Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday approved breakfast and lunch prices for its school meals.

All students in the district are eligible for one free breakfast and one free lunch, but these prices are for students who want a second breakfast or lunch, said Connie Ligenza, business manager.

“Many do buy doubles,” she said. “This is in the event they do purchase a second meal.”

Board Vice President Nicholas Boyle said that he thought the free lunches for all students had ended with the pandemic.

“During COVID everyone got it,” Ligenza said. “You didn’t even have to apply. When the universal free (meals) ended, we took a look at our numbers and it makes sense for us to offer the free lunch and breakfast.”

The district applied for the free meal program, which runs on a three-year cycle, she said, and everyone gets the free meals, she said.

The prices set for the meals apply only to a second lunch or breakfast, Ligenza said.

The board approved lunch prices at $2.45, elementary; $2.75, secondary; $4.75, adult; and student breakfast is $1.25, and an adult breakfast is $2.50.

The board also approved the LCCC SHINE Afterschool Program Sponsor to Sponsor Agreement at $4.25 per meal, and the St. Jerome’s Sponsor to Sponsor Agreement for school lunch at $3 per student lunch.

Other business

In other business, the board approved:

• The 2024-25 Health and Safety Plan with no revisions.

• An affiliation agreement with Nova Southeastern University Inc. for educational and professional programs. This agreement is for a student teacher, who will be with the district this year, Assistant Superintendent Stephen Toth said.

• An agreement with Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley Inc. for its partial hospitalization program and therapeutic educational program.

• An Act 48 Program Agreement for services dated July 3, 2024, with River Rock Academy LLC for the delivery of alternative educations services for disruptive students.

• A contract with River Rock Academy for the reservation of five secondary student slots at the Cressona Campus at a reduced per diem rate of $161 for an annual cost of $148,925.

• A tax report, tax exemptions and payment of bills of $2,020,011.34, and interim, $1,300,748.41.

• Donations to the Tamaqua Library, $3,500, and ESRC, $2,500, which are the same as last year’s donations.

• Permission for Matt Hope of Tamaqua to use the triangular piece of property on Stadium Hill for the 2024-25 school year.

• The school uniform stipend at $25, with a cutoff of financial assistance relative to the dress code for household income less than 130% of the poverty guideline.

• Purchase of furniture for the student and career center from Hertz Furniture at a cost of $36,816.07. This is a state contract, and the funding comes from a Morgan Foundation grant.