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District says state funds keep one breakfast and lunch free; equipment replacements and participation increases cited
Summary
Food services director reported one breakfast and one lunch remain free for all students through the Massachusetts budget, described reimbursement rates and rising participation after universal free meals, and listed needed equipment replacements across schools.
At the Dec. 10 meeting, Food Service Director Andrea Faye briefed the school committee on program operations and equipment needs after the district moved to universal free breakfast and lunch.
Faye said the state budget — not federal funds — currently guarantees one free breakfast and one free lunch per student and gave reimbursement rates of $4.74 for each free lunch and $2.46 for each free breakfast this school year. She told the committee the district still runs eligibility and direct certification processes and encourages families to file free/reduced applications because participation reporting remains required.
She listed equipment needs by building: replacement of two older ovens and three warmers at the high school, a new dishwasher pending installation, mobile refrigerators and warmers for the middle school due to doubled participation, a display cooler replacement at the intermediate school, a serving‑line quote at Freetown Elementary, a walk‑in cooler replacement at Aswan (supplemented by a new single‑door reach‑in unit), and an aging district van used to transport food that may need replacement.
Faye reported average daily participation for school year 24‑25 was about 1,640 lunches and about 460 breakfasts. She said food service purchases and capital equipment come from the district’s food service revolving account (fed in part by student purchases), not the general fund, and that accumulated funds (partly from universal free meals) can pay for equipment needs. Committee finance staff confirmed equipment purchases come from the food service fund and reviewed capital‑planning steps for replacements.
Board members thanked Faye for responsiveness to families with food allergies and for coordinating the senior center breakfast partnership. The committee had no further questions and moved on to other agenda items.
