp, food service director, said the district is owed about $13,000 by parents for unpaid lunches and frequently reminds parents of the importance of maintaining a positive lunch fund balance. She said each elementary school has a slightly different policy on how negative a lunch account may go before students are turned away. Pohlkamp said most of the negative balances are with students at Brainerd High School and BHS South Campus.
"It's like Wal-Mart, if you come up to the registers and can't pay for it you have to put it back," said Pohlkamp. "We do not want to dump that tray. We make as many efforts as possible."
In other board action, the board approved the Early Care and Education Center services and administration agreement.
The board renewed its membership with Minnesota Rural Education Association and Schools for Equity in Education.
The board authorized its community education levy based on 41,216 district residents beginning with the 2010-11 school year.
The board approved the first reading of the district's wellness policy.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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