|Photo by Joselyn King| Rose Tranon, cook at Madison Elementary School, assists a student stopping by for lunch on Wednesday.

WHEELING – A teenage boy walked in with family members Wednesday to Madison Elementary School to pick up one of the pre-packaged lunch bags being passed out there and at other locations throughout Ohio County Schools.

The bags were set up for distribution in the central office at Madison School.

Cook Rose Tranon asked the young man if he wanted some fresh fruit with his lunch. He nodded yes, but took only one apple.

“You can have another if you want,” she told him.

As extreme cold weather forced students in Ohio County Schools to remain home for remote learning on Tuesday and Wednesday, the school district’s cooks and nutritionists still made efforts to provide them with food options. Bag lunches provided consisted of fruits and vegetables such as apple slices and baby carrots with ranch dressing, a soy butter and jelly sandwich, Sun Chips, chocolate chip cookies and juice.

Madison School had bananas and apples available for students.

Locations for pick up were set up there and at Ritchie, Steenrod, Woodsdale and Warwood elementary schools, as well as the Hil Dar Exley Center, the Chambers YMCA and Wheeling Station Apartments.

When students aren’t in the classrooms, their teachers can’t help but worry about them at home and if they are eating, explained Karin Butyn, public relations director for Ohio County Schools.

“When you work in education, all you do is worry about the kids. They are on our minds constantly,” she said. “But in Ohio County Schools, we focus on families as a whole.

“Nobody wants to not be in school. If we can alleviate one potential stressor for parents on a day when roads are passable, we should provide that opportunity.”

Butyn reported that about 140 food bags were distributed on Tuesday, and 212 on Wednesday – with another 120 taken to Wheeling Station Apartments. She said it is likely the food bag distribution will continue going forward on days when school is canceled, but when most roads still are passable for parents to come get food.

The students are welcome to stay and eat at the schools, but that mostly is not happening, according to school cooks.

Teresa Kirby, cook at Ritchie School, reported the school gave out 27 bags on Tuesday, with just one student – the son of an employee – eating it in the school.

She added no other students came out in the cold to the school, but that neighborhood parents came in groups to take back the food bags to them.

“They came for nieces and nephews, and they would start blaring out the names for who they were here for,” Kirby said. “I told them it was OK. I knew them all and they didn’t have to tell me who they were here for.”

One group of parents took back 16 lunches to their neighborhood, she continued.

Needie Cook – also a cook at Ritchie – said she wished more of the students came in for the lunches.

“They are here in the neighborhood, but I guess it is too cold,” she said.

The cooks report the most popular thing in the lunch bag, and most days in the cafeteria, is the soy butter sandwich that is similar to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“The kids love them,” Kirby said. “A lot of the days the kids take them instead of a hot lunch.”

Following Wednesday’s cancellation of school Ohio County Schools has just one remote learning day left, Butyn noted. After that, days will be taken off of spring break or added on the end of the school calendar if needed.