One school lunch will cost a nickel more when students return to Warren Local Schools Aug. 28, but those hungry enough to eat a second lunch will pay between 40 and 45 cents more, according to federally-mandated school meal pricing adopted by the Warren Local Board of Education Monday.
A single lunch at Warren High School will increase from $2.05 to $2.10 this year. In 2011 a student could purchase a second lunch for the same price as the first, but this year that second meal will cost $2.50.
The elementary school lunch will increase from $1.80 to $1.85, but a second lunch will cost $2.25.
"We have several students who buy two full lunches and eat the entrees but are not eating their fruits and vegetables," explained district superintendent Tom Gibbs.
He said the federally-mandated increase for the second meal may help eliminate wasted food.
"I think the idea is that making the second lunch more expensive will encourage students to eat better," Gibbs said.
Fact Box
If you go
The next meeting of the Warren Local Board of Education is scheduled on Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the administration office on Sweetapple Road in Vincent.
Website: www.warrenlocal.org
Student breakfast prices will also increase from $1 to $1.25 at the high school, and from 60 to 75 cents at the elementary level.
Also on Monday, board member Sid Brackenridge reported on an Aug. 4 Ohio School Boards Association Platform Committee meeting that established several association platforms to be submitted to the state legislature.
Among those platforms was opposition to any state legislation transfering locally-generated tax revenues to community or charter schools without approval from the local board of education.
The association also expressed opposition to state legislation that would use casino or video lottery profits to replace other public education funding.
Brackenridge said a major concern is that school funding follows the student when they transfer from one school to another.
"If you take kids from one school and put them in another, the school's money will go with them," he said. "The problem with that is we're committed to paying teacher contracts and have other commitments. We're not a business that can increase prices to cover a revenue loss. Our revenue comes from taxes paid from our district."
