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Food‑service director reports higher participation, $178,000 unpaid lunch debt and small price increase
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Summary
Food‑service director Gary Haddad told the board that participation rose 4% districtwide to about 3,400 lunches per day despite enrollment declines; he reported $178,000 in unpaid meal debt, infrastructure investments totaling roughly $286,000, and proposed modest price increases (elementary $3.75, middle $4.00, high $4.25; breakfast +$0.10).
Gary Haddad, the district’s director of food service, presented the annual food‑service report, outlining participation, infrastructure updates, meal‑debt levels and pricing plans.
Haddad said participation increased about 4% this year even though district enrollment fell by nearly 7%. The district now serves roughly 3,400 lunch meals daily across 11 service sites and has installed a new walk‑in freezer and point‑of‑service kiosks; he said the district spent approximately $286,000 on structural and equipment upgrades at the high school and other kitchens.
On unpaid meal debt, Haddad reported the district carries about $178,000 in outstanding balances and described outreach and notification practices — including bilingual notices and use of parent liaisons — and noted the district does not dissolve meal debt from food‑service funds. He also described a $5,000 grant for sustainability and nutrition education and food‑share programs piloted at Elms.
Haddad proposed modest price changes for next year: new lunch prices of $3.75 at elementary schools, $4.00 at middle schools and $4.25 at the high school, with a 10‑cent increase in breakfast prices. He said the increases respond to inflation, supply‑chain pressures and rising processing costs for proteins.
Board members thanked Haddad; no vote on pricing was recorded in the transcript.
