Free lunches may be in the works for some students if the Bradford school officials opt to join the Community Eligibility Program.

Melissa Kingen, regional manager for The Nutrition Group, the district’s food service provider, talked to the Bradford Area School Board about the program at Tuesday’s board meeting. They are considering it for the 2017-18 school year.

Kingen explained that a district’s food service program is meant to be self-sufficient, and any extra revenue must go back into the program. Most revenue comes from reimbursements from the state, federal government and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Qualification for the Community Eligibility Option is based on how many low-income students eat meals at a school.

Through the program, all students — of all income levels — will receive free breakfasts and lunches. Even students who pack a lunch will be eligible for a fruit, vegetable and milk from the cafeteria. Additionally, participation in the program changes the reimbursements a school receives.

Kingen said that if School Street and George G. Blaisdell elementary schools participated, not only would each child receive two free meals every school day, but she estimated the program at the two schools will receive more than $35,000 in revenue. In contrast, if the two schools continued with their current program next year, they are looking at a loss of $1,700.

Community Eligibility is a four-year program.

Other benefits of the program are that the schools would not need to collect applications for free and reduced lunches, saving time; it will increase participation in the lunch program; and no student will have a negative lunch balance.

Bradford Area High School did not qualify for the program. However, board member Pat Vigliotta wondered if Floyd C. Fretz Middle School would be able to take part.

Quick math by school officials during the meeting indicated they would still qualify if Fretz took part, too.

Judy Bodamer, the district’s director of finance, noted that revenue would end up being less than $35,000 if Fretz took part, but Vigliotta responded, “Free lunch for kids.”

Kingen said she would put together a budget for the program to include Fretz to see what the numbers would look like.

In other news, school officials are in the preliminary stages of developing the 2017-18 school year budget.

At this stage, the district is looking at a deficit of $2,193,623, but officials seemed confident that number would be lowered by the time a final budget is passed. Preliminary revenue is about $38.1 milion, and the preliminary expenses are $40.3 million.

“This deficit is very large, but is typical of what is being faced in the majority of public schools in our state, and we will feverishly work to continue to reduce it without harming the programs we have in place,” said Superintendent Katharine Pude.

Pude said “the biggest cost drivers” out of the district’s control are employee pensions, cyber charter school and the loss of the Keystones to Opportunity grant. “Contrary to what the public may believe, these costs are written into law, and we have no way to eliminate these or reduce these within our budget.”

The district is also facing potential state and federal funding changes.

Federal changes that have been proposed include elimination of the after-school program and Title II funding.

At the state level, changes could be more positive, with a proposed increase in pre-K funding, for which Pude says she intends to apply.

Also regarding the district’s pre-K program, Pude said they plan to create a LINKS program that will be offered for 5-year-old students who have not been in preschool and are not ready for kindergarten.

Also at the meeting, high school Principal David Ray announced that one the school’s teachers will receive training this summer through a Code.org course to be able to teach a new computer science course. He said 26 students have signed up for the course for next year.

The board granted permission for the sale of 135 Pleasant St., Bradford, from the county repository to Larry J. and Thomasena Stewart for $300. All local taxing bodies have to approve the sale before it is final.

However, the board denied two other county repository sales: a bid of $500 from Chris McCormick for 17 N. Bennett St. and a bid of $350 from Aaron L. Teeter for 52 East Ave.

Several upcoming events were discussed, too:

• The fifth annual Kids Fest on April 29 at the YMCA

• Showing of film “Paper Tigers” at 6 p.m. today at the high school for Child Abuse Awareness Month

• Author Sarah Dessen will visit the middle and high school today, then do a presentation at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

• GGB will roll out the Leader In Me program for parents on April 28, Leadership Day

• Sea Land Air Challenge opens at 8:30 a.m. April 27, with STEM competitions starting at 9:30 a.m. at the high school

• School district art show opening from 6 to 8 p.m. May 4 in the KOA Art Gallery in Blaisdell Hall at Pitt-Bradford, proceeds from an art auction will benefit the Honor Flight program.