Meal prices increased for upcoming school year

The Willow Springs school board increased student lunch prices at its meeting July 18. 

The board previously set rates at its June meeting, but superintendent Dr. Marty Spence reported to the board it was recommended to increase prices further.

Spence said that, due to continued price increases, the district needed to stay within the range for reimbursement for meals. 

Prices set last month were for $1.95 for student lunches, and 25 cents per milk. Spence recommended to increase that by another 40 cents, taking meals to $2 and milk to 40 cents, for a total of $2.40 instead of $2.20.

“Like everything else in the world, everything has just gone up,” said Spence.

The board unanimously approved the recommendation on a motion by Adam Webb and a second by Jeff Lovan.

 

In other business:

• The board accepted a bid of the advertised 90-ton air cooled scroll chiller from Bulldog Pipe LLC of Mansfield for $25,000.

• The annual tax rate hearing for the district was set for Monday, August 8, at 5:50 p.m. in the board conference room.

• The board agreed to write off negative balances in student activity accounts, with this year’s total of $13,508.

• A special session was set for Monday, July 25, at 5 p.m. for the purpose of discussing board-superintendent relations.

• The board adjourned into executive session for personnel. Upon completion of the session, the board declined resignations from Tracy Cottengim and Jewell Holloway and, by policy, imposed liquidated damages of $1,000 and $500, respectively. The board approved resignations from paraprofessional Anna Krivitchenko and middle school secretary Stacey Darnell. The board offered contracts to Buren Jess Wilson, special education teacher; Jerry Miller, elementary school resource officer and assistant high school baseball coach; Makism Kharitonov, full-time substitute, middle school; Kristy Osborn, full-time substitute, elementary; Erica Rodgers, paraprofessional; Irina Kulaevich, paraprofessional; Mike Casky, custodian; Kristy Starbuck, cafeteria; and Sherry Boles, cafeteria. The board also approved the following transfers: Rachael Martin, fourth grade to special education; Tanya Spencer, middle school special education to middle school keyboarding; Amy Pollard, part-time special education to part-time process coordinator; and Gayla Chafin, paraprofessional to elementary secretary.