The Pike County Board of Education will continue its Summer Feeding Program at Pike County Elementary School this summer.

The program is offered each summer through the Child Nutrition Program’s Summer Food Service, which was established to ensure that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session.

“Apart from the Summer Feeding Program, we are working with the City of Brundidge to provide a summer program for the students that will include instructional and enrichment activities.”

Bazzell said the board of education would like to see the summer program at PCES continue because the students who attend the summer program also participate in the Summer Feeding Program, along with other children up to age 18 who qualify.

The summer program, which provides educational and enrichment activities, was originally funded through Title I but most recently has been funded through a partnership between East Central Mental Health and the City of Brundidge.

In November, ECMH notified Brundidge city officials that it could no longer participate in the summer program.

Bazzell said the Pike County Board of Education would like to see the summer program go forward and in conjunction with the Summer Feeding Program. One complements the other, he said.

At its Monday meeting, the board of education agreed that it would be beneficial to the school system to partner with the City of Brundidge to provide the summer program at PCES.

Brundidge Mayor Jimmy Ramage said he has talked with Bazzell and is pleased that the board is willing to partner with the city to provide this much needed program for the children.

“The summer program provides recreation for the children as well as offering instruction and enrichment opportunities,” Ramage said. “This summer, we would like to offer programming for the older kids, too. So we are excited that the Pike County Board of Education is willing to partner with us and we look forward to a strong summer program in Brundidge.”