School Lunch Price Increase Approved

The Salem School Board approved small increases to the cost of school lunches at their meeting Tuesday night. These increases are set to go into effect when students return to school in the fall.

Under the increase, elementary school lunches will go from $1.40 to $1.45, Woodbury Middle School lunches will increase from $1.55 to $1.60 and Salem High School lunches will be bumped from $1.80 to $2.

SAU 57 Superintendent Michael Delahanty said school lunches prices were required to be increased by 3.14 percent because of new federal guidelines.

"The USDA is saying reimbursements for free and reduced lunches is subsidizing the real costs of paid lunches," Delahanty said. "Students who are paying for lunches are paying a depressed price...They've come up with a calculation saying we have to increase by at least 3.14 percent."

Part of the rationale for increasing the price by 20 cents at the high school is because students usually pay in cash and dimes are often found on the cafeteria floor.

"By charging an additional 20 cents, it's an additional dollar per week for lunch," Delahanty said.

He noted even with the increase the SHS lunch price is "well under" the average price per lunch throughout the country of $2.46.