School district's free breakfast to be 'simplified'

When a student doesn't have money for lunch, Tammy Schneider doesn't let that student go hungry.

Kitchen manager at Valley View Elementary School in Bonners Ferry, Schneider allows the children to charge their lunch. Some owe as much as $50.

“For some, this is probably their only meal for the day. I can't say ‘no' to them,” she said. “You can't hold a child responsible for their parent and you don't want to embarrass a child. That may be the only meal they get. People don't believe it, but we see it.”

So it troubles her now that the free breakfast served to one-third of Boundary County School District's 1,500 students will be “simplified.”

When students return from spring break on April 7, the breakfast menu will include fewer choices. Fewer choices means employees will have to work fewer hours, said Gail Reoch, food service supervisory for the school district.

“By having fewer choices, we will save money only in labor,” she said.

Speaking to the school board recently with her staff on hand, Reoch once again expressed her concern for feeding the district's students.

About one month ago, she told the school board the food service department was facing another deficit year.

The department ended 2006-07 with a $115,000 deficit. Reoch expects a deficit for the current school year - possibly 10 to 15 percent lower than last year. Prior to the four-day school week being instituted in 2004, the food service department experienced an annual $18,000 to $20,000 deficit.

Reoch doesn't expect things to get better.

“Food prices scare me to death,” she told the board.

Offering fewer choices for breakfast is a start.

“There won't be as many choices and we won't be able to bake,” Reoch said.

For next year, she has proposed serving free breakfasts to the children who qualify for free lunches. Students who qualify for the 40-cent reduced-cost lunches would pay 25 cents for breakfast. Students who pay full price for their lunches would pay $1.

Right now, all students get breakfasts at no charge.

“Do you think there will be kids who can't eat for 25 cents,” school board chairwoman Melanie Staple asked Reoch.

“Yes,” Reoch responded.

She noted that she has reduce her staff to 10 full-time employees.

“We can't cut anymore,” Reoch said.

“We'd like to help the kids,” Staples said. “It's important to keep them fed.”