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Board approves modest student lunch price increase to shore up cafeteria fund
Summary
The Centerville‑Abington school board approved a proposed 25¢ increase to most student lunch prices after district staff said the cafeteria fund needed about $80,000 over the last six months; the board voted to enact the change and encouraged families to apply for free/reduced meals.
The Centerville‑Abington Community Schools board voted to raise student lunch prices after staff described ongoing deficits in the district cafeteria fund.
Support services director (S4) told the board the district has largely held meal prices for years and increased them by 10¢ last year. She and S3 said prices of food and labor are rising and the cafeteria fund needed roughly $80,000 over the last six months to remain solvent. S4 recommended a 25¢ increase for this year; she said junior high and high school lunches would be set around $3.00–$3.05 and Lewis Hamilton and CAE lunches at $2.90. “When you're running in a hole, they're gonna start watching you more and more, and they've already given us notice for an audit next year,” S3 said.
Board member S5 moved to approve the increase; the motion was seconded and the board approved the change (transcript records the motion as approved). Board members and staff discussed outreach to help families complete free and reduced‑price meal applications to limit hardship for qualifying households. S4 said the district surveyed head cooks and staff about what price changes would be sustainable.
The board did not attach a rollout date in the discussion transcript; S4 indicated the change is being recommended for the coming school year. The board also discussed monitoring the cafeteria fund to avoid repeated shortfalls, and noted potential follow‑up if state review or audit demands arise.
