Author name: Dave Brener

Are you ready for National School Breakfast Week 2023?

For many students, the lunch period is a chaotic, anxiety-producing whirlwind of 25 to 30 minutes from bell to bell. Twenty-five to thirty minutes to dismiss from a class, get to their lockers, then to the cafeteria, wait in line, get to a seat, eat, dispose of their trash, and get to their next class. The answer is quite simple; demand that your administration provide more time for lunch.

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is often misinterpreted in simplicity to mean “free meals for all students.” When parents, administration, and board members catch wind of this program, the questions start pouring into the school nutrition professionals, “Why aren’t we on this program?”

In my years operating within the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, one thing I have come to expect each January is the lull in meal participation and sales that occurs in the first several weeks following the holiday break. Although my observation is entirely anecdotal, I have had this conversation with colleagues and many state similar occurrences.

School payment software has become an integral part of any school district that aspires to keep up in the 21st century. From the processing of fees to meal payments, to fundraising and ticketing and events, the K-12 finance landscape has become a complex system, and automation is crucial.

The holidays are upon us, and as the season’s spirit opens our hearts, many of us are also looking to open our wallets to good causes.

There’s been some exciting news announced by the USDA via press release on October 11th, 2022. For FY 2022, an additional $50 million on top of the original $30 million is being provided for use in the annual NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant.

The onset of any new school year is inevitably met with struggle for students, parents, and administration alike. This year has sadly seen the reemergence of an issue that had generally receded for the past two years.

During National School Lunch Week (NSLW) 2022, from October 10th through October 14th, we have the opportunity to recognize a truly underappreciated program in the American education system, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Officially placed into observance in 1962, the actual program and official efforts to improve the nutritional status of millions of American children date back to 1946. The strides made over the decades undoubtedly deserve to be honored, especially with schools being recognized as the healthiest place Americans are eating.