Grand Forks Child Nutrition director outlines kitchen move, participation gains and federal rule changes

Wendy Manky, director of Child Nutrition for Grand Forks Public Schools, updated the school board on June 9 about participation trends, central kitchen operations and several federal policy changes that will affect school meals.

Manky told the board the district served roughly 7,600 students and that breakfast participation rose this school year compared with last year and matches a national upward trend. Lunch participation was up from last year but remained lower than 2017–18 levels.

The update matters because federal reimbursement, nutrition standards and procurement rules determine both menu planning and program revenue. Manky described how funds flow from Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the state and then to districts and said reimbursement rates (a sample figure used in the presentation was $4.52 for a reimbursable meal) are announced around Jan. 1 each year.

Key facts and program details

- Participation and enrollment: The director used a working district total of about 7,600 students when comparing participation trends. She said school breakfast participation is up this year; school lunch is up compared with last year but…