Oak Hills school offering lunches this summer

Oak Hills Local School District is adding a summer feeding site.

“A child’s nutrition needs do not end when school ends. They still need good nutrition over the summer so they can play, learn and continue to grow,” Food Service Supervisor Linda Eichenberger said.

Delshire Elementary School, 4402 Glenhaven Road, will become a summer feeding site for June. Eichenberger said 50 percent of a school’s population must be on free or reduced lunches for a school to qualify for the program. Delshire has 57 percent and is the only school in the district that qualified.

“There are quite a few districts that do it but we have never participated before,” Eichenberger said.

Eichenberger said the school will operate as a feeding site from June 5-30 for a few hours each weekday. Any child age 1-18 will be able to come and get lunch. She added 19- to 21-year-olds who are students in any district with individualized education plans (IEPs) can also get lunches.

Eichenberger said the program will cost the district about $3,700. The district would need to serve 900 meals in total or 45 meals a day to break even. Eichenberger said she has spoken with other districts and 45 is average attendance for the program. The closest feeding sites in recent years have been at Sayler Park, Carson School and the Covedale Library.

“We feel good about this. It is an opportunity at Delshire because they are a school in the area that qualifies. A lot of those kids who live in that area could walk up and that is really important for all of us,” Superintendent Jeff Bryant said.

Eichenberger said she wanted to have the program this year as a pilot program to see if it works for the district and if it should continue in the future.

The Board of Education supported the program going forward.

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