According to Watonga School Superintendent Mark Batt, the USDA has issued a waiver allowing all children ages 1 to 18 to eat free at the school cafeteria until Dec. 31. All students at WPS will be offered both breakfast and lunch for free until this program runs out. This means that all children can eat free, even if the family received a letter stating they did not qualify.
Students who are on the distance learning plan can continue to pick up lunches from 11 to 12:30 p.m. at the west middle school doors. If you are not on site but plan to eat please contact Christie Brewer (580-623- 7361) at the middle school office by 8:30 AM so that enough meals are prepared.
Please note that this does not remove the requirement for filling out the household lunch application.
Many students have returned the meal application and while it is not necessary to receive free meals, the school receives many other benefits from the data gathered on these applications. If your student has not returned the form, please do so as soon as possible.
To continue the program throughout the entire school year, Congress would have to appropriate further funding than is currently budgeted.
Once the current extension expires, students will return to paying for their meals at the previously established rate.
Connie Burcham can be reached at Editor@WatongaRepublican.com