The Swain County Board of Education unanimously approved child nutrition bid awards for cleaning chemicals and milk at its recent meeting.

Michelle, who presented the nutrition bids to the board, said Correctional Enterprises (North Carolina Department of Corrections) won the chemicals contract, beating United Chemicals by about half, and that a single vendor submitted the milk bid. “They're the only ones that showed. And they're cheaper than what they've been in the past couple of months,” Michelle said, attributing the decline to falling commodity prices. She added that the first bid stands for 90 days and commodity pricing for milk changes monthly.

Nut graf: The awards allow the district’s child nutrition program to secure supplies and milk for the coming term at lower prices; the district also used the meeting to publicize that students continue to receive free breakfast and lunch.

Michelle said the district has historically approved these bid contracts and that the milk award reflects commodity pricing shifts. The board approved the bids by voice and show-of-hands vote; the superintendent noted public reactions of surprise and pleasure when the district publicized that breakfast and lunch would be free again. “Kids don't have to pay for breakfast and lunch. Come and eat, please,” she said.

Ending: The board approved the two nutrition contracts without dissent; staff said they will monitor commodity pricing and supply windows tied to the bid terms.