AMHERST — Participation in both breakfast and lunch has mostly gone up at the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst regional schools since meals have been offered free to students.
So far this year, over 230,000 free meals have been served to students, including 70,000 breakfasts and 160,000 lunches. The number of those getting breakfast at Amherst’s elementary schools has more than doubled since before the pandemic, from about 20% to 43%, and those who are getting lunch have gone from half the students pre-pandemic to almost two-thirds now.
“Breakfast in the classroom is really effective at helping kids get the meals in the morning that they need,” Michael Gallo O’Connell, school nutrition services director, told the Regional School Committee at a recent meeting.
His presentation came just days before the Amherst Town Council approved a resolution calling on the state leaders and legislators to pass bills to make universal free breakfast and lunch permanent in all public schools, with the state paying all costs not covered by federal funds, and asking schools to actively promote the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to families.
It also calls for the immediate passage of a supplemental budget to fund universal free school meals for the remainder of the current school year, and that other local officials and school committees should call on their state representatives to do the same.
Council President Lynn Griesemer noted that the Legislature has acted through this school year. “Actually, that bill has passed, which is terrific news,” Griesemer said.
Gallo O’Connell said his staff is committed to health of students. “We’re passionate about providing every student access to nutritious meals,” Gallo O’Connell said.
Though it may not be the design for the town’s new fire station in South Amherst, two graduate students at the University of Massachusetts recently earned recognition from the Metal Building Manufacturers Association in its second annual Student Design Competition.
Bobby Buttrick, who earned the top prize, and Pranav Amin, who received first place in the graduate division, were both advised by Stephen Schreiber, professor and chairman of the Department of Architecture in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and a former member of the Town Council.
Schreiber said the students consulted with Town Manager Paul Bockelman, Fire Chief Tim Nelson, Department of Public Works Superintendent Guilford Mooring and Griesemer on what a metal building might look like at the DPW’s current site on South Pleasant Street.
For the top prize, Buttrick received $5,000, while Amin earned $4,000.
Manufacturers Association General Manager Tony Bouquot said 48 entries came from eight schools, including one from Guatemala. “It’s exciting to see a variety of schools and students submitting such impressive entries, and we thank all of the faculty sponsors for their work as well,” Bouquot said.
The competition took place during the 2022 fall semester, challenging each participant to create an innovative metal building design for a fire station and department headquarters.
Todd S. Lang was recently promoted from sergeant to lieutenant following an extensive selection process that included interviews with Chief Scott Livingstone, Bockelman and Human Resources Director Melissa Loiodice-Walker.
Lang, an Amherst police officer since July 1, 1994, takes a position vacated by Lt. Brian T. Johnson, who retired last year.
With a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Western New England College, Lang lives in Belchertown with his wife, Abigail, and two children, Parker and Tessa.
Amherst Planning Department has a new planner following the recent hire of Rob Watchilla, previously director of Planning & Community Development in Ware.
Watchilla fills one of the two openings that developed following the departures of Ben Breger, who now works for the state Department of Transportation, and Maureen Pollock, who left to be town planner in Montague.
Climate features and educational benefits of a new elementary school will be presented by District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen, who chairs the Elementary School Building Committee, and Griesemer, at a meeting April 20 at 6 p.m. at the Old Chapel on the UMass campus. The presentation comes in advance of the May 2 vote on the $97.5 million project. Early voting began this week.
That same evening, at 6:30 p.m. in the Woodbury Room of the Jones Library, there will be a presentation on planting herbs, a gardening program presented by Master Gardener Ken Conway. That free program is part of the library’s Gardens & Gardening series, sponsored by the Friends of the Jones Libraries.
TUESDAY: Residents Advisory Committee, 2 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Planning Board, 6:30 p.m., CDBG Advisory Committee, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY: Board of Assessors, 9:30 a.m., and Community Resources Committee, 4:30 p.m.