By Katie Friedman
Correspondent
At its most recent meeting, Monday, June 13, the Maple Lake School Board approved renewal of a food service contract with A’viands for the 2022-23 school year, with a significant cost increase attached.
As the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has risen by 7.7 percent, so will the school district’s cost for school meals in the coming year. Administration is at work setting rates that will most effectively cover the school’s food service costs while keeping prices for families as low as possible. The board will approve new rates at its July meeting.
Rising prices come as no surprise in a period of economic inflation. But to parents whose children have been ingesting free school meals for the past two years, this added cost will be noticed all the more for that very reason. In the 2022-23 school year, meals will no longer be universally free for all students. All public schools in Minnesota will return to the national school lunch program, with paid and qualifying free and reduced-price meals for all students.
“So, that’s going to be sticker shock for families, like everything is doing right now,” said Superintendent Mike Rowe. “It’s the last thing everyone needs.”