As the summer reaches its end for the Panorama School District, Superintendent Shawn Holloway looks back on the first year of their district led summer lunch program.

After being sponsored by various organizations in previous summers, this was the first year the District organized the program, and received federal reimbursement to provide free lunches for any child in Bagley, Jamaica, and Linden. Donations from the local backpack program made it possible to also serve free lunches five days a week to Panorama enrolled students in Panora and Yale. Holloway says this year was a huge success, “We served a total of 3,239 meals. So I think from the standpoint of the day-to-day operations, our kitchen staff did a great job. We had multiple people working at different times over the summer. So I think it probably went as well as it could go and is a program we definitely hope to continue.”

The program lasted through June, July, and part of this month, and those non-qualifying were able to purchase a meal for $3.75.