Buses deliver meals to students
Some Davis School District bus drivers are back in action this week, but not in the typical way. They are delivering more than 150 meals to some students who have a difficult time making it to school.
Davis School District currently offers grab-and-go lunch and breakfast at most district schools between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Weekend pantry packs are also available at schools on Fridays, in addition to the distribution of pantry packs on the bus delivery routes.
“This is going to reach more and more families, which is what we are here for in a crisis,” said Nutrition Services Director Pam Tsakalos. “We want to help families so they have meals for children.”
Bus drivers deliver meals along four bus routes to students living in the school boundaries of Wasatch, South Clearfield, Lincoln and Foxboro elementary schools. The plan began as a joint effort between several school principals and district transportation and nutrition departments.
“I felt like we needed to help the families whose parents are working and who live on busy roads,” said South Clearfield Elementary Principal Robert Kinghorn. “Families are struggling to figure out how to make it week to week, but if we can provide meals, that is one stress that we can take off their shoulders right now.”
Recently, Kinghorn heard from a parent of five children who was struggling to get to school for the meal pickup. “It showed me that we are going in the right direction to provide what we can,” Kinghorn said.
Families who utilize the bus stops for meals are asked to remain in their vehicles until the bus arrives and practice social distancing by maintaining a minimum of six-feet separation from others before, during and after pickup. Principals are also reminding parents that if social distancing is not observed, the bus delivery of meals will be discontinued.
According to Transportation Director David Roberts, principals in the district were concerned about students who live in areas near congested traffic areas.
“First and foremost, we want to help students as far as nutrition goes and make sure they are getting the lunches they need just to make it through the day,” Roberts said. “We had to lean on principals who know their area and demographic as we determined the hot spots. Then, we determined if our buses could go into those areas and found the spots that work the best.”
Parents of students who live in the participating school boundaries can contact their respective schools for information about bus delivery locations and times.