History of Meal Programs in Clark County

The history of the Clark County School District food serving programs dates back to the 1960s.  Most students, especially elementary students, walked to and from school, and as a result, they also walked home for lunch.  Beginning in the late 1960's students were transported by bus to their home school, and were unable to go home for lunch due to the distance.  

The lunch program then began to provide students with some form of nourishment during their regular school day.  They were provided cold sandwiches supplied by a purveyor who delivered them to each school.  A central kitchen was constructed and opened during the 1971-72 school year, and hot lunches were finally available at school.  The lunch program  took the form of prepackaged meals because the schools did not have kitchens.  Small rooms that could be spared were converted into receiving or warming kitchens, and the prepackaged meals were delivered by refrigerated trucks, stored in refrigerators overnight, then heated and served at school the next day.

In 1974 a warehouse was constructed at the central kitchen location at 4493 S. Arville, which could hold most of the dry and frozen product necessary to support daily operations.  The central kitchen had been designed to produce approximately 4,500 to 5,000 meals each day. 

In July 2008, a new central kitchen and warehouse opened at 6350 E. Tropical in the Northeast section of the valley. Today, central kitchen, in addition to preparing up to 20,000 cinnamon rolls each day for all schools, packages more than 52,000 meals a day for the satellite elemetary program.

In additon to the School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, started in 1973 when there were just 88 schools. Today, breakfast is served in all schools each morning just prior to school starting. the Food Service department also provides food for Safekey programs, Preschool programs, Summer Feeding programs, and Track Break programs.

History of Child Nutrition Programs 

Child nutrition programs had their origin in 1946.  Congress passed the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) as a response to findings that during the Second World War many men failed the physical examination required for induction into the Army.  Too many young men were suffering from malnutrition, and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) became a vehicle to address nationwide nutrition concerns.  It was also enacted to help the government distribute excess agriculture commodities, thereby helping to stabilize the supply and price of domestically produced goods.  Such items as ground beef, pork, dairy products, grain and various fruits and vegetables were, and still are, available from the United States Department of Agriculture for very low acquisition costs.

The School Breakfast Program (SBP) was instituted by Congress in 1966 following upon the success of the National School Lunch Program.  It was widely recognized that just as a good lunch is important to prepare students for an afternoon of learning, a nutritious breakfast is essential to give them a good start to the entire day.

 Administration of the programs

The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  At the state level, the Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition and School Health monitors the programs, and distributes federal reimbursement for meals that meet USDA’s strict requirements for portion control, nutrient content, serving procedures, and eligibility determination.

Free or Reduced Price Meals

Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) offer meals to students at reasonable prices.  For those students whose parents cannot afford to pay full price, reduced price or free meals may be available.  Parents or guardians may fill out the application from the Child Nutrition Program School Meal Packet, available at each participating school office or cafeteria, to see if they qualify.  A guide to completing this application is available from the National School Lunch Program page of this web site, or by clicking here, Family Application.  At the beginning of each school year, applications are distributed with back-to-school packets.  See the USDA's Eligibility Chart for information on reduced price meals.  (Eligibility information on free meals will only be published one time per year, just before the start of the school year.)