School lunch prices going up in fall

The price of school lunches will increase slightly for Wauwatosa's middle and high school students next year.

Students in the district's elementary, middle and high schools paid $2.25 per day for the lunch program this year. But that number will increase to $2.35 at the middle and high schools in 2011-12, thanks to changes in federal regulations, said Steve Youngbauer of Sodexo, the district's food service provider.

Lunch prices will not increase at elementary schools.

There also will be no increase in the price of school breakfasts, which are offered at several sites across the district: both high schools, Longfellow Middle School, and Roosevelt, Underwood and Washington elementary schools, said De Gitzlaff of Sodexo.

Sodexo also plans to renovate the cafeteria at Wauwatosa West High School this summer. The food-service provider has completed three major renovation projects since partnering with the district in 2007, including a recent two-year project to improve the cafeteria at East High School.

The project at West will expand the serving area from about 500 square feet to about 1,600 square feet, making it more accessible for students and improving traffic flow, Gitzlaff said.

Bruce Johnson, manager of buildings and grounds, estimated the cost of the construction and equipment added in the renovations at $100,000, but said that number has not been finalized through the bidding process.

Money for the renovations will come directly from the district's self-sustaining food service fund, said John Mack, district business director.