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Hardy County child nutrition director reports growth in after-school meals, warns of equipment needs
Summary
The districts child nutrition director told the board that breakfast and lunch participation rose slightly and after-school supper participation doubled to 5.7% after an after-school grant, but reimbursements lagged early in the year and several kitchen equipment failures mean staff will seek grant funding and larger procurement to avoid repeated repairs.
The child nutrition director told the Hardy County Board of Education that participation in school meals is trending upward but the program faces operational strains.
At the March meeting the director said breakfast and lunch participation were up roughly 1 percentage point districtwide and that after-school supper participation grew from about 2.6% last year to 5.7% this year after an after-school grant. "That's wonderful and a huge part due to this after school grant," the director said, crediting schools' efforts for the increase.
Why it matters: staff framed the growth as a positive sign for student nutrition and retention but cautioned that the program's finances have short-term pressure. The director reported year-to-date expenses about $20,000 higher than last year and said reimbursements were down roughly $70,000, largely because the school year started eight days later than last year. "Last year in August we received $92,000 in reimbursements. This year's 22,000," the director said, adding that the district expects to make up ground over the rest of the year as participation recovers.
Operational concerns were another focus. The director described a string of failures in a middle-school kitchen—warmers, ovens, a dishwasher and an outdoor freezer door—and said the crew has managed service without major interruption but that recurring repairs are costly. "We've got most of that fixed for now," the director said, while noting one oven timer and the dishwasher still required attention. Staff said they will pursue grants and larger procurement to avoid repeated repair bills.
Board members raised questions about maintenance arrangements and vendor relationships. The director and board discussed a maintenance arrangement with Shenandoah Refrigeration, which provides preventative maintenance twice a year and bills per call; board members asked whether the district has an explicit maintenance contract in writing. The director said the district pays for visits when they occur and will follow up on formalizing arrangements and on long-term equipment needs.
What happens next: staff said they would return with any proposed equipment bids or contract extensions and continue to monitor reimbursements and program growth. The board recorded no formal vote on this report; the discussion will inform procurement and budgeting decisions in coming months.
