Superintendent of Perry Township Schools
Our food services department plays a crucial role in student success as it provides our scholars with nutritious meals, which help them stay focused and energized throughout the school day.
According to numerous studies, children who eat a balanced breakfast every day perform better in class; they also learn better and behave better than their peers who do not have access to a proper breakfast.
We also know that students who live in low-income households rely heavily on school meals as their main source of food every day. Because nutrition is so important, the department wants to encourage students to take advantage of offerings besides breakfast and lunch.
The department takes great pride in its meals, which meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s school regulations and comply with the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Team members ensure that students have access to healthy meals. At high schools they even provide after-school meals for students who have their own transportation and stay at school after classes dismiss – even if they’re not there to participate in extracurricular activities. Any high school student is eligible for the free meal. The only requirement is that students must eat the dinner on school property.
At Perry Meridian High, after-school meals are available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. and Wednesday from 2-3 p.m.
Southport High students can grab meals from 2:30-3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 2:05-2:35 p.m. Wednesdays.
We hope more students will begin to take advantage of these offerings. During football season we experience a surge in the number of children who are served. At other times only a fraction of students requests a meal.
The food services department is also in the process of finalizing its plan to provide breakfasts and lunches to students during spring break and summer vacation at sites across Perry Township. Details will be posted to www.perryschools.org in early March.
We appreciate our food service team members who work year-round to provide students with nutritious options to keep our kids fueled throughout the day. By introducing students to healthier foods now, we will hopefully lay the foundation for them to adopt and maintain healthy eating habits in the future.