CHESAPEAKE
School lunches in Chesapeake - already among the costliest in Hampton Roads - could go up 15 cents for the second time in two years.
That would bring the total for regularly priced lunches to $1.80 for elementary students and $1.90 for middle and high schoolers, according to a proposal presented to the School Board Monday night.
One dollar breakfasts would stay the same, and students who get free and reduced lunches would not pay any additional costs. School officials say the price hike is necessary because of rising food, oil, salary and fringe benefit costs. The increase would generate about $300,000 in additional revenue.
For now, Virginia Beach is the only school district in South Hampton Roads that charges more than Chesapeake. There, school lunches cost $1.75 for elementary schoolers and $1.80 for those in middle and high school.
Lunches are the least expensive in Portsmouth, with kindergarteners through fifth-graders paying 85 cents and sixth- through 12th-graders paying 95 cents. Norfolk lunches cost $1.10 in elementary school and $1.25 in all other grades; in Suffolk, they are $1.35 for elementary students and $1.50 for secondary students.
School systems with a higher percentage of students receiving free and reduced-priced meals can charge less, said Thomas Cupitt, public information officer for Chesapeake Public Schools. That's because the federal government is providing more money. Chesapeake has among the lowest percentages of free and reduced lunches in South Hampton Roads.
The board is expected to vote on the proposal on April 28.
Also Monday, Assistant Superintendent Victoria Lucente told school board members that next year's operating budget will be about $8.5 million less than the budget adopted last month. The district is expecting $2.3 million less from the state and $6.2 million less from the city.
Kristin Davis, (757) 222-5208, kristin.davis@pilotonline.com
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Lunches poor in quality
More for the mess they give to the kids. All students shoud get that mess for free.
Let's do business smarter
Orion, is right the "found" surplus money should be used for better purposes that will have an immediate effect on the citizens that it belongs to. Here's an idea, instead of using taxpayer money to give the Wal-Mart their access road in Edinburgh, why not let them pay the taxpayers back the 4.3 million dollars, by forming a public/private partnership and have Wal-Marts in Chesapeake supply lunches for all the schools in Chesapeake for a determined amount of time until the 4.3 million dollar figure is repaid. While this does not benefit those that do not have school children, at least it is some sort of mild economic relief for those many families that do and for those that don't, I am quite sure they would be happy that their family members with children see some minor financial benefit. VOTE FOR CHANGE IN MAY. We need progressive thinkers on our City Council. The same old Tax and Spend crowd is bad news. 5 seats are up, fill them with 5 new people. Change is Great in 2008!
School cafeterias are self-supporting...
The cafeterias at school operate on their own budget using funds they earn from what they sell and any federal subsidies (ie. free/reduced price lunches...) Believe me when I say, the cafeterias don't make a whole lot of money, they barely break even. With food prices going up...and we all know they have...I don't wonder that they need to raise their prices. The school cafeteria is not supporting new construction...no way, no how. That's what your real eastate taxes do! If you don't like the lunch prices, pack your kid a lunch!
nancyd
To nancyd if you re-read the first post I believe that poster was talking about vending machines in school and the amount of money a school would save by not having to support those machines. I don't think they said anything about getting rid of school lunches.
I myself echo the first posters opinion, get rid of the vending machines and junk food in the school. My son is constantly bringing empty candy wrappers home because they either sell candy after school (i'm guessing to raise money) or the teachers use it as rewards.
Many kids today are already eating poorly and are overweight. STOP with the junk food in school. It's not helping.
how about the free lunches?
All of the schools in this area need to look at the criteria for free lunches again. If mom drops the kids off at school in an Escalade, then the family should not qualify for free lunches. What most people don't know about free lunches is the fact that school districts are reimbursed by the federal government for these "free" lunches at a higher rate than what is normally charged. So while this is a good deal for the city, the federal government picks up the tab at an inflated rate, and taxpayers pay more for these "free" lunches.
Hey nancyd
read it again. No one said take lunches out of the schools. I said take the JUNK MACHINES out of the schools.
Really??
I am replying to the first post on this board. Take school lunches out of school? I can not pack a lunch for my kids who by the way are in intermediate and high school, for $1.90. So bring it on. They at least get better than soda and cookies that they would pack for themselves. My son loves school lunch and says it is usually good and my daughter in high school says it is just ok. Whatever. Bring the increase on. Again can't pack them a lunch for $1.90.
cost of new construction
Chesapeake recently built a new high school and now they are preparing to build a Freshman wing and remodel most of the Western Branch High School so they have to raise the money somewhere.
Let me get this straight.
Chesapeake wants to raise lunch prices in the schools, yet they have found a 12 million dollar surplus in various departments within the city?
Hint to school board members:
Elections are coming
Junk machines....
Are these things still in the schools? If so, take them out. That's extra money wasted on unhealthy food. When my kids were in school it amazed me how much money kids were spending on those machines yet were getting reduced or free lunches. Schools are for education -- they're not restaurants or a government babysitting service but some people sure think so.