No student in the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District will have to pay for a meal this upcoming school year.
This is something our Child Nutrition Program has been working toward for some time, with students at some schools being able to take advantage of free meals in previous years.
However, this year for the first time all enrolled students at Garyville-Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School, Fifth Ward Elementary School, Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School, West St. John Elementary School, East St. John Preparatory Academy, Emily C. Watkins Elementary School, Laplace Elementary School, West St. John High School, John L. Ory Communication Arts Magnet School, East St. John High School and the St. John STEM Magnet High School Program will not have to worry about paying for their meals.
Nothing is required of parents for students to take advantage of this program.
This opportunity is made available to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs through the Community Eligibility Provision.
Authorized by Congress as a part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the Community Eligibility Provision is a non-pricing meal service option for schools and school districts in low-income areas. CEP allows schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Parents with questions can contact Child Nutrition Supervisor Terry Charles at 985-536-1106, ext. 8119, 8129, or 8116.