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Hastings leaders hear complaints about Hillside free-lunch rollout; district to survey families and review options
Summary
Administrators told the board they have received repeated complaints about the Hillside free-lunch program after statewide expansion. District staff said meals meet federal requirements but plan a parent/student survey and further review before deciding whether to continue in the program; facilities updates on local wetlands and the Farragut wing were also reported.
District administrators reported persistent complaints about the free-lunch rollout at Hillside, prompting plans for a parent and student survey and further operational review.
An administrator (speaker 15) told trustees the district entered the federal/state program that offers free lunch to all students in a participating school after a recent state policy change. Since the change, staff have logged numerous complaints about food quality and participation; administrators said some students are refusing meals and discarding food, which has left them returning to class hungry. The administrator said the meals are meeting federal menu requirements but that the district is concerned about student satisfaction and waste.
"We've been receiving many complaints ... students are refusing to eat ... they're throwing the food away and the kids are coming back hungry," the administrator reported, and said staff heard some comments from parents that were sharply negative. Administrators recommended issuing a district survey of Hillside families and students to quantify satisfaction before making a longer-term recommendation; they also said the district will explore whether an a la carte option or other adjustments are permitted under the federal program for elementary sites.
Board members asked whether the district could give feedback to the state about reimbursement levels and implementation design; administrators said the district will collect data and return with a recommendation. They cautioned that because the district committed to the program for the school year, any formal change would be considered after collecting survey data.
Facilities staff also reported on retention-pond maintenance and wetlands near the Burke Estate. Engineers found clogged leaves and localized erosion; the district plans an engineering evaluation and potential maintenance work coordinated with the state Department of Environmental Conservation now that the area has an official wetland designation. The Farragut wing renovation is near completion on the fire suppression system and will require some small change orders related to fire-rated doors; the district is planning logistics for reoccupying the renovated space.
