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Budget cuts have taken a bite out of the funding for the free breakfast program that serves students at Frederick County's poorest schools.
Due to funding cuts in the state-subsidized program, Frederick County Public Schools may be forced to stop serving free breakfast for students at Hillcrest, Lincoln and Waverley elementary schools and the Heather Ridge Alternative school before the end of the academic year.
But this year, the funding for the statewide program has shrunk, and Frederick County will only have money to carry out the program until April. Hal Keller, the school system's director for fiscal services, said he expects to receive $24,387 for the program this year, less than half of the $58,482 that the school system received last year.
"We are looking at no funding for the program from May to June," he said.
School system officials are trying to find money, but Keller could not say if that is a real possibility for this year. "We are looking for ways to continue the program right now," he said.
Frederick County Public Schools is on a tight budget for the current year, and is facing a growing $21 million budget deficit for fiscal 2010, which starts July 1.
The Maryland Meals for Achievement program has been available for eligible Frederick County schools in the last five years.
Initially, the program was based on a number of scientific studies which found evidence between good nutrition and academic performance in students.
Over the years, educators have credited the program with helping students be more alert in the morning as well as reducing incidents of tardiness, suspensions and absences.
Now, Frederick County Public Schools staff worry that loses some of the funding for the program may lead to losing the benefits from the program.
"We are very concerned about the money for the program running out," said Cherri Dattoli, director of the school system's food services.
"This is probably one of the best programs that the state has ever introduced."
Students eat the breakfast in their classrooms while teachers take attendance and do other morning activities."The kids get a chance to socialize," Dattoli said.
"Some kids come to school early because of the breakfast program."
At schools that qualify for the program, all students eat free breakfast regardless of their family income. This way, no student is labeled because they are eligible for a free breakfast, Dattoli said.
As a result, most children in the schools that qualify for the free breakfast program take advantage of the opportunity to eat a free meal, Dattoli said. For the 17 school days in December alone, the Frederick County Public Schools provided 21,555 breakfast meals through the program, she said.
E-mail Margarita Raycheva at mraycheva@gazette.net.
