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Board renews food-service contract with Metz; officials flag falling school‑breakfast participation
Summary
The Bethel Park School District board approved a renewed contract with Metz for food services and discussed a drop in school‑breakfast participation that reduced revenue by roughly $32,000 this year, with administrators proposing expanded grab‑and‑go or in-classroom options to boost participation.
Bethel Park — The Bethel Park School District board voted to renew its food services contract with Metz during the meeting and heard district analysis about declining school‑breakfast participation and its financial effects.
Ken Stebling, district manager for Metz, and Brandon (Metz food-service director) presented results from the 2023–24 school year and a proposed operating budget for the renewal year. Stebling told the board that after factoring out nonoperational costs the contract showed an $89,000 loss on the year and that the district did not receive a $94,000 supply‑chain assistance payment it had expected earlier in the year.
Stebling said declining participation in the free‑breakfast program was a key revenue driver, estimating a $32,000 revenue decrease tied to lower participation. “If we can increase every school by 20 participants a day, you can — that would be an extra almost $43,000,” Stebling said, framing participation increases as the most direct path to improve the food-service bottom line.
Board members and Metz staff discussed possible responses. Suggestions included extending breakfast hours at the middle and high school, adding a grab‑and‑go breakfast cart in school lobbies, allowing items students can take in backpacks, and pilot options for offering breakfast in classrooms — a practice the USDA has reported increases participation in other districts. No per‑meal price increases for student lunches were proposed; the presenter said the district is not recommending base lunch price increases for the coming year, and Metz will evaluate a la carte pricing later in the summer.
The consent agenda item to renew the Metz contract was moved and, after a roll-call vote, the board approved the renewal. The presenter said the district’s operating budget for the contract guarantees a $25,000 profit under the proposed structure and that additional procurement and participation steps will be pursued to reduce the projected shortfall.
Board members said they will follow up with principals and school staff to understand barriers to breakfast participation and test the proposed service‑delivery changes in the coming school year.
