By Noelle Kronberg
EAGLE TIMES
EDUCATION REPORTER
School lunches will cost more next year for Claremont students.
The Claremont School Board approved the higher prices, and a new contract with Fresh Picks, the district’s lunch service provider, during its June 21 meeting.
Prices will go up 25 cents on elementary breakfasts, 50 cents on middle, high school and adult breakfasts and 50 cents on all lunches. Without the increase to cover higher food costs, the district would be left with a larger deficit at the end of the year.
Board Vice Chair Frank Sprague said he hopes more people will apply for free- and reduced-lunch assistance.
District Data Manager Danielle Skinner said the number of families applying for free- and reduced-lunch has sharply declined in recent years, in part due to a period during the pandemic when all students received free meals without needing to fill out the paperwork.
Data request
During the public comment segment of the meeting, Visioning Committee member Candace Crawford sought assistance gathering data it needs to move forward with their contract with the Southern Regional Education Board.
The Visioning Committee supports aligning grades 6-12 curriculum with career opportunities.
Crawford said 41 percent of the class of 2023 are directly entering the workforce, rather than attending a college or university, demonstrating a vital need for technical and vocational education.
School Board Chair Heather Whitney stepped in to formulate a plan and Superintendent Michael Tempesta promised to get back to the committee the next day.
Project updates
Tempesta offered quick updates regarding a study of middle school traffic flow by the Claremont Police Department, district calendars, communication and a roof repair project at Stevens High School.
The board had previously allocated more than $500,000 for roof repair work. However, the actual bid for the project came in lower at about $280,000. The vendor has offered to complete repairs on an adjacent section of roof for an additional $90,000, a discounted rate because. The expanded project still comes in under the board allocated funds and the additional $90,000 was unanimously approved.
The meeting wrapped up with Joella Merchant’s appointment to the CCTV board and policy updates.
The next regular meeting for the Claremont School Board will be July 19 and will include the appointment of a replacement member the serve the remainder of Steven Horsky’s term. Horsky resigned at the June 21 meeting after a lengthy executive session.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.