APS Board meeting on alternative lunch policy

Hello.
It is about time that I posted an update on the APS Alternative Lunch policy, so here goes!
Many of our neighbors responded to hearing about this policy by sending emails and calling APS Board members. I was copied on many of these emails and following is one that reflects what I read in many of the emails.

Dear APS Board:
As a taxpayer, a member of the community and a person who works with school children, I'd like to add my voice to the numbers of people who are requesting a "re-think" of the just-implemented school meal policy - the one requiring children whose parents owe lunch monies to be pulled from the lunch line and fed a lesser alternative to the regular fare.

I understand that this new policy was to take effect on 5 January 2009 and, as far as I know, it has begun. I realize that I am weighing in rather late, but the matter has only recently come to my attention. I sincerely hope - and believe - that my voice is not coming too late. I don't believe that anything is irreversible, especially a decision that is harmful to children and will, without question, prove to be so. Recalling your own school days, is it difficult to imagine how harmful this decision will be to already beleaguered school-age children? In my experience, it is never a good or effective strategy to punish children for the actions (or inactions) of their parents. I'm confident that many better ways can be found, when well-meaning people put their heads together, to find a solution (or solutions) to this dilemma.

Toward that end, I further understand that a Working Group has been proposed to address this issue and I assume that you will all be very important members of this group. Again, as a tax-paying - and very concerned - citizen of New Mexico, I urge you to support the formation of this group and seriously think about finding another way to recoup the monies that have to date been lost.
Sincerely,


Over 90 people attended the APS Board meeting on Friday morning. Grandparents, parents and students in APS Schools attended along with State Senators, City Councilors, County Commissioners, State Agency personnel, Business people, Non-Profit Organization Executives and representatives from Community Action New Mexico, McCune Foundation, New Mexico Community Foundation and Albuquerque Community Foundation. It was very impressive. The APS Board decided to create a Task Force to work with members of the community (one of the Working Group's asks of the Board) over the next 30 days to help collect monies due (on a school-by-school basis with people who are members in each school) and to revisit APS policies so that we do not have past due lunch balances moving forward.
Our first task force meeting is Monday morning.
Please keep connected to this issue that is so important to our children - for many children school lunch is the only nutritious meal they receive 5 days a week.
Your support has truly made a difference - please keep it up!
Nancy