Students Enjoy After School Meals
McDonald County Schools recently kicked off an after-school meal program, and organizers say it is going well.
Janie Daugherty of Opaa, the district’s food management company, said a representative from No Kid Hungry Missouri and Opaa presented the program at a meeting.
“It’s growing in the state of Missouri,” she said. “It’s going great. We kicked off in all 10 schools in McDonald County in the same day and it’s been a huge success.”
She said in 12 days there had been 18,000 dinners served. One of those days was an early release day because of weather, so it was really 11 days, she added.
Dixie Brooks, student programs director, said she filled out an application with the Department
of Health and Senior Services for each building in the district to get the program started. Part of the qualifications is that the district has 50% or more of its students on free or reduced meals and that it has some sort of after school program. The dinner program is totally funded by the Department of Health and Senior Services and costs the school district nothing, Brooks said, thus it is free to the students.
At Anderson Elementary School, kitchen manager Misty Haynes said, “We hand out an after-school snack and kids say, ‘I don’t need it. I’m still full from dinner.”
Haynes said the highest number of students participating at the school in a day so far was 256, and the lowest number was 198.
Anderson Elementary Principal Sarah Messley said, “It’s a blessing because there are so many activities going on after school. This is one more way we can support our families.”
Students in hair nets loaded up carts full of meals to take to the classrooms.
Messley said, “It’s really allowed our students to develop leadership skills because they get to help out.”
Haynes said some examples of the meals served are corn dogs, chicken patty on a bun, cheeseburger, grilled cheese (which has been the most popular so far), pancake sausage on a stick, all along with fresh fruits and vegetables and milk or water.
Haynes added the meal is free to any child in McDonald County whether they attend school there or not.
“We have some little brothers and sisters that come,” she said.
Daugherty said at the high school the ROTC students are eating dinner, as well as students at band and cheer practice. In addition to being convenient, it will save parents a lot of money on costly dining out, she said.
“It’s a blessing because there are so many activities going on after school. This is one more
way we can support our families.”
Sarah Messley
Anderson Elementary School Principal