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Superintendent warns of $194,000 projected food-service shortfall; board to explore options
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Jessica Sonntag told the board the district projects an approximate $194,000 food-service loss for FY26 under the current Whitsons contract and outlined options including vendor review, in-house meals, partnerships, or opting out of the NSLP to gain menu flexibility.
Superintendent Dr. Jessica Sonntag told the board the district is projected to lose approximately $194,000 on food service this year under the current contract with Whitsons, which has provided meals for roughly 25–30 years.
"After conducting a thorough cost analysis, the district is projected to lose approximately $194,000 in food service this year," Dr. Sonntag said. She described current per-meal costs and reimbursements: the district is charged $5.78 per meal by the vendor; adult meal prices were recently raised (reported as $5.75), student meals remain $3.50, and NSLP reimbursement for qualifying students is $4.60.
To address the shortfall, Dr. Sonntag presented options including asking Whitsons for operational improvements (they will conduct a review), seeking new bidders, partnering with local businesses, preparing meals in-house, or formally opting out of the National School Lunch Program to allow more flexible menus. The board did not take formal action on a change in program enrollment during the meeting.
Trustees asked for follow-up analysis and timelines to evaluate vendor proposals and the fiscal impact of any change to NSLP participation.
