The Russellville City School system has announced its 2018-19 academic year policy for free meals and reduced-price meals for children served in its school system.

RCS is served under the National School Lunch Program and offers “healthy meals every school day under the Community Eligibility Provision.” Under this provision, breakfast and lunch are provided for all students at no charge during this upcoming school year.

For Superintendent Heath Grimes, the reason for providing free meals to students is simple: “Children need healthy meals to learn.”

According to RCS Child Nutrition Program Director Elaine Vaughn, this is the fourth year RCS has provided this service to students, but RCS will be going back to an application system for the 2019-20 academic year.

A chart provided by RCS details the income eligibility guidelines for the 2018-19 school year. Whatever eligibility a household in the RCS system falls under has no effect on the children’s ability to receive a free breakfast and lunch at school.

“Every year these guidelines change, but it lets families know if they are eligible for other programs like food stamps,” Vaughn said.

For now, the nutrition system remains the same at RCS, but Vaughn said CNP staff is preparing for possible changes in the future.