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Hillcrest pre‑K teacher tells Del Valle ISD board snacks stopped districtwide; donations filling some gaps
Summary
Michelle Cardenas, a Hillcrest Elementary pre‑K teacher, told trustees the district has stopped providing pre‑K and kindergarten snacks this year, creating inequities between campuses; some campuses rely on donations or teachers buying snacks.
Michelle Cardenas, a pre‑K teacher at Hillcrest Elementary, told the Del Valle ISD Board of Trustees during public comment on Aug. 19 that the district informed cafeteria managers the week before school that it would no longer provide pre‑K and kindergarten snacks.
"In 2019, we went to full day pre‑K and the district began providing snacks," Cardenas said. "The Wednesday before school started, our cafeteria managers were informed the district would not provide snacks." She said Hillcrest solicited donations from friends, family and community members and received $330 from a retired teacher and additional donated items, which allowed the campus to stock snacks for the coming weeks. Cardenas provided a copy of the receipt to the board.
She said donations are uneven across campuses: "Two have received donations, three have not. They're relying on parents. Teachers are buying snacks or the kids go without snacks. Now we have inequities in the district." Cardenas also described the district‑cafeteria ordering process for compliant items and said staff must filter donated items for allergens (nut, egg, red/yellow dye) and other restrictions.
The board’s public comment procedures were read at the meeting opening; speakers were limited to three minutes and administrative staff may follow up after public comment. Cardenas asked the board to reconsider the decision not to provide snacks for pre‑K and kindergarten.
The board did not take action on the request during the meeting; trustees did not respond during the public comment period, and the transcript shows staff can follow up with the superintendent and campus leaders.
