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Students present mentorship program; board committee discusses costs of universal free meals
Summary
At the July 7 meeting EDJ committee members praised a student-run mentorship program presented by Shauna Pham and Faith Mbali and discussed recent legislative action on school breakfasts and lunches, citing estimated costs of roughly $12 million to cover current gaps and $80–$90 million to implement universal free meals statewide.
Members of the EDJ committee reported on a June 3 presentation by two students, Shauna Pham and Faith Mbali, who described a mentorship program meant to pair incoming or newly arrived families and students with trained mentors to support transition into EO Smith.
Committee members called the students’ presentation ‘well thought out’ and said the program could extend beyond the existing peer-mentorship model by offering continuity across a school year. One committee member said the district would seek periodic reports on implementation and offer support where helpful.
The committee also discussed recent legislative developments related to school breakfast and lunch. Committee members said they had submitted comments on a bill passed by the legislature and observed that expanding free breakfasts and addressing reduced-price gaps would cost the state roughly $12,000,000 per year, while a full, universal free-meals program statewide had been estimated in the committee discussion at about $80–$90 million annually. The committee emphasized that funding sources would need to be identified before any universal program could move forward.
Committee members asked staff to increase meeting frequency and to bring focused single-issue meetings, including opportunities to hear from student groups and community participants.
