The USDA Food and Nutrition Service provides low-cost and no-cost meals for school students. Parents and guardians need to complete an application to qualify for the program. Shannon Dirk is available in the PK-12 office for more information. The application and more information are available on the school website.
Please realize the importance of the program beyond the cost of a meal. The qualification status of the program established the socioeconomic status of the Newell School District. The percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced meals impacts the amount of federal funding for Title and Perkins funding, as well as qualification for grants.
Title I funding is crucial in providing the necessary reading and Mathematics interventions for students. Newell School District has students who struggle in school and do not qualify for Special Education services but need one-on-one or small-group interventions. This is where Title I funding is so important to the district. In addition, Professional Development needs for the district are partly funded through the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), which is a federally funded program based on the free and reduced lunch percentage.
Perkins funding provides additional funding for Career and Technical Education (CTE). CTE teachers, such as agricultural, technology, and business educators, can participate in hands-on career training to enhance the technical skills of students. Perkins Reserve Grants have provided equipment and technology for the Newell School District. Newell School District has benefited greatly from the Perkins Reserve funding with innovative equipment in the Industrial Arts classroom.
Highlights of the program are that all children in households receiving benefits from SNAP, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or TANF are automatically eligible for free meals. Reduced price meals are $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. Please apply as the income maximums went up; therefore, more families might be eligible for free or reduced meals.
Newell School District will be hosting an Open House on August 14th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. More information will be available at the Open House. If you are unable to attend or have questions, contact us at 605-456-2393 or stop by the office. We will have door prizes for all applicants to enter, whether you qualify or not.