The Board of Education approved a 25-cent increase for the district’s school lunch program during its meeting on August 18.

Business Director Ron Bienkowski explained the school board would normally have made its decision to renew the district’s contract with Chartwells earlier in the year, but the state notified towns of provisions in some contracts with food providers that are not allowed by the Food and Drug Administration following an audit by the federal government.

Following a July 20 directive, Mr Bienkowski said the district’s contract was changed to include “certain provisions that are acceptable to the state,” but new information from the state as of Monday, August 17, will require further amendments.

“Obviously Chartwells needs to know now that they are going to be the service provider for school lunches for the 2015-16 school year and this is not something that could be delayed,” Mr Bienkowski said, after recommending the board approve extending the contract for Chartwells for the next year.

After approving Chartwells to provide school lunches for the 2015-16 school year with the contract to be brought back to the board for approval at a later date, the board went on to approve the cost of school lunches be increased by 25 cents.

According to a release from the district on Thursday, August 19, the increase “was necessary in order to continue to enhance the quality of the school lunch program in all schools. There has not been an increase in price in the school lunch program in the last two years.”

The new school lunch prices for the 2015-16 school year will be $2.85 at the elementary schools, $3.10 at Reed Intermediate School and Newtown Middle School, $3.35 at Newtown High School, and $2.20 for breakfast.