Meals offered during summer sessions
By Jason Arndt
Editor
Children in the Lakewood School District won’t have to go hungry when summer classes are in session, regardless of whether they are enrolled, Curriculum and Instruction director Sara Markee reports.
The Summer Food Service Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, seeks to offer meals to children in the summer when food is typically unavailable.
Markee said the program, which has oversight from the Department of Public Instruction, targets families who often depend on school lunches.
“This program fills a void created when school lunches are not available,” Markee states in a news release. “Helping parents meet the nutritional needs of their children is the strength of this program.”
Regardless of background, meals are available to any child in the district, Markee said in a follow-up email.
“This is available to all Lakewood School District residents under of the age of 18 even if not enrolled in summer school,” Markee said. “Being our first trying it out though, we are only offering it during summer school days.”
Summer school is in session from July 24 through Aug. 18, with breakfast served between 8 a.m. until 8:15 a.m. Lunch is scheduled from noon until 12:20 p.m.
While the school is only offering it during summer school, Markee hopes to see the program expand next year.
“Next year will open it up for the full summer, or close to it,” Markee said. “We are very excited.”
Although the meal is for children, there are specific considerations given to people 18 and older, the release said.
“Persons over 18 years of age who are determined by a state or local public educational agency to be mentally or physically disabled and who also participate in a public or private non-profit school program during the regular school year may receive free meals as well,” the release states.