Dedham School Committee Passes Lunch Price Raise

Dedham schoolchildren will pay a quarter more for lunches starting in September, and teachers with pay $3.75 for their noontime meals after the School Committee approved the raise this week.

A rise in the cost of bread, produce, milk and paper supply has caused the need to increase the cost for elementary school lunch from $2.25 to $2.50, said Michael LaFrancesca, assistant to the superintendent for business affairs.

The district also needed to meet the state minimum of $2.46 for school lunch.

“Yes, we do have to increase due to state and federal standards, but we also need to increase the prices due to the price increase in food prices,” LaFrancesca said Wednesday.

According to LaFrancesca, the last increase was two years ago.

The School Committee approved the elementary increase to $2.50, the teacher increase from $3.50 to $3.75, and also adding a $3 tier to the lunch offerings at Dedham High School.

LaFrancesca said the new prices would put Dedham on par with 25 surrounding communities.

“What we are doing for the kids here in Dedham and being progressive about this, is a great thing and we should be really proud,” said Jeanne Johnson, director of food services.

Parents will be notified officially in mailings sent out this summer, Johnson said.