JEFFERSON TWP — At their meeting Wednesday night, South Butler School Board members Rick Roberts and Richard Sefton said they’ve been told students aren’t getting enough to eat in school lunches offered under the federal Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.

The new law took effect in the 2012-13 school year, and school lunch purchases are down nationwide as a result, said Jacqueline Pfeiffer, board member.

The law emphasizes servings of fruits and vegetables over protein, which students miss, she said. In addition, the federal regulations limit the amount of salt, sugar and fats permitted in food.

Following the rules, the South Butler School District cafeteria lost $36,000 in 2012-13, but the food service company that provides lunches will have to make up that amount, said Debbie Brandstetter, director of business affairs.

The 2011-12 request for proposals for the food service contract included a break-even clause after the district lost about $20,000 on its cafeteria budget in a previous year.

The Nutrition Group of Irwin now holds the contract and is required to make up the difference. It will pay the district $36,000, Brandstetter said.

In 2012-13, about one-third of the district’s $679,000 cafeteria budget came from federal subsidies. Another third came from student purchases at breakfast and lunch, and the last third came from a combination of sales, rebates and the break-even funding.

The school board will vote Wednesday whether to renew its food service management agreement with The Nutrition Group.

In addition, the board will vote on three 2013-14 budgets:

• The 2013-14 general fund budget totals $34 million and does not require a property tax increase. The rate for district property taxes will remain at 93.275 mills. A mill generates $1 for each $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

• The cafeteria budget will run $714,170.

• The capital projects fund budget totals $502,625.

Student feesThe $34 million general fund budget includes about $62,000 projected to be generated from proposed fees for students to participate in clubs or sports.The board vote on the fees has been tabled until July 1 and public input is being sought through a survey on the school website. Funding would have to be found to replace that amount if the fees are not approved by the board.Under the proposed rule, a student would pay $25 to participate in a school-sponsored club and $50 to participate in a sport. The fee would be capped at $200 per family and waived for students who receive free or reduced-price lunches.

Administrative change In other business, the board named Greg Hajek, principal of the South Butler Primary School, to replace Vincent Mariotti, district director of special services and psychologist who is retiring at the end of the year.Hajek’s salary will be set later, but principals earn about $90,000 annually. Hajek’s replacement has not been named.The school board also approved summer construction projects: Lutz Tennis and Asphalt of Murrysville will paint and reseal tennis courts near Knoch High School for $12,950; Foreman Architects of Butler will act as project manager for $3,500 and accept bids from contractors to apply roof seal coating at the Knoch High School-Middle School; the district will accept bids for paving the bus access road at its intermediate elementary school; and a new temperature control system will be installed in the high school-middle school.Also, Kim Fitzgerald of Sarver will offer dental exams to district students on a volunteer basis in 2013-14.And board member James Jones, a retired PPG Industries employee, gave the district $1,000 from the PPG GIVE Program for his volunteer service to the school board.