Every student at New Lebanon School will eat breakfast and lunch for free this school year, with no paperwork required from families.
Greenwich Public Schools announced Thursday, Aug. 20 that New Lebanon is joining the federal Community Eligibility Provision for 2026-27, making it the only school in the district where meals are universally free. Parents do not need to fill out a household income application. Every enrolled child qualifies automatically.
The program, administered through the USDA's National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, is available to schools where at least 40% of students are already certified for free meals through programs like SNAP or Temporary Family Assistance. Nearly 60% of New Lebanon students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, according to the school's website, well above that federal threshold.
What it means for families
For parents at New Lebanon, the change eliminates a familiar back-to-school chore: the meal application form. It also removes the stigma some families feel when applying for subsidized meals, according to the USDA. Schools no longer need to track unpaid meal charges.
Families may still receive alternate income forms from the school. Those aren't for meals, the district said in its announcement. They collect household data used to determine eligibility for other programs.
The first day of school for Greenwich Public Schools students is Friday, Aug. 28.
At other GPS schools
At the district's 14 other schools, the traditional free and reduced-price meal application process remains in place. Families receiving SNAP or TFA benefits should only submit an application if they are not notified of their eligibility by Sept. 16. Questions can go to Ben Branyan, the district's chief financial and administrative officer, at 203-625-4728.
Recent recognition
New Lebanon, a Title I school in Greenwich, has been gaining academic momentum. Gov. Ned Lamont and state Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker named it a 2026 Connecticut Blue Ribbon School, one of just six statewide. Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones noted the designation at the Board of Education's May 28 meeting. The school posted an accountability index of 89.3 for 2024-25.
Food insecurity in Fairfield County
The CEP designation comes amid broader concerns about food access in the region. At Connecticut's annual Food Insecurity Day at the state Capitol on April 28, state Rep. Dominique Johnson, D-Norwalk, said: "You don't think there's food insecurity in a place as wealthy as Fairfield County, but oh, we know there is. And not only that, we are seeing some of the biggest spikes in the state in Fairfield County."
At the same event, state Rep. Moira Rader, D-Guilford, cited data showing more than 500,000 food-insecure residents statewide, including over 120,000 children.
Families with questions about the CEP program at New Lebanon can contact Greenwich Public Schools at 203-265-7424.
