photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The Lawrence school district offices building, located at 110 McDonald Dr., is pictured in May 2025.

The Lawrence school district next week will consider increasing the price of full-price school breakfasts and lunches for the 2025-2026 school year.

On Monday, school board members will consider raising the meal prices by 10 cents per meal for students and adults paying full price, according to the board’s meeting agenda. Meal prices must be approved in June so that the Nutrition & Wellness Department has enough time to update the free and reduced-price meal application before it’s released in July.

“The Nutrition & Wellness Department is self-supporting and strives to stay that way,” the agenda said. “The food service department has seen an increase in food, supply, and labor costs (including the cost of employee health insurance) in the past year.”

Lunch prices for the upcoming school year would be set at $3.10 for elementary students, $3.30 for middle school students, and $3.35 for high school students. Adult lunches would cost $5.10. Breakfast prices would be $1 less than lunch prices for all students and $2 less for adults. Reduced-price meals would remain unchanged at 40 cents for lunch and 30 cents for breakfast.

The district has increased the prices of its full-price meals by 10 cents in each of the past two years, the agenda said.

In other business, school board members will:

• Consider approving a lease agreement with the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center — Greenbush to lease space at the former Wakarusa Valley Elementary School for three years beginning July 1, 2025 and ending on June 30, 2028 for a cost of $6,835 per month.

• Consider purchasing four snow plow blades, including accessories and installation services, in the amount of $35,476.

• Receive a presentation about equity efforts in the school district focusing on the 2024 annual graduation report. No other agenda materials with this item were included on Friday.

The board will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday at the district offices, 110 McDonald Drive. The meeting will also be available via the school district’s YouTube channel. Residents who want to share comments with the board may sign up in advance by emailing PublicComment@usd497.org by 6 p.m. Monday and may participate in person or via Webex video/phone conferencing.