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The Dare County Board of Education approved a proposal at its September 16 meeting to give free breakfast and lunch meals to all Dare County students for a 30-day period.

Effective immediately, all schools north of Oregon Inlet were included in the proposal. Cape Hatteras schools were not included in the meal giveaway since meals are already offered at no charge through a federal reimbursement program.

After making the decision, school board members agreed to meet with Dare Board of Commissioners to discuss how to cover the cost to extend free meals to the rest of the year.

Under the 30-day program, estimated to cost between $45,000 to $50,000 and to be covered from the school system’s fund balance, students will get one full meal for free. Any additional items and second helpings would be paid for by the student. An estimated cost of $400,000 to provide meals for the year could actually cost less once federal reimbursements and other factors are calculated in.

Other business items for the evening included a detailed update from  Donna Creef and Malcolm Fearing on the Dare Community Housing Task Force, the second reading for proposed policy manual updates for technology, school volunteers, school visitors and school trips, a first reading for proposed policy manual updates for sections dealing with board authority and duties, school board legal status, board authority, school safety, removal from office, students at risk of academic failure, and children of military families, and a school performance report by Dare County Schools Superintendent Stephen Basnight.

Also, in separate votes, due to a board policy that requires any gift valued at more than $5,000 receive Board of Education approval before acceptance, an offer from OBX Tree Doc to donate services to trim large trees along the soccer field at Manteo High School and an anonymous $11,500 donation to assist with a First Flight Middle School project to wrap the front doors, gym doors and front windows of the school to improve safety and security by allowing staff to see out of the doors while preventing visitors from seeing inside were both approved.

The final board action for the evening was to authorize an appraisal of all Dare County Board of Education owned properties on Roanoke Island.

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