Sun Prairie schools report revenue gains, planned price increases and summer meals expansion

Barb Borra, nutrition director for the Sun Prairie Area School District, told the school board that the district’s school nutrition program increased revenue in the 2024–25 school year and will raise meal prices and reduce labor costs for 2025–26 to address budget pressures.

Borra said the department boosted revenue by expanding catering and a la carte sales and sold old equipment to cover costs, and she outlined several operational and program changes planned for the coming school year. "We did a great job increasing our revenue by revving up our catering and a la carte programs," she said.

The presentation said catering supported 68 events this year, generating about $37,000 compared with roughly $7,000 the previous year; a la carte sales at middle and high schools brought about $396,000. The department also reported $14,689 from the sale of unused equipment in 2024–25 and noted credit-card processing fees totaled $47,742 for that year.

Borra said the nutrition program will increase meal prices for 2025–26 and will reduce labor costs. She also said Sun Prairie schools will pay the credit-card fee when processing payments in 2025–26. "For the 25‑26 school year, we are also increasing meal prices to expand our revenue," Borra said.

The district will provide summer meals to the Boys and Girls Club of Sun Prairie as part of the Summer Food Service Program. Borra said the summer meals will serve members ages 0 to 18 with breakfast, lunch and snack and that USDA reimbursements for those meals are higher than for the regular school meal program.

Borra described measures the department has used to control costs and improve participation: purchasing Fork Farms hydroponic units for classrooms so students grow lettuce for salad bars; buying a new walk-in freezer for Westside Elementary that freed up space by replacing four stand-alone freezers; and conducting student taste-testing and menu changes tied to heritage months. "It has been an amazing collaborative effort to provide this outstanding product to our cafeterias," she said.

On participation and need, Borra reported the district’s free-and-reduced percentage remained close to 35% in 2024–25 and that negative meal balances have increased. She warned that reductions in SNAP benefits at the federal level could reduce the share of families automatically approved for free meals and would require caregivers to apply individually, which she said could lower the free-and-reduced percentage.

Operational and menu changes Borra highlighted include multicultural menu additions (for example burrito bowls and churros for Hispanic/Latinx heritage month, fish sandwiches and roasted squash for Indigenous Peoples Month, sampled chana masala and a ramen bar for Asian Pacific Islander month), a mac-and-cheese bar, meatball subs and other rotating entrees. She said the Black Student Union at East High School helped plan a Black History Month menu that included chicken drumsticks, cornbread and sweet potato fries.

Borra listed planned actions and program priorities for 2025–26: raise meal prices, reduce labor costs, continue student taste-testing and multicultural menu offerings, expand summer feeding through the Boys and Girls Club, and continue efforts to reduce food waste while maintaining quality. "Our main objective is always to keep students and families coming back for more of our meals because they are enjoyable and cost effective," she said.

The presentation contained budget details and operational figures but did not record a formal board vote or directive during the session. The items Borra described were presented as department results and planned changes rather than as actions taken by the board.