All students will be eligible for a free breakfast and free lunch each day in 2024-2025, regardless of their family's financial status.  All students who qualify for reduced price lunch, will actually be eligible for a free lunch.  Second breakfasts/lunches, incomplete meals, and a la carte items (ex. milk, juice cups, bottled water) will still need to be paid for at the advertised prices.

FREE BREAKFAST & LUNCH: For the 2024-25 school year, ALL West Shore School District schools qualify to serve one free breakfast and one free lunch to every student, regardless of their family's economic status. This means EVERY student in the West Shore School District will receive free meals! 

 

Any additional servings beyond one free breakfast and one free lunch per day will require payment.  Please note, milk is considered an a la carte item ($0.65), but if the student takes a milk and two other meal components, then it would be free.

This student meal update is part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program, which allows schools in low-income areas to provide meals at no cost to families. 

 

Every school year, a variety of supportive opportunities are available for students based on household income.  These include, but are not limited to: fee waivers for participation in after-school activities, e-rate funds that offset the cost of access to technology in classrooms, along with additional state and federal grant funding for programs and resources to support students.

 

Historically, the District used the Free and Reduced Meal Application to gather this data, but because the District is participating in CEP (free meals for all students) we need to use a separate application.

If your family is not notified of direct certification prior to the start of the school year and your household size and income fall within any of the ranges specified in Columns A or B below, please complete this form and return it to the WSSD Office of Federal Programs, Administration Center, PO Box 803, New Cumberland, PA17070. To qualify for assistance, students must have a signed and completed form on file. 

 

Parents who believe their child who would qualify for may also apply through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS). Your child will still receive free meals regardless of paperwork status. You may find links to those pages here.

Meal prices for the 2024-2025 school year have been approved (please see below).  A la carte and milk prices are determined based on "market" conditions and are subject to change throughout the school year as vendors increase the costs the District is required to pay.

Elementary (Primary and Intermediate) Breakfast - $2.05 

Secondary (Middle and High) Breakfast - $2.05  

 

Elementary (Primary and Intermediate) Lunch - $3.30  

Secondary (Primary and Intermediate) Lunch - $3.40 and $3.75  

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Meal prices for the 2025-2026 school year have been approved (please see below).  

Student Breakfast (We anticipate the state providing free first breakfast.)

Elementary (Primary and Intermediate) Breakfast - $2.15 

Secondary (Middle and High) Breakfast - $2.15  

 

Student Lunch (We anticipate returning to individual family applications for free/reduced lunches.)

Elementary (Primary and Intermediate) Lunch - $3.40  

Secondary (Primary and Intermediate) Lunch - $3.50 and $3.85  

This year the District is participating in the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs.  These programs require certain meal components be taken by the students in order for us to provide meals at the prices listed above. For meals, we offer fruits, vegetables, meat (or meat alternatives), grain, and milk. For breakfasts, students must take three components in order to purchase the regular meal. For lunch, students must take three items, but are also required to take at least a fruit or vegetable. If students do not take the required items, cashiers will encourage them to take the necessary items before charging a la carte prices.  Students are not required to take milk.

 

For more details about the meal components, please see our reimbursable breakfast and lunch information on the website. The District is committed to providing healthy meal options for all students. Substitutions and modifications to meals can be made for students with disabling special dietary needs.  In order for these accommodations to be made, parents should return a completed Medical Plan of Care for School Food Service form, signed by a physician, to the school nurse or Food Services Department at the Administration Center.