Funding for school lunches and 34 teaching contracts were approved at Alexander Local School Board's meeting last night. The board also discussed plans to update the school district Web site.
The board approved the transfer of $110,000 to the district's lunchroom fund at last night's meeting. The transfer of district funds was necessary because the district was running in the red to provide school lunches, Superintendent Robert Bray said.
I think we're almost at the point where we can't raise lunch prices anymore
Bray said. It's not a pleasant thing.
Increased personnel, insurance and food costs, combined with an increased student population in the new building caused the increased cost of school lunches, Bray said. The high school ^ la carte menu used to cover the losses for providing school lunches. The district has already increased the price of high school lunches this year.
We have so many young kids on free/reduced lunch we can't make our money back Bray said.
The board also granted 17 one-year teaching contacts, five two-year teaching contracts and 12 three-year teaching contracts. They also approved middle school and high school fees for the 2005-06 school year.
The school district is beginning negotiations for teacher salaries, Bray said.
The board tabled a vote on student/parent handbooks until May. This is to allow the board to decide if they will require drug testing for athletes. If they do, this decision will be included in the final version of the handbook.
In other meeting news, plans to update the school district Web site were presented by Alexander Elementary School Principal Jeff Cullum.
Two parents volunteered to maintain the Web site and found free software that would allow the district to switch over to a point where people can enter in their own Web sites and departments Cullum said. District employees will be given user or administrator accounts that will allow them to create pages on the district Web site. Teachers would be able to post homework and in-class activities on the Web site.
There are many dead links; our site is really embarrassing. My concern is
without someone controlling it
who will keep it from stagnating? Board President Dave Kasler asked.
Board member Sindy Clary said she would like students to be able to download homework from the Web site.
Cullum said that he would have a shell of the new Web site up in the next week and complete version running by July.
It doesn't happen overnight; it takes time to get things updated
Cullum said.
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Casey Westlake
