The Arlington ISD will be changing its Student Meal Plan schedule beginning Monday, May 4 so more food can be provided to area children while reducing the number of times families have to leave their homes for pick-up. The move will also help ensure the district can sustain a student meal program that has already provided more than 700,000 meals since March 16 to children 18 and under.

Beginning Monday, May 4, the district will move from a Monday – Friday pick-up process to a twice-weekly plan on Mondays and Thursdays. A total of 12 meals per child will be available instead of 10. Three lunches and three breakfasts per child 18 and under will be provided from 27 locations.

The meal times will remain from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and drivers will be asked to open their trunk or rear hatch so Arlington ISD staff members can put the food in the vehicle.

In addition to the student meal sites that have been distributing food, the district is adding sites at Adams, Hill and Johns elementary schools.

“Making sure our students have daily nutrition has been our No. 1 priority since the school closure,” Arlington ISD superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos said. “This change helps in that cause by providing two extra meals each week for our students. We believe this is the best way to continue feeding our Arlington ISD community.”

As part of the change, all meal components provided will be fresh or frozen. The components will be packaged individually, much like a grocery store. Families will have the ability to choose when and what combination of food to eat. There will also be a suggested menu provided.