For the third year in a row, free breakfast and lunch will be available to all Petersburg School District students.
Superintendent Robyn Taylor said free meals take financial burdens off families, and she sees educational and behavioral benefits that come with making sure students are fed.
“It’s not uncommon to see disruptive behavior or inattention, and when you’re working with that student or that family, to really find out that they’re struggling,” she said, “A lot of the lack of ability to focus is due to those basic needs of having food in your belly.”
The district is participating in a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Community Eligibility Provision. The program looks at how many students in the district qualify for free meals and then covers a percentage of meal costs. The school district pays the remainder.
The district has a history of providing free or reduced-cost meals, be it budgeting for breakfast or with reimbursements from the program. In 2023, only the middle and high school were qualified for the Community Eligibility Provision and provided both meals for free. In 2024, the entire district, including the elementary school, qualified — making both meals free through the 2027 school year.
Food Services Director Carlee Johnson McIntosh said providing free meals to everyone means the district can spend less time tracking who needs to pay and who doesn’t. And it means no student will have to worry about whether they’ll eat that day.
“Let’s say a kid dropped their lunchbox and spilled it on the floor. They’re not worried about, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t have money on my account and now I’m going to starve to death,’” she said. “Now they can just come right through and eat lunch instead of having to go without food.”
Johnson McIntosh said there are also nutritional benefits when students eat together.
“They have more opportunities for fruits and vegetables that are in the raw form, and they’re more likely to consume them with other students because it’s a group mentality,” she said.
Johnson McIntosh said that when eligible families apply for programs like migrant education or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), it helps the district keep participating in the Community Eligibility Provision. The district has another year until it will need to reapply for the program.
Parents can share a meal with their students during the year, too. Adult meals are $8. The district asks that adults contact the front office to participate.
On Aug. 18, Petersburg’s school board voted to increase student meal prices to $5.50 for lunch and $4.50 for breakfast. While the cost has increased, school meals this year remain free and no student will be charged.
