By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Massena Central Food Service Department ended the school year with a deficit, but significantly reduced the shortfall from the previous year.

The came from Peter Bertrand, the district’s director of food service, at Thursday’s Board of Education meeting.

He said they lost $12,000 in 2017-2018, down from an $85,000 deficit in 2016-2017.

"How do you explain the success of reducing the debt?” Trustee Robert LeBlanc asked Bertrand.

"Encourage students to eat, tried new menu items, offered more of a variety at breakfast, junior high has expanded hours to be open during study halls, school delays we stay open for students to come in,” Bertrand replied. “Anything we can do to get students in line.

"We're going to continue to strive for that."

They ended the year with $600 in unpaid balances, which was reduced from $2,600 thanks to an anonymous $2,000 donation to the district food program, Superintendent Pat Brady said.

Bertrand said last school year, 15 percent more students ate breakfast and 3 percent more ate lunch.

“We collaborated with the Smarter Lunchroom organization, which provided strategies the District can use to increase the consumption of healthy food and to promote reducing food waste,” Bertrand wrote in a report to the board.