By Sarah Nagem
snagem@salisburypost.com
The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education will hear a proposal Monday to end the free-breakfast program at six schools.
Libby Post, director of child nutrition, said the school system is losing money by offering free breakfast to all students at the following schools: Elizabeth Koontz, Hanford Dole, HD Isenberg and North Rowan elementary schools, and Knox and North Rowan middle schools.
Those are the only schools where all the children eat breakfast free.
“We’re losing money doing it,” Post said. Last school year, she said, the school system lost about $100,000 by offering the program.
If the free breakfasts are cut, students who do not qualify for free or discounted lunch would pay 90 cents. Those who qualify for discounted lunch would pay 30 cents. Students who qualify for free lunch would still eat breakfast for free.
Tight budgets and high food prices are forcing school leaders to make cuts, Post said.
“We’re just looking at every single thing we do and do the right thing,” she said.
Post said many students at the six schools eat breakfast.
The proposal does not require a vote by the school board.
Also during Monday’s meeting, the school board is scheduled to hear a proposal to implement school uniforms at Hanford Dole Elementary.
The board will meet at 5 p.m. Monday at 110 S. Long St. in East Spencer.