As schools are now closed, the Powell school district is working to ensure that local children still receive nutritious meals.

Beginning Tuesday, Park County School District No. 1 will provide a free breakfast and lunch for any child under 18.

Meals will be served from 9-11 a.m. at Southside Elementary School, 278 E. Monroe St. in Powell.

The district will provide the meals on weekdays through Friday, April 3 “or until students are physically back in school buildings,” said Mary Jo Lewis, coordinator of business services for the district.

“While school is in session our district serves over 1,400 student meals/day and we recognize the importance of children to have nutritional meals available to them even in times of emergency school closure,” Lewis wrote in a Tuesday news release.

Powell students are on a previously scheduled spring break this week, but will not return to school until Monday, April 6, at the earliest. The district announced earlier this week it was closing schools due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and will transition to online learning starting next week. Gov. Mark Gordon and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow on Sunday had recommended school closures across the state.

Though served at Southside, the meals will be available to all children under 18 who live within the borders of Park County School District No. 1. Kids do not have to be school age to qualify for meals.

“Do not think that only those children that go to or live around Southside Elementary School are the only ones that can partake of this service,” Lewis said.

Southside is the only Powell school that met the requirements necessary for a USDA waiver, she said.

“These will not be hot meals as you know it, but sack meals that have met the requirements set forth under the Summer School Lunch program,” Lewis said.

Meals will be packaged together in the same sack. 

School nutrition staff will be preparing the meals each day, and they have all been certified in ServSafe. The kitchens are all under strict hazard analysis and critical control point procedures, Lewis said.

Those same staff members will hand out sack meals in a drive-thru format at Southside, taking counts of the number of meals. 

“We will have a table set up for walk-up service and signage will be provided,” Lewis said. “We do ask that you show common courtesy and practice the social distancing of 6 feet if you are in the line.”

Drivers do not need to get out of their cars, nor do they need to have their children with them in order to receive the meals. 

“If you come through the line and tell us you need three meals, you will receive three breakfast and lunch meals and away you drive,” Lewis said. “Since this is on an honor system, we ask that you do not abuse this free food service and you are only getting meals for your children or children that are in your care.”

— By Tessa Baker