For the second year, MISD will be providing a summer meal program to feed students who rely on school food during the school year. This program, known officially as the Seamless Summer Option, will be funded through the US Department of Agriculture. Ms. Sondra Thomas, Assistant Director of Training & Federal Programs, has been working to finalize plans for this summer.
“For some kids, summer is tough because they don’t know where their next meal will come from,” Ms. Thomas said. “[This program] is a way for us to provide food to all kids but especially those from low-income areas.”
Locations for these programs are specially selected to cater well to these low-income areas. For these locations to qualify for the program, the location must have at least half of its enrolled students qualify for free or reduced lunches during the regular school year.
The times for meals are also specially selected. Since summer school will be held on campuses at the same time as meals are being served, Ms. Thomas has to consider the public mealtimes so they do not disrupt the summer school students or staff.
“We choose to have the program at MISD campuses with summer school programs as a benefit to those kids that are there to learn,” Ms. Thomas said. “During the public mealtimes, families enter the school directly into the cafeteria instead of the front of the building so there are no disruptions to the summer classes. We also work with the Mansfield ISD Police to have an officer in the cafeteria during the public mealtimes, so summer school staff can focus on the students.”
Both breakfast and lunch will be served and be available to anyone who comes to the meal sites listed below. Children eat free, but adults will be charged $3.50 per meal. There will be a sample menu posted to the MISD website by the end of May, and the specific menu will be available through the MISD app.
“I think that any program designed to help the less fortunate is great,” sophomore Rebekah Barham said. “I like [the Seamless Summer program] because it focuses on the kids who might not have the best home and helps them even outside of school.”
June 8-June 28, Monday-Friday: The meal site will be Alice Ponder Elementary. Breakfast will be served from 8:15 a.m to 9:00 a.m, and lunch will be served from 12:05 p.m to 12:45 p.m.
June 8-June 22, Monday-Friday: The meal site will be Della Icenhower Intermediate School. Breakfast will be served from 8:30 a.m to 9:15 a.m, and lunch will be served from 11:15 p.m to 12:15 p.m.
June 8-June 22, Monday-Friday: The meal site will be James Coble Middle School. Breakfast will be served from 8:45 a.m to 9:30 a.m, and lunch will be served from 11:30 p.m to 12:15 p.m.
June 13-July 1, Monday-Friday: The meal site will be Kenneth Davis Elementary. Breakfast will be served from 8:50 a.m to 9:30 a.m, and lunch will be served from 12:30 p.m to 1:15 p.m.
June 13-July 1, Monday-Friday: The meal site will be Imogene Gideon Elementary. Breakfast will be served from 7:45 a.m to 8:30 a.m, and lunch will be served from 1:05 p.m to 1:45 p.m.
July 18-July 28, Monday-Thursday: The meal site will be T.A. Howard Middle School. Breakfast will be served from 8:15 a.m to 9:00 a.m, and lunch will be served from 12:45 p.m to 1:30 p.m.
July 18-August 4, Monday-Thursday: The meal site will be Alice Ponder Elementary. Breakfast will be served from 8:15 a.m to 9:00 a.m, and lunch will be served from 12:05 p.m to 12:45 p.m.
Monday-Thursday, June 13-July 21: The meal site will be Summit High School. Breakfast will be served from 8:15 a.m to 9:00 a.m, and lunch will be served from 12:00 p.m to 1:00 p.m.
