Rocky Point Board Passes New Food Service Rate Schedule

The Rocky Point Board of Education passed the food service rate schedule for the upcoming school year, with increases that will continue in order to meet new requirements set by the Federal Government.

These new rates are effective July 1 of this year:

Superintendent Dr. Michael Ring explained that these changes were necessary in order to meet a minimum level now required by the Federal Government after the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act earlier this year.

"It's a double edge sword," Ring said. "On one edge the government gives us some more money for each student per school lunch. On the other side, many school distrits, like us, charge less for their paid lunches than they get from the government for reimbursement. The reason districts do that is to keep the cost as low as possible for those who pay."

Ring said that if they do not meet these new requirements set, the school will not receive money for school lunches. The school's plan is to bring it up little by little in the coming years rather than all in one year in orer to "ease the burden."

"Its unfortunate because we like the low price," Ring said, "but I understand the Federal Government's perspective that what they pay should be what everybody else pays."