The number of students purchasing school lunches continues to decline, but at a rate slower than the 2013-14 school year, school officials said.
The decline in 2013-14 was 11 percent. In the most recent school year, meal sales dropped 5 percent, said Karen Bonfiglio, the school system's business manager.
"It's not as much as we've seen in past years," Bonfiglio said. "So it is slowing down. We believe that it is attributable to the decreasing enrollments."
Despite the decline, lunch prices for the upcoming 2015-16 school year will remain at $3 for elementary schools and $3.50 at Smith Middle School and Glastonbury High School.
Approximately 40 percent to 50 percent of students participate in the school lunch program. The school system provides 3,500 meals a day that include a half cup of fruit and vegetables for elementary students, and a cup of fruit and vegetables for secondary students. A new frozen yogurt machine is planned for the high school cafeteria in the fall.
Superintendent Alan B. Bookman said any increase in lunch prices would lead to students buying fewer lunches.
"We are serving healthy lunches and we don't want to decrease that because it is healthy for our students," he said. "We are not at the lower end [in price for school lunch], if anything, we are higher when compared to other towns."
Bonfiglio said the food service department has found savings by eliminating a full-time position and reducing hours for other employees. While income from the program has decreased $154,000, expenses have decreased by $176,600.
"It's notable they have been able to reduce supplies and personnel expense by an amount very similar to the reduction in sales and income," school board Vice Chairman Jeremy Grieveson said. "Not sure that is going to be able to continue, but I have to hand it to them for taking control of their expenses."