Board approves school lunch increase

McCOOK, Nebraska -- At its monthly meeting Monday evening, the McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools board of education approved a 30-cent increase in lunch and breakfast prices over the next six years, beginning with the start of school in August.

The increase is necessary, according to Superintendent Grant Norgaard, to meet federal guidelines for reimbursement of free/reduced lunches and to prevent school systems from receiving higher reimbursement than what they charge for meals. The McCook system will have to increase its meal rates by 30 cents over the next six years, Norgaard said.

Rather than hitting parents with one large increase in one year or a nickel increase each year for the next six years, board members approved increasing the price of meals by 10 cents this year, by another 10 cents in two years, and another 10 cents two years after that.

Meal prices will be:

BREAKFAST

McCook Elementary and Central Elementary: $1.15

Junior/senior high: $1.25

Adults: $1.70

LUNCH

McCook Elementary students: $1.95

Central Elementary: $2.05

Junior/senior high: $2.20

Adults: $2.95

The increase will raise the price of reduced-price meals by 4 percent.