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Student and parent push board to address hot-lunch shortages, waste; trustees ask staff to report back
Summary
A Star Valley High School student and a parent told trustees the district’s hot-lunch system leaves many students with only a ‘‘sack lunch’’ and generates landfill-worthy waste. The board directed staff to prepare a report and invited the speakers to meet with administration.
A Star Valley High School student and a parent urged the Lincoln County School District No. 2 trustees on Wednesday to fix what they described as routine shortages of hot meals and large daily waste from disposable trays and utensils.
“By the time you make it to the front…they're out of food,” student Ryan Calgren told the board, describing long lines and students who, because of class location, arrive late and receive only a sack lunch. “The kids who get to lunch later shouldn't have to settle for less just because the time is not properly set up.”
Ryan said the district’s sack lunch alternative often contains a packaged sandwich, carrot sticks, a string cheese and an apple — and that the item mix was insufficient for students who have practices or activities after school. He also raised concerns about single-use foam trays and plastic utensils that he said are tossed after five minutes, increasing both cost and environmental waste.
Parent Lindsey Calgren said the district may be trying to balance waste reduction with supply, but argued the current approach leaves students with inadequate meals. “I am grateful that there is something, but $3.25 for an uncrustable, some carrots, an apple, and a string cheese is outrageous,” she said, and suggested the district examine whether other approaches — including counts or different procurement — could reduce waste and ensure hot meals are available across lunch periods.
Trustees discussed the concerns and one member asked staff to prepare solutions. “We'll be prepared for February's board meeting to offer a report and some possible solutions,” Superintendent Erickson said, and the board agreed to invite the Calgrens to meet with district staff while the report is prepared.
The board did not adopt a formal policy change at the meeting. Its direction was to investigate operational fixes — including morning lunch counts, tray-return procedures and service timing — and return with options at the February meeting.
This article quotes public commenters and summarizes the board’s direction; it does not assert specific budget numbers beyond the commenters’ statements.
