RPS expands school meals and local food offerings
Shannon Ebran told the Richmond School Board the division has served almost 4 million meals while adding salad bars, student tastings, and more scratch-cooked options.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — school nutrition services update (local sourcing,, board reviews staffing needs and approves, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Students sampled close to 40 dishes from 14 vendors, then voted in real time on the 10 items School Nutrition Services plans to roll out next year.
Lunch now comes with a map of where it started. Shannon Ebran, director of School Nutrition Services, told the Richmond School Board that RPS has tied this year’s meal program more closely to student choice and nearby farms. Milk is always local, she said, and featured items included apples grown 85 miles from RPS and spring strawberries from about 140 miles away. She said the division has served almost 4 million meals so far and expects to reach or exceed 4 million this year.
Ebran said the menu has widened in ways students notice. High schools now have salad bars. The team added 15 “remixed” items by bringing back popular choices from the order guide. Special events included an annual Thanksgiving meal, wings twice during the school year, and themed menus tied to the Super Bowl and March Madness. During National School Breakfast Week, she said, students got pancakes and turkey bacon. She said the team kept its promise to offer nine or ten items, with one item treated as à la carte and set for more review next year.
She spent part of the update on what comes next. At an elementary food show, students sampled close to 40 dishes from 14 vendors and voted with colored chips in clear boxes; the top 10 items are set for next year. Ebran said RPS has spent three years working toward Eat Real certification, with 10 scratch-cooked items on the menu and 64 points, leaving a 23-point gap to the next level. Board members pressed on procurement, portion sizes, and food waste, and Ebran said share tables should be on the radar next year.
Board reviews staffing needs and approves personnel actions
The board got a practical staffing check-in before taking up a long list of personnel moves. Staff outlined current vacancies, projected openings, applicant pipelines, recruitment work, and a proposed onboarding schedule built around two monthly start dates.
That presentation gave board members a snapshot of how hiring may be handled as openings continue through the year. The proposed start-date structure would create a steadier entry point for new employees rather than relying on a single monthly cycle.
The board then approved a personnel actions report that covered nominations, contract changes, eliminations, reduction in force, non-renewals, resignations, retirements, furloughs, and deaths. The vote included one abstention. The agenda item did not break out totals by category during the meeting summary provided here, but the action cleared the full report.
Board adopts FY27 school budget
The Richmond School Board adopted its FY27 operating and capital budgets after reviewing a final draft and a remaining funding gap. The package includes a $453.96 million General Fund, a $91.81 million Special Revenue Fund, and a $6.92 million Capital Improvement Fund, along with raises, program funding, and cuts.
The budget sets school spending, staffing, pay, and program cuts for the coming year.
Policy updates head to next reading
The policy committee brought several proposals forward for first read, including a murals policy, service animals rules, and inclusive language updates in personnel policies. Board members will send feedback before the items return next month, and no vote happened at this meeting.
First-read policies on remote learning days, service animals, murals, and pronouns could affect many students and staff.
Board gets first look at contracts
The superintendent presented a first read of contracts over $100,000 and said staff would take questions at the July meeting. No vendors, scopes, or contract amounts beyond the threshold were detailed during this agenda item, and the board did not vote.
First read of contracts over $100,000 signals pending spending decisions but no approval yet.
Board enters closed session
The board voted to enter closed session to discuss a performance and personnel matter, consult counsel, and consider possible action on a specific issue. Members also closed the meeting to discuss possible school board property disposition where public discussion could affect bargaining position.
Board entered closed session on performance matters and possible property disposition affecting bargaining position.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
RICHMOND had 23 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCEFirst Read: Easement Requests (Armstrong High School GRTC Bus Shelter; Dominion Work at Reed). Staff presented two easement requests: a GRTC bus shelter at Armstrong High School and a Dominion-related request at Reed to bury an overhead power line. Board members supported the Armstrong shelter and asked about timing and whether a second read could be waived; staff indicated the second read would likely be in July.
- GOVERNANCEHead Start enrollment update accompanies approval of program reports. Staff reported on Head Start and Early Head Start enrollment for 2026-27, including strong application numbers, a higher placement rate than last year, and ongoing canvassing. The board also approved Head Start program reports, minutes, and financial statements.
- GOVERNANCEArts high school rollout draws board and public questions. Staff updated the board on Dreams RPS Passion Learning and the Richmond High School for the Arts, covering program design, pathways, phased rollout, course sequencing, and enrollment procedures. Board members and public speakers raised questions about transportation, staffing, middle school preparation, enrollment appeals, student anxiety, and support for opening the school.
- GOVERNANCEMotion to Convene Closed Session (Virginia Code citations listed). The board voted to convene in closed session to discuss personnel matters involving classified employees, legal issues including FOIA and matters related to the education foundation, and collective bargaining strategy involving expenditure of public funds.
- GOVERNANCEApproval of Consent Agenda Items 7.01–7.06. The board approved the consent agenda items 7.01 through 7.06 as a block. A board member briefly commended staff work on item 7.03 related to a student ethics document incorporating trauma-informed responses.
- GOVERNANCEUpdate on 4x4 Schedule and Advanced Placement (AP) Offerings; Engagement Timeline. Staff presented the rationale for the 4x4 schedule, reported improved graduation and academic outcomes, and described AP course offerings and strategies to address AP exam timing under 4x4 (including hybrid “locked blocks”). Board members raised concerns about gaps in math/world language, absenteeism impacts, causation vs. correlation, and the feasibility of schedule changes.
- GOVERNANCEUpdate on Student Organizations and Fees (CTE Clubs/CTSOs, Partnerships, Fundraising and Policy Needs). Staff presented an overview of student organizations, CTE-related clubs/CTSOs, and partnerships, and discussed inconsistencies in offerings and fee reporting across schools. Board members raised equity concerns, high-cost program barriers (e.g., cosmetology/barbering and robotics), scholarship/fee transparency, and the need for clearer division policies on fundraising and activity funds.
- GOVERNANCEUpdate on 2026 Summer School Programming and Summer Professional Development. Staff provided an update on PreK–12 summer school programming, including remediation and enrichment partnerships, current enrollment counts, anticipated summer graduates, and staffing. Board members asked about low enrollment at certain sites and how families were notified and invited.
- GOVERNANCEBoard Member Announcements and Community Updates. Board members shared announcements and reflections, including a playground installation at Chimborazo Elementary, Pride Month remarks honoring Bill Martin, recognition of school events and staff, a Valentine Museum exhibit, SEED program and wellness center highlights, summer school sites, gun violence prevention events, and graduation acknowledgments.
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