ELLIJAY, Ga. – During their May work session, the Gilmer County Board of Education heard a proposal from Director of Nutrition Services Linda Waters to increase meal prices in our schools.

Citing a March 2011 USDA Equity in School Lunch Pricing Fact Sheet and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 in the proposal, Waters said at the meeting that a Federal Regulation is forcing the increase from the 2010 act as a ten cent increase for Pre-K through 8th Grade. Instead, Waters proposed an alternative plan for the regulation to increase meals for all schools by five cents instead.

The proposal offered the new numbers as to a per meal and per week cost:

Approved by the board in their regular session, the meal prices will go into effect for the 2018-2019 school year.

During the meeting, Waters also informed the board that she would be moving towards more “scratch-made” meals in her efforts to increase student participation and response to the school’s meal plans.