School lunch prices to rise at select District No. 1 schools

School lunch prices to rise at select District No. 1 schools

Housatonic Valley Regional High School, where the price of school lunch will increase to $4.00 beginning Jan. 5.

Nathan Miller

FALLS VILLAGE -- School lunch prices will increase at select schools in Regional School District No. 1 beginning Jan. 5, 2026, following a deficit in the district’s food service account and rising food costs tied to federal meal compliance requirements.

District officials announced the changes in a letter to families dated Monday, Dec. 15, signed by Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley and Business Manager Samuel J. Herrick

Under the new pricing, lunches at Lee H. Kellogg School and Cornwall Consolidated School will increase by 25 cents to $3.75, while lunches at Housatonic Valley Regional High School will rise by 50 cents to $4.00.

According to the district, the food service program depends on revenue from lunch sales as well as federal reimbursement. Increased food costs and compliance requirements contributed to the shortfall during the 2024–2025 fiscal year.

School lunch prices have remained unchanged since the 2019–2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the years that followed, the district used COVID-19 relief funds to allow students to receive lunches at no cost.

Families who believe they may qualify for free or reduced-price lunch may apply at any time during the school year. Applications are available online for Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Lee H. Kellogg School and Cornwall Consolidated School.

The lunch price increase applies only to these three District No. 1 schools, as Housatonic Valley Regional High School oversees the food service programs at Lee H. Kellogg School and Cornwall Consolidated School. Other schools in the district operate independent food service programs and are not affected.


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