RV board approves meal price increase, accepts tech grants

Meal prices at Royal Valley schools will increase slightly next school year in order for the district to be in compliance with federal regulations.

During the USD 337 Board of Education meeting Monday evening, the board agreed to increase lunch prices 10 cents and breakfast prices 5 cents at all grade levels.

Next school year, the new breakfast prices will be $1.55 (elementary), $1.60 (middle/high schools) and $2.15 (adults – this did not change).

Lunch prices next year will be $2.25 (elementary), $2.40 (middle/high schools) and $3.55 (adults).

To meet paid lunch equity obligations from the United States Department of Agriculture, the district is required to raise lunch prices by 10 cents next year, it was reported.

If the district did not raise its prices, it would lose subsidy funding from the government, it was noted. 

Also during the meeting, the board formally accepted two $5,000 CenturyLink grants for the district, one for the high school and one for the middle school.

At the high school, the grant will be used to purchase littleBits robotics and accessories to be used in Teri Griffiths’ classes, which are part of the audiovisual career pathway. 

The other grant will be used to purchase four GoPro cameras and accessories, as well as registration and hotel accommodations for four staff members to attend the International Society for Technology in Education conference in Denver this summer. 

Those attending the conference will include Joe Baumchen, Brenda Hainey, Mark Haefke and Susan Pfrang.

A representative from CenturyLink presented the grants to district staff members on Thursday, April 21.

* Approved consent items.

* Received a trip request from Nathan McAlister, RVMS history teacher, to allow seventh-grade student Lilly Rooks to compete at the National History Day competition at The University of Maryland, College Park this summer.

Rooks qualified for the competition by winning the junior documentary division of the state competition this past weekend.

The board agreed to pay for the trip expenses for McAlister and Brenda Hainey, sponsors. Rooks will hold fund-raiser to cover her expenses, it was reported.

* Received a legislative update from Rundle.

* Reviewed the plans for the RVHS commencement with Jim Holloman, RVHS principal. A total of 55 students are expected to graduate on Sunday, May 15.

* Learned that during the kindergarten roundup event, 64 kindergarten students enrolled in the district for next year. This is an increase from the past few years where kindergarten enrollment numbers have been in the 50s. 

* Received a district health insurance update from Rundle. Renewal rate changes for next year will not be available to the board until the end of May or in early June, Rundle said.   

* Accepted the quote of $2,940.12 from Claymore Tile to purchase new carpet tile for the agriculture lab room at RVHS.

The carpet will be installed by district employees.

* Discussed an offer from Mike Jewell to sell to the district land for the parking lot located to the east of the RV bus barn at a cost of $21,500. 

The district currently rents the parking lot, which is located on Main Street in Mayetta, from Jewell for $175 a month. 

During the board’s last meeting, members discussed making the purchase out of next year’s budget, and Rundle reported that pushing the closing date to July would not be a problem for Jewell. 

The board members were in agreement with the purchase, and Rundle said the purchase will be included as part of official action items on the agenda for the board’s next meeting. 

* Accepted coach resignations from Nathan McAlister as a middle school basketball coach and Joe Baumchen as the high school volleyball coach.

* Met in executive session for 15 minutes to discuss non-elected personnel with Rundle, Pfrang and Noah Slay, elementary school principal.

Back in open session, the board approved all other classified employee contracts not previously acted upon and agreed to hire Deb Cochran as food service staff at the middle school in Mayetta. 

The board also agreed to hire Andrew Gower as a math teacher at the middle school and Tammy Swaim as a elementary school secretary. A coaching contract was also offered to Gary Armstrong for high school volleyball.

* Adjourned the meeting. All board members were present.