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Board renews Chartwells contract and approves student meal price increases
Summary
The board approved a one‑year renewal of the Chartwells food service contract and raised student meal prices (elementary breakfast to $2.00; elementary lunch to $3.00; secondary lunch to $3.50) and adult meal prices by $0.50 to stabilize the food service program and respond to rising costs.
Mr. Love presented the district’s recommendation to renew the Chartwells food service contract for one year (the vendor's existing master contract has three years remaining) and to raise meal prices to reduce program losses.
He said Chartwells proposed modest price increases consistent with federal guidelines and that the district is currently serving about 61% of students eligible for free or reduced‑price meals. To move toward sustainability, Mr. Love recommended raising elementary breakfast to $2.00, elementary lunch to $3.00 and secondary lunch to $3.50, along with a $0.50 increase for adult breakfast and lunch prices.
Mr. Love outlined operational steps Chartwells will take to boost participation: menu adjustments, targeted signage and student incentives while noting federal meal program restrictions on menu items. He and board members discussed outreach (open houses, website notices) and operational impacts such as additional labor for breakfast‑in‑the‑classroom pilots.
The board approved the Chartwells contract renewal and the meal price increases 'without objection.' Administration said it will continue to encourage free/reduced applications to help the district qualify for broader federal meal eligibility (community eligibility) that could, if thresholds are met, make meals free for all students.
