With the start of the new year, a lot of committee assignments, memberships in various organizations and designations needed to be made. One of the items on the agenda was the issue of whether the elementary milk break program should be continued or not.
Barb Koehn, food service manager, informed the board the food service spends about $10,000 a year on morning milk break. Last year the board decided not to give free milk to the fourth and fifth graders. They were going to pay $10 quarterly with the teachers doing all the record keeping.
During the first quarter 61 of 116 fourth graders and 31 of 102 fifth graders paid for milk. During the second quarter, the numbers dropped to 38 and 11 respectively. However, a count on Feb. 1, showed 339 cartons of milk were consumed out of 612 students in grades K to 5. Koehn stressed the food service cannot afford to keep absorbing the cost of the morning milk program. "I would like to see all the students pay for it with the exception of kindergarten as their milk is reimbursed through the State Kindergarten Milk Program," she said.
Koehn feels many of the students receive their milk either at breakfast or during lunch period. Gary Heineman, elementary principal, added there were between 90 and 100 students participating in the breakfast program.
Heineman suggested parents could be canvassed during the Aug. 27 open house at the school to see how important the milk program is to them. Board member Dean Hanson asked the board to wait before making a decision as he would like to try and raise the funds to cover the milk program.
In other business: the board approved raising the student lunch fees 10 cents. Elementary students would be paying $1.20 per meal; middle and high school students, $1.30. Breakfast prices would go up a nickel, from 85 cents to 90 cents for students and for adults from $1.15 to $1.20.
The board designated the official meeting day and time for the board as the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 8 p.m. in the elementary media center.
The board approved increasing the board members stipend for regular, special and committee meetings from $35 to $40. When working on full-day board business, they would be paid $80.
The board approved the following officer stipend: chairperson and clerk, $125; and treasurer, $50.
The board designated the following as primary bank depositories: Melrose Credit Union, payroll account; Community First National Bank, general account; Farmers and Merchants State Bank, activities account.
The board approved naming the Paynesville Press as the official newspaper.
The board approved leaving the activity fee schedule the same as last year. Athletic admission: $3 adults; $1 students; athletic passes: $15, grades K-5; $20 grades 6-12; $25 for single adults and $50 couples. Participation fees: $10 middle school and $20, high school per sport with a $100 maximum per family.
The board approved a leave request for Lorraine Skrypek, middle school special education teacher, middle school speech advisor.
The board approved a contract for Charles "Tim" Woehler as a middle school science teacher.
The board accepted the resignation of Arlene Anderson, head cook at the elementary school, effective July 31, 1996.
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