Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Students boarded buses in Central New York’s largest school district for the first day of classes on Tuesday, as did many in Syracuse’s surrounding suburbs.
In the Syracuse City School District, Superintendent Sharon Contreras was on hand at the district’s bus garage to greet the drivers.
“They are the first people that interact with our children outside of the families, so it’s so important that I just greet them and thank them for what they do for children. When children are sad, they’re there to say good morning. When they’re having a bad morning, they’re there to say ‘Good morning, have a great day.’ So they really are a critical part of the school district family,” Contreras said.
The superintendent encouraged students to greet the new year as a chance for a fresh start. Contreras stressed that she’s optimistic regarding the new school year.
“We’re just expecting a wonderful school year,” she said.
Schools in Central New York and beyond have been preparing for
new Federal regulations on students’ lunches.
The new regulations demand that schools provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables. Under the new regulations, students’ lunch selections must include a fruit or a vegetable.
If the student doesn’t select a fruit or vegetable, they won’t be able to pay the regular lunch price, but will need to pay for the more expensive a la carte option.
“So the government’s telling them they pretty much have to take this to get the meal price,” said East Syracuse Minoa Food Service Director Nancy Kerrigan.
She added that parents should make sure their children are aware that they will need to select a fruit or a vegetable to get the meal price.
