HCS Updates School Times, Meal Prices for 2022-2023 School Year
Submission Date: July 18, 2022
Release Date: For Immediate Release
Contact: J.D. Hardin, 770-957-6601 ext. 01161, john.hardin@henry.k12.ga.us
(Release # 0002-07-2022)
HCS Updates School Times, Meal Prices for 2022-2023 School Year
HENRY COUNTY, GA – With the start of the 2022-2023 school year fast approaching, Henry County Schools officials are sharing important updates with families to prepare them for a successful school year. Two primary updates include adjustments to school hours for elementary and middle schools, and meal price adjustments at all levels with the end of the federal waiver for free meals.
District officials announced during a recent meeting of the Henry County Board of Education that school hours would be adjusted for two levels of schools – elementary and middle school – starting in this upcoming school year. The slight adjustments include moving both the starting and ending times up for the elementary level, and moving the starting and ending times back for middle school.
Elementary schools will now start at 7:35 a.m., which is 10 minutes earlier than the previous year’s start time, and will end at 2:15 p.m., which is also a 10-minute earlier dismissal.
As for middle schools, the start of the day will move back by 15 minutes to 9 a.m., while the end of the school day will move back 5 minutes to 4 p.m.
Both moves are intended to assist the district by minimizing impacts on schoolday operations and learning opportunities that may occur as a result of transportation disruptions.
“When examining the impact on our school day, oftentimes we would see various transportation delays as the main interruptions and cause a ripple effect across all levels of school,” said Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis. “An overwhelming number of disruptions were out of our control, but our goal with these latest school bell adjustments is to minimize any negative impacts to our learners, employees, and families.”
Programs such as the elementary Afterschool Enrichment Program and the new middle school Before School Enrichment Program are in place to help families with scheduling support around a parent or guardian’s work schedules. The afterschool program runs from the end of the school day until 6 p.m. each day and is filled with educational activities to support learning. The new before-school program for middle schools starts at 7:30 a.m. Both programs are academically focused to support student learning.
One other adjustment families should be aware of is the return of school meal fees after the federal government announced the end of the waiver for free meals over the past two years. Families are encouraged to apply for free or reduced meal prices to see if they are eligible for this support from the federal government. Meal prices for the 2022-2023 school year include $1.25 for breakfast at all schools, $2.50 for lunch at elementary schools, and $2.60 for lunch at middle and high schools.
“We have been fortunate to be able to provide meals at no cost over the past two years of the pandemic thanks to the support from the federal government,” said Chief Financial Officer Shanika Clay. “It was inevitable that this waiver would end at some point, and the board has established pricing that continues to provide a nutritious meal at the lowest cost possible for our families. Our School Nutrition Department is committed to nourishing student achievement, ensuring student nutrition needs are met so that all students can focus on learning.”
All information related to school hours and meal prices can be found on the district’s website. Families are encouraged to visit the Henry County Schools #BeReadyDayOne webpage to complete their information update/verification process and get all the important information necessary for a successful school year. This online information update replaces all of the paperwork that once accompanied back-to-school processes.
For more information on Henry County Schools, visit www.henry.k12.ga.us.
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