Free lunch to be served at ball fields through July 9

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Henning area youth will once again have the opportunity to receive free lunch from staff members at Henning School.

During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the Henning School Board heard an update on its summer food program that will begin on Monday, June 1 and go through July 9. The program will be similar to years past in which students will receive a bag lunch at the Henning ball fields from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. In the event of inclement weather, meals will be served at Henning School.

“We are going to run it rain or shine so even if summer rec is canceled we will still have lunch (at the school),” said Henning School Superintendent Melissa Sparks. 

No registration for the meals are required and local youth can just show up to receive the free meal. The meals are open to all children ages birth through the age of 18. 

An additional meal service period will be available Monday through Thursday from July 27 through August 6 at Henning Public School. During this time, breakfast will be served from 8-9 a.m., and lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For additional information regarding the Summer Food Service Program, contact Henning Public Schools at (218) 583-2927.

In addition to the summer food program, the Henning School Board received a proposed change to the student handbook in regards to cell phone usage at the school from Henning Principal Thomas Williams. 

The proposed language would essentially ban all personal electronic communication devices like cell phones and smart watches from 8:10 a.m. to 3:12 p.m. As part of the proposed policy all of the devices must be stored in a secure location such as a locker, closed backpack or school-provided storage device, the principal’s office or vehicle during the school day. The devices cannot be on a student during the day and those who make a call during the school day must request permission to use the telephone in the school office. 

Last year a majority of the school board members said they were in favor of allowing students in grades 7-12 to utilize cell phones during passing time, lunch periods and second chance breakfast and enforcing the school policy banning cell phones during classroom time or other prohibited times throughout the day after similar proposed language banning cell phones at the school was introduced by Williams. The practice of allowing cell phone usage during passing times and lunch/breakfast has been utilized at the school for several years. 

The board did not discuss the potential change in policy last week, but is expected to discuss the proposed change as soon as its June or July meeting. Williams did not elaborate last week what led to the proposed change in language for a second straight year.  

In other news

• Accepted the resignations of Asiah Froemming and Katie Dehmer as paraprofessionals.

• Approved the part-time hiring of Aaron Logan as summer ag teacher at .094 FTE and as the FFA advisor for the 2026-27 school year.

• Heard the school district has allocated nearly all of the $40,000 they received through the Building and Cyber Security Grant. Payments include: security cameras at a cost of $31,330 to upgrade the camera system, installation of a solid window for the district office and new video intercom equipment, payment of the cyber security insurance, as well as combined with CERP and Knox box grants the school district has secured nearly $60,000 in external funding for the school safety.

• Approved the purchase of the 3CX phone system upgrade at a cost of $1,850.34 and is covered through the Building and Cyber Security Grant. 

• Approved the summer projects at the school, which includes summer hallway painting project that will cover the gym hallway and lobby area; carpet replacement in four classrooms and 13 doors. 

• Approved the purchase of hardware and software for security camera update, which will be covered entirely by the Building and Cyber Security Grant.