For first time, students don't need to bring their own

It's hard to say who likes the Garrison School's new lunch program more: the children who dine daily on entrees such as hot dogs, tacos and chicken Caesar salads, or the parents who no longer have to pack sandwiches.

The public school, which has about 200 students from pre-K to eighth grade, had never had a daily lunch program. Students brought their meals from home, although parents sold pizza on Fridays for years as fundraisers.

The new program "has been a game-changer," said Principal Allison Emig. "It's a big help to families getting their kids out the door. But also, it's a game-changer in the school culture. The kids are happy."

The meals are offered free to every student through a Universal Free Meals program included in this year's state budget. Funded by state and federal grants, it also covers breakfasts if a school offers them.

Garrison provides its lunches in partnership with the Putnam Valley Central School District, said Greg Stowell, the superintendent. He said that the meals are prepared, in part, at Putnam Valley High School and delivered to Garrison. The daily menu is posted on the school website, and the students tell their teachers each morning if they want a cafeteria meal. The school provides about 180 lunches each day; some students still bring their own.

The district expects to spend about $50,000 to upgrade its kitchen and hopes to add a la carte offerings for purchase.

On Monday (Sept. 15), the menu included cinnamon French toast, ham and cheese sandwiches, chef salads, oranges and fruit salads. On Tuesday, Beshea Toribio, a seventh grader, selected chicken tenders, tater tots, green beans and strawberries. "The salads are also good," she said, speaking over the din of the raucous lunchroom.

A classmate, Julia Murphy, also chose the chicken tenders and tater tots but added what appeared to be at least four packets of ketchup. She drank chocolate milk. "I love chocolate milk," said Murphy, 12. "Now I get to have it every day for free."

Lunch has been "the highlight of her day since she started school," said Julia's mom, Sandi Murphy, who has spent many years packing meals for her three children. "I'm just hoping her excitement about it continues, because it certainly gives me one less thing to do."

In Cold Spring, the Haldane district also began offering all students free meals this year and says it has seen a 15 percent increase in lunches served and a much larger jump in breakfasts, from 58 during the first two weeks of school in 2024 to 500 this year. Beacon public schools have offered free meals since January 2024.