Ever since the beginning of the COVID school era, an executive decision was made that all school lunches would be made free indefinitely. Since then, it’s been widely regarded as a great feature that all students would benefit from. However, higher ups in the district knew this change wasn’t going to be permanent. 

“It had to happen at some point, since it’s not exactly sustainable,” Associate principal Erin Stepp said. “It does make me sad because I know more kids were willing to take advantage of it because it affected everybody.”

 Students who might not have the funds to purchase school food everyday will still be able to purchase food through a school program that covers the cost of their lunch. Those students would just need to sign a release form to be eligible. Students who are a part of this program can purchase the lunch item of the week like nachos or chicken stripes, or everyday foods like a slice of pizza or a salad with a milk of their choosing. The move away from free lunches has led to certain students reconsidering how they plan on eating next year. 

 “I might only buy a few times a week next year since it’s just not convenient to have to refill my lunch account consistently,” sophomore Alayna Lohaus said. “I’ll miss the lunches being free but I understand why they are getting rid of them.”