Great Bend USD 428 will serve free breakfast at all of its schools for the entire 2026-2027 school year. The school board met Tuesday and approved extending the program that began in January. It also approved a 5-cent increase to some lunch prices and a 5-cent increase in the price of milk.

Last December, the district agreed to pick up the breakfast tab for one semester, at an estimated cost of $20,000. Food Service Director Kristy Alvord recommended the change, mentioning programs available to help with the cost.

Superintendent Khris Thexton said the schools saw an increase in the number of students eating breakfast at school after the free meals were offered. Last fall, the district charged $1.50 for students of all ages. Adults have not been offered a free breakfast but can still buy one for $2.50, unchanged from last year.

Due to increases in food and fuel costs, there will be some price increases this fall.

The new lunch prices will be:

- Preschool $2.40

- Elementary Schools $2.55

- GB Middle School $2.85

- GB High School $2.90

- Holy Family School $3.55

- Adults $5.00

Each category is 5 cents higher than in 2025-2026 except for the adults’ meals, which saw no price increase. Thexton said in the past the increases have included those meals first but this time the change needed to reflect the increased cost of producing the meals. There was also no increase to the cost of reduced-price meals, which are 40 cents for those who qualify. The cost of milk also increased by 5 cents, to 55 cents.

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Later in the meeting, the board approved contributions and grant submissions. For the upcoming school year, USD 428 will again receive a USDA Fresh Fruits and Vegetable grant for all five elementary schools. This $108,300 grant will provide healthy snacks throughout the year and introduce a variety of produce that students may not otherwise have the opportunity to sample.

Other business

The school board’s meeting on Tuesday morning was needed to approve budget expenditures and transfers for the end of the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Several other items were also on the agenda:

• District property insurance was approved.
• Yondr phone-free spaces equipment was purchased for Great Bend High School.
• Raptor Safety Software was purchased to identify people coming into school buildings.
• The district will release Requests for Quotes (RFQs) to area banking institutions to seek competitive interest rates for the investment of idle funds.
• Contributions were approved. In addition to the USDA grant for healthy snacks, these include $4,434 to the GBHS Student Ambassadors for their South Patio Project. Students wish to add an outdoor area that includes a picnic table.

There were also reward incentive contributions of $2.20 to Park Elementary and $10.60 to Jefferson Elementary from the Casey’s Loyalty Program and $265.04 to Jefferson Elementary from the Strawbridge Studios Reward Incentives.

• The personnel report was approved. Traci Lang, teacher of English Language at Riley Elementary School, has resigned. She will pay a $1,000 fee because she submitted her resignation after the contract deadline. Allison Adams was hired to teach Special Education at Eisenhower Elementary School.