New Milford BOE approves new meal prices, staff says no student will be denied meals

The New Milford Board of Education voted Feb. 17 to approve revised school meal prices that take effect March 1, 2026; administrators said families will not begin being billed for meals until May 1 and no student will be denied food if an account is negative.

Director of Food Services Sandra Sullivan told the board that the district will begin collecting free and reduced‑price applications and reiterated that any student without funds will still receive the meal served that day; accounts can go negative and families will be notified. “No one is turned away or denied a meal,” Sullivan said. She and board members noted the district has offered free breakfast and lunch for the past roughly 2½ years and prices had not been raised since 2011.

Board member Wendy Faulenbach asked whether the district could subsidize the remainder of the year so families would not pay at all; Superintendent Dr. Janet Parlato said administration would provide the requested figures for the board to consider. The board approved the proposed Food Services meal prices for all meals beginning March 1, 2026 by unanimous vote.

Why it matters: Changes to meal pricing affect families across the district; the board and staff framed the decision as a return to pre‑COVID pricing norms while attempting to minimize immediate family burden.

What’s next: Administration will send communication to families about the upcoming changes, continue to collect free/reduced applications, and provide the board with an estimate of the district cost to cover meals for the remainder of the year if the board chooses that option.