There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but starting Sept. 11, there will be free breakfast for the 5,400 students in Northampton Area School District.

“Part of the state budget for the 2023-24 school year, the governor included a universal free breakfast program for all Pennsylvania public schools,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said in an Aug. 21 phone interview. “This is something that we’ve been trying to implement in the district for a number of years.”

It’s the first time for a free breakfast program for students in NASD.

The first day of classes is Aug. 28.

NASD staff reported for duty Aug. 21.

Kovalchik made the announcement at the Aug. 14 NASD Board of Education meeting and emailed parents and guardians the week of Aug. 14 about the free breakfast program.

An Aug. 17 news release on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s website stated the $46.5 million program will provide free breakfasts to 1.7 million public school students.

Kovalchik met with NASD school principals and a representative from Aramark, district food vendor, Aug. 15. Aramark will be reimbursed by the state.

The free breakfast program will not change the start times at NASD schools.

“This is not going to be sit-down breakfast, like the lunch period is. We didn’t want to take away from academic time,” Kovalchik said.

Students riding school buses will arrive 6:50 a.m. at Northampton Area High School and 6:55 a.m. at Northampton Area Middle School. Parents/guardians also drop off students. Students report to homerooms by 7:25 a.m.

Students will arrive at the elementary schools 8:45-9 a.m., and they will report to homerooms 9:10-9:15 a.m.

Kovalchik said First Student is in “good shape” regarding NASD bus transportation.

“Right now, the routes are established and we have enough drivers,” he noted.

Starting Sept. 11, students can pick up breakfasts in the cafeterias.

“Each building is unique,” Kovalchik said. ”Siegfried has 735 students. Moore has 380 students. The middle school has 1,300 students. The high school has 1,900 students. That alone requires different setups.

“At George Wolf (Elementary School), they might want to have breakfast in the classroom. At Lehigh (Elementary School), the principal would like the kids to go into the cafeteria and do a grab-and-go and go right to the classroom.

“Every student is eligible,” Kovalchik added. “After the first week, we’ll have a pretty good feel for how many students participate. And it’s going to vary day to day. Some days, students are not going to want breakfast.”

The program will require reallocation of staff to cafeterias for the breakfast pickups.

“You have some students with food allergies. We have to follow the state nutrition guidelines. You can’t hand out doughnuts. It’s not going to be waffles and pancakes, where people are sitting down,” Kovalchik continued.

Breakfast might include fruit, milk and perhaps a grain item.

“Custodians will have some extra work here. They might have to empty the trash receptacles,” Kovalchick said.

“We’re about at 42% in the school district for students at free and reduced lunches. Hopefully, it will help those students, along with all the students. I received a couple of emails thanking the district for offering this program. The school system, in today’s world, is required to do a lot of things, whether it’s food, mental health and, of course, academics. You have to have those basic necessities of life to succeed in the classroom,” Kovalchik said.

The board of education meets 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11 in the NAHS auditorium 1619 Laubach Ave.