BIDDEFORD — The Biddeford School Committee on Tuesday unanimously voted to increase the price of school lunches at the John F. Kennedy Kindergarten Center and the Biddeford Primary School to standardize lunch prices across all the district’s elementary schools and bring the prices in line with federal reimbursement rates.

Following approval, lunches at JFK and BPS will cost $2.45, the price currently charged for lunches at Biddeford Intermediate School. Those attending JFK will see an increase of 35 cents from its current rate of $2.10, and BPS students will see an increase of 10 cents from the current cost of $2.35.

Superintendent of Schools Jeremy Ray provided committee members with a memorandum from Sandy Lewis, food service supervisor for Biddeford schools, that stated the increase is required in order for the district to fall in compliance with the federal Equity in School Lunch Pricing mandate. The mandate requires schools to catch up to the federal reimbursement rate for paid lunches by increasing prices or otherwise subsidize the shortfall.

The federal reimbursement rate for a paid lunch is currently 28 cents.

Ray said the increase will have no impact on schoolchildren receiving free or reduced lunch, which Lewis has said in the past is more than 60 percent of students in the entire district.

The committee also granted unanimous approval to Biddeford resident Gilles Fecteau to construct a right-of-way off a driveway located behind Biddeford High School for his property at 5 Highland Ave., so that he can construct a garage behind his house.

The driveway connects Highland Avenue to the parking lot located between BHS’ Tiger Gym and the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology.

Fecteau said the garage will be 40 feet by 35 feet and will not be used for commercial purposes. Construction of the right of way would include the removal and reconstruction of about 100 feet of fencing along one side of the existing driveway.

Approval of the right-of-way was granted with knowledge that the adjacent property, 7-9 Highland Ave., has already constructed its own right-of-way and has access to the driveway. The matter will go before City Council for final approval.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or [email protected].