From Harford County Public Schools:
The economic downturn has impacted many in Harford County. To help ease the burden on families, Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) has made available the 2011-2012 Application for Free and Reduced Priced Meals before the official start of classes on August 29, 2011.
Households that feel they may be eligible for meals at a free or reduced price are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible. Applications for the new school year may be mailed or faxed (410-638-4201) directly to HCPS Food and Nutrition Services, 101 Industry Lane, Forest Hill, MD 21050, or dropped off at any school location. Applications may be submitted anytime throughout the school year. Benefits are non-transferrable to Harford County from other states or counties.
“There is no better time than now to get the application to our office,” said Gary A. Childress, supervisor of Food and Nutrition Services for HCPS. “Students without an approved application for the 2011-12 school year will pay the regular price of their meals until the application is approved.”
Students approved last year for free or reduced-price meals will remain eligibile for the first 30 days of this school year. However, all parents must complete a new application during this time period to continue to receive the benefit for the remainder of the school year.
Families can obtain an application from their child’s school office or on the school system’s website at www.hcps.org. Questions regarding the program or application process may be directed to HCPS Food and Nutrition Services at 410-638-4078.
Harford Resident says
I think this is one of the programs that needs to be expanded for our children. We deserve to feed our children in school. As a product of the Free Lunch program, I was able to concentrate on school work. How many people would let a child go hungry? I make sure my children know the importance of helping less fortunate. I may be a republican and get mad at the congress for spend spend spend, but this is one issue that needs to be spent on. GOOD JOB HCPS. I appauld this program!
Ryan Burbey says
This is not an HCPS program. The new teacher survival store is an HCEA, your local teachers’ union, program.
Ryan Burbey says
Somehow I got on the wrong article sorry folks 9:12 AM Sat. doesn’t appear to be my the high point of my attention.
I Left says
I agree in spirit, but the program needs some attention as well. When I taught in HCPS a couple of years ago, my school would offer chocolate chip cookies as a breakfast item. Naturally, most of the kids chose to eat cookies for breakfast. The result was that they were insanely hyper during homeroom and the first 20 minutes of block 1 before eventually crashing from the sugar high.
The free and reduced meals program is a necessity for all of the reasons that you listed (a kid can’t learn if a kid hasn’t eaten), but the execution of that program leave a lot to be desired.
noble says
And sadly, there is a summary example of most of the problems facing our country and communities. Good ideas totally mismanaged.
Taxpayer says
This nationally recognized program is not mismanaged nor does it serve chocolate chip cookies for breakfast.
noble says
I will take your word for it. But I know the food that’s served, and much of it I wouldn’t want my kid to eat.
Of course, that goes back to parenting, like everything else in a school, as the child should know how to make good choices.
Concerned Teacher says
I eat school lunches half the time and school breakfast once every week or two, so I know what they are offering. For breakfast, students at my school have the choice of a bagel, some typical breakfastish food (sausage on a stick is always a favorite), cereal, fruit, milk, etc. For lunch, there is your standard high carb fare (pizza and fries), but vegetables and salad are choices as well as decent entrees. Food is relatively tasty, and even at the adult price it’s a bargain.
For some students from low income families, school lunches (and breakfasts) are the only guaranteed meal they get in a day. It is an important program and it is, despite remembrances of old graduates, a good program.
I Left says
North Harford High School. I had cafeteria duty during breakfast for three years. I assure you, they served chocolate chip cookies as a breakfast item, and that is what the vast majority of the kids ate. Believe me or not, but it’s going on.
Qualified says
When I was in school, my mom made sure that we had beakfast everyday and a sandwich and fruit for lunch.
We were not “rich” by any strech of the imagination.
Some parents today are just too LAZY to take care of their children and expect someone else to do it for them.
Patrick says
Give up your flat screen and cable television and feed your children.
Ryan Burbey says
This too is a fictitious and politically salacious comment. Why should any AMerican child go hungry?
Ryan Burbey says
That’s crap. Many parents can barely afford rent. It is not that they are lazy but that they are unemployed or under-employed. No child should go hungry in America.
anonymous says
@QUALIFIED (for senior citizen discount) – Some parents back in your days of the horse and carriage were also horrible parents but it was less obvious because almost one in three kids never lived to see their fifth birthday where now it’s only a few in a thousand. I’m not a fan of going back to those days despite how much the Fascist Tea Party Terrorists try to romanticize the thought of abolishing of all regulatory agencies. Please stop advocating for the starvation of poor children.
Qualified says
Right Comrad, everything will be OK when the state takes over.
Concerned Teacher says
“Please stop advocating for the starvation of poor children.”
How in the blue hell did you make THAT leap of logic? Nowhere in the post you responded to did the writer say anything of the kind. You assumed an awful lot that was not written (or even implied). You seem to want to make this some sort of political argument (which it isn’t), yet you don’t have the testicular fortitude to do anything other than hide behind the ‘anonymous’ name. You give liberals a bad name when you make such ridiculous allegations. My liberal friends would be ashamed to be associated with you.
Anonymous says
You got me – I’m the Superintendent and your boss. Now show me your testicular fortitude so that I know who to fire. Thought so.
Ryan Burbey says
Free an reduced lunches are crucial for our children. More people qualify than you might think. It has nothing to do with being lazy or not being a good parent. Free and reduced lunches provide much need support to students who come form families surviving during economic hardship. If you are unsure whether your family qualifies the guidelines are here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/notices/iegs/IEGs11-12.pdf.