Keystone Central looks at four-year commitment for free lunch/breakfast program
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – In a brief Thursday night voting session, the Keystone Central School Board heard a presentation on a four-year commitment to a Community Eligibility Program to continue to provide free breakfast and lunch for eligible district students.
Sharon Berger, the district’s food and nutrition supervisor, and business manager Susan Blesh offered a power point presentation on the program provided in low income areas. They touted program benefits, including improved nutrition to economically disadvantaged children; this while eliminating the previously existing reduced meal charge program. Good nutrition leads to improved academic performance was among the points made by the presenters.
It was reported the district had received a USDA-waiver for costs over two years because of the pandemic, but the two year period ends at the end of June of this year. A new program would run from 2022-23 through 2025-26. They noted there was a marked increase in the breakfast/lunch program once the meals became free, especially at the elementary level.
District Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin, in her report to the board, said COVID case numbers continue to drop within the district, “trending very low” as she described it.
The superintendent said the district has finalized graduation dates at the two Keystone Central high schools: June 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Bucktail High School and June 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Central Mountain High School. She said in case of inclement weather, the Bucktail program would move indoors on June 1, but students at Central Mountain requested a rain date; in case of bad weather there, the program will be held on June 3.
Dr. Martin thanked Berkshire-Hathaway Energy for an $18,000 contribution towards a new football scoreboard at Dwyer Memorial Field at Bucktail High School.
