By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Each month, the USD 428 Board of Education hears updates from a department head in the Great Bend school district. Monday night, that turned into a significant action item. Food Service Director Kristy Alvord spoke about the ever-changing dietary and budget challenges her department faces in feeding school students. Then she approached the idea of universal free breakfasts for all students in Great Bend public schools. The board voted 6-0 to approve universal free breakfasts for the final half of the 2025-26 school year.
"Unfortunately, we can't use federal funds to pay for universal free breakfast, but I think it's pretty important for these kids to come and have breakfast every day with less sugar, of course, because we've taken out all the added sugars in it," Alvord said. "I just ask if we could possibly find a way to make that happen?"
Alvord had prepared figures on the cost of universal free breakfast to the district over the course of a year, even if 10 or 20 percent more students participated due to the free meal. USD 428 has a high percentage of students who already receive free or discounted meals, so the increase was estimated at approximately $20,000 if the district switched to the universal free breakfast for the second semester from January through May.
"I see a lot of families that are right on that guideline for their eligibility, where they're just over," said Alvord. "Those are the families I see that are struggling. For me, it's helping those families out."
The district receives federal compensation for all meals served, so an increase in breakfasts served could generate additional funds. Great Bend High School recently began a second-chance breakfast between the first and second hours. Alvord said student breakfast participation was 30-50 kids school-wide before the program, but has soared to 250 students now.
A thriving school breakfast program helps ensure students have the nutrition needed to learn and thrive throughout an academic day, improving focus, behavior, and healthy physical development while minimizing the distractions of hunger.