Crook County school buses still busy, delivering meals to kids

District has 20 meal sites, but that number could increase next week

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- When Oregon schools closed March 16 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it wasn’t only the opportunity to learn that students lost. Many students who rely on school breakfasts and lunches also were missing out. But in Crook County, a new effort has brought those meals to them.

It took the Crook County School District about 18 hours to put together a ‘Grab N Go’ meal program. That same day, the school district started a curbside pickup meal program at the Pioneer South School in Prineville.

The school district now delivers to 19 meal sites throughout the district, with the help of its nutritional service workers and bus drivers. Altogether, there are five school bus drivers and about eight nutritional service workers.

Denny Bauldree, the school district’s nutritional services supervisor, called the process a team effort.

“Well luckily my team is really engaged in the process,” Bauldree said Friday. “They really want to help the community, and they want to serve the kids -- and that’s really what it’s been about with them. I’ve been really impressed with my team. Going out on these routes, the kids are so appreciative.”

The program serves around 1,000 meals to about 500 students each weekday. Each kid receives a breakfast and lunch meal.

“It’s different, because it comes in bags,” fifth-grader Marcos Zamudio said. “You don’t get the same stuff.”

On an average school day, the district feeds about 3,000 meals a day. With this service, the district serves about a third of that now. 

Here's the latest list of meal sites and times: