MSBSD approves grant funds for breakfast expansion to 13 schools

Whether it is food insecurity, which remains a big problem in households across the Mat-Su Borough, families running late getting out the door, or secondary schools not always having staff to distribute breakfast in a timely manner, students in many schools throughout the Mat Su Borough will soon have another option for breakfast after the Matanuska Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) school board unanimously approved a motion to accept a grant to expand breakfasts.

The Breakfast Expansion Grant will allow the MSBSD to purchase 13 vending machines. But these aren’t the chips and candy bar options that most associate with vending machines. These are refrigerated, cashless Venducation vending machines that will specifically store and sell food prepared by the MSBSD Nutrition Services Department.

“The food is all food that is prepared and packaged by the Nutrition Services team, and is part of the breakfast and lunch program,” said Katie Gardner, Associate Superintendent of Human Resources.

The grant funds support local schools in setting up a new school breakfast program, or simply wanted to expand an existing program. While the MSBSD already provides a school breakfast program at 8 of the 47 schools, participation in the program is lower at secondary schools than elementary schools.

“This is a grant that is not always available, but was made available this year, and we were pretty fortunate in having some interest and an idea that would help us expand our breakfast program,” Gardner told the school board.

Gardner explained that the state has access to these grant funds and state distributes the funds to those schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program.

The vending machine concept already exists in 3 schools in the Mat-Su Borough-at Palmer High School, Mat-Su Middle College, and Trapper Creek Elementary- which Gardner told the school board has seen the utilization of the vending machines expand over recent years.

“They provide us with options in some of our outlying schools to make sure that we’re able to continue to have (food) service if we have staff that aren’t available and where we don’t have additional staff who can support.”

Gardener went on to tell the board that while schools are allowed to serve breakfast up to a certain point in the day, they don’t typically have that availability in school schedules or may not have staff who can continue serving once the school day starts.

The “Grab and Go” meets “Second Chance Breakfast” concept would allow for an extended time frames for meals.

“Why these are important in our secondary schools for the breakfast program is that they’ll make breakfast available after that first initial entry into the building,” she said, adding, “With these vending machines, students who either arrive late or have time in their passing period could access breakfast in one of these machines.”

The grant will also allow the MSBSD to expand lunch service by allowing the school district to offer a la carte service and have an additional line without additional staff, as well as expanding the options for the a la carte service.

The cashless vending machines would work much the same way students already access breakfasts and lunches.

“The machines are connected with our school account program so they don’t take cash. Students don’t pay with cash for these food items.”

Students will be able to enter their student ID and have access to funds on their meal account. If students participate in free or reduced cost programs, they would have access to the same meal without cost through the vending machines, while maintaining privacy of students enrolled in that program.

The vending machines do provide the Nutrition Services the option to serve food that is stored and consumed cold. There is also the option, specifically in outlying schools where MSBSD may use some of the machines to store food that is cold but could be re-heated in microwaves.

When asked if there would be any anticipated reduction in cost of lost food from the district as food would be available longer

“We do hope that access to the food in these machines will mean an increase in meals served. Our waste is monitored closely

The grant aligns with the MSBSD’s goals to improve student success, achievement, and performance and to promote safe and healthy environments for all.

The schools anticipating a vending machine would be Colony High School, Colony Middle School, Houston High School, Palmer Jr. Middle School, Joe Redington, Sr Junior/Senior High School, Teeland Middle School, Valley Pathways School and Wasilla High School.

No time frame was mentioned for implementing the vending machines during Wednesday’s meeting.