Peggy M. Himburg
Every student attending school in the Jackson County and Scottsboro City School systems will be able to have free breakfast and lunch during the 2024-2025 school year. Both systems are continuing their participation in the Community Eligibility Program (CEP). This allows all children to participate in the school meal program without cost or submitting a meal application.
CEP is a key provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 which allows schools and school districts in low-income areas to eliminate school meal applications and serve breakfast and lunch at no charge to all enrolled students. By offering all students a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost, CEP helps ensure more students come to class well-nourished and ready to learn.
“Breakfast and lunch meals will follow the USDA guidelines for healthy meals, so please encourage your students to participate,” said Melva Krell, Child Nutrition for the Scottsboro School system.
Jennifer Pritchett, Child Nutrition Program Director for the Jackson County School system, said, “Children need healthy meals to learn. The Jackson County School District offers healthy meals every day.”
CEP gives food service professionals more time to focus on preparing nutritious meals that their students will enjoy and give students more time to eat those meals by cutting down on time spent in the lunch line.
While all meals are free to the students, adult visitors must pay for their meal when they come to school to eat with their children. The cost for adult visitors is $3.50 for breakfast and $5 for lunch in the Jackson County system. The cost to faculty and staff is $3.25 for breakfast and $4.65 for lunch.
Adults who have children attending Scottsboro City schools will pay $3.50 for breakfast and $5.50 for lunch when they come to school to eat with their children. Also, city students who choose to purchase a la carte items such as water, chips, and ice cream will need to have money in their student accounts to pay for these items as these are not included in the provision.
Parents or guardians who need further information may contact Prichett at 256-259-9511 or pritchettj@jacksonk12.org if their children attend a Jackson County school or Krell for students in Scottsboro City schools at 256-218-2100 or mkrell@scottsboroschools.net.
