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School meal prices will stay the same
SIKESTON -- Parents of Sikeston R-6 students won't see an increase in the price of their children's school breakfasts and lunches next year.
During Wednesday's regular meeting, R-6 Board of Education members voted against a proposal to increase the price of some of the district's a la carte items by five or 10 cents.
In addition the board renewed the district's contract for food management services with Chartwells Dining Service for 2006-2007, and it approved prices for Type A student breakfasts and lunches for next school year.
"These are the same prices we are currently charging this year," Superintendent Steve Borgsmiller pointed out.
Both reduced and adult prices were the same for preschool through 12th grades at 30 cents for reduced-price breakfast, 40 cents for reduced-priced lunch, 90 cents for adult breakfast and $1.85 for adult lunch. Preschool through fifth grade full-paid breakfast is 75 cents and lunch is $1.35. In grades 6-12, full-paid breakfast is 90 cents and full-paid lunch is $1.85.
Also on Wednesday, re-elected board members Julie Crader Dolan and Ann Jones were sworn in.
Members reorganized the board by electing new officers: Dolan, president; Paul Boyd, vice president; Pete Burns, secretary; Lori Boardman, treasurer; and Cheryl White, assistant treasurer.
The board also approved expanding the district's umbrella liability insurance coverage by $10 million for the cost of $22,958. This would give added protection on top on of the district's $2.35 million primary coverage, board member Greg Colwick said.
"I think it's a very good buy for the school district and a good decision," Colwick said.
Andy McGill briefed the board on the A-Plus Program, which was also later approved by the board. Right now 18 Sikeston seniors, 45 juniors, 79 sophomores and 67 freshmen are participating in the program, McGill said. Ten seniors have already completed qualifications to use the benefits after graduation, he said.
The program requires students to complete a certain number of tutoring/
mentoring hours throughout their high school career. If completed, they can receive scholarships to four-year schools in Missouri.
McGill noted something new this year is that A-Plus tutoring and cadet teaching have been combined into one class to help younger students improve their grades and learning. Also more A-Plus students will be able to receive volunteer hours during the school day instead of after school, he said.
"Students have indicated they drop out because of conflicting activities, and we think this will also help increase MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) scores at the elementary level," McGill said.
Since 1999, there have been 155 A-Plus qualified graduates. Fifty-eight have used the program benefits, representing 37 percent of the A-Plus qualified students.
"This is a very important program," Borgsmiller said. "This is not a freebie. Students have to contribute to the program, but in exchange for this, they are able to benefit themselves and their families greatly and get a college education at a very reasonable cost."
Spring parent-teacher conferences held March 22-23 were very successful, according to district officials. Many teachers saw better turnouts than in the fall.
District-wide for prekindergarten through fourth grade (and one fifth grade class) parent attendance was 93 percent. The remaining fifth grade classes had 90 percent of their parents attend conferences.
Middle School parental attendance was 96 percent; junior high was 82 percent; and senior high was 85 percent.
"We're going to continue the spring conference because of parental involvement," Borgsmiller said. "We're very pleased with this and penciled it in next year's calendar."
Several students were recognized as award recipients of the following contests: Southeast Missouri Junior Academy of Sciences; International Science Fair Award; Math Counts, Southeast Chapter; Math Counts, state competition; and Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics Regional Elementary Students Mathematics Contest. The high School basketball team was acknowledged for winning second place in the Missouri Class 4 state competition.
The board accepted the retirements of Sharon Shelton, Wanda Throop and Joyce Crowe, and the resignations of Emily Sipp, Jolon Vaughn and Cindy Day.