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Beauregard official urges creation of school 'snack and readiness coordinator' to address student hunger
Summary
Margaret Lyons of Mayor Michael Harris’s End Childhood Hunger committee proposed a 'snack and readiness coordinator' at each Beauregard Parish school to discreetly identify students in need, coordinate snacks and meals with partners, and protect student privacy; the board received the proposal for consideration.
Margaret Lyons, a member of the End Childhood Hunger committee created by Mayor Michael Harris, told the Beauregard Parish School Board on Nov. 13 that food insecurity is undermining students’ ability to learn and asked the board to consider creating a "snack and readiness coordinator" position at each school.
Lyons said the coordinator — which "can be filled by an administrator, a designated staff member, or a member of the PTO or PTA" — would identify and discreetly assist students who lack reliable meals, manage distributions in partnership with community organizations and local donors, and aim to preserve students’ privacy and dignity. "Assistance should always uplift and empower and never single out," Lyons said.
Lyons cited DeRidder High School’s pantry, run by Kim Corbel, as a local model and said the committee has drafted the concept from that experience. She told the board the role would provide structure to informal supports already occurring in classrooms and counseling offices and would improve communication and resource coordination across schools.
The proposal was presented as a request for board consideration; no formal vote or funding commitment was taken during the meeting. Board members thanked Lyons for the presentation and indicated they would review the recommendation as part of future discussions about student supports and community partnerships.
Next step: Lyons’ committee asked the board to consider the proposal; the board did not set a timeline or vote at the Nov. 13 meeting.
