Fed requirement adds to meal cost at USD 410

Parents will find meals costing more when their children begin Hillsboro schools in fall.

USD 410 Board of Education voted to raise prices for all meals by 20 cents at its regular monthly meeting June 11. It is the first increase since 2002.

The decision came after a presentation by Teresa Bern?hardt, food services supervisor, regarding new federal nutrition requirements that emphasize whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, less sodium and sugar, and portion-control.

The requirements will result in a 3 to 5 percent increase for purchasing produce and products, Bernhardt said, adding that she tracks costs for food costs, although it?s harder to determine how much individual meals cost.

The board also voted to increase the charge for individual cartons of milk from 25 cents to 30 cents, which will cover the district?s cost.

Bernhardt said the district won?t be serving Pizza Hut pizzas?the most expensive meal served?but she?s found a good pizza alternative. The menu will continue to include Hillsboro smoked sausage, the second most-expensive meal.

?The key is to keep finding ways to cut into the money for the food service program that is being subsidized from the budget,? Noble said.

For the past school year, the district subsidized about 15 percent of the meal costs, business manager Jerry Hinerman said later.

Board organization

The board began the meeting by appointing its president and vice president for 2011-12. Eddie Weber will continue as president for a third year, and Gary Andrews succeeds Rod Koons as vice president.

Hillsboro Elementary School principal Evan Yoder awarded Rachel Winter a 25-year certificate of recognition given by the University of Kansas. In fall, Winter will begin her 29th year of teaching in the district.

Grant notification

Recently, USD 410 was notified that it is a recipient of a JOB Grant award that will be designated for the entrepreneurship career pathway at Hillsboro High School. The amount is yet to be determined, said Clint Seibel, executive director of Hillsboro Development Corp.

?Hillsboro was one of seven communities invited to be part of the pilot initiative designed to develop an entrepreneurial culture by focusing on the youth,? Seibel said about the $25,000 grant, which will be come through Hillsboro State Bank.

The grant is designed to supplement the Hillsboro Youth Entrepreneurship Education project and will involve others in the community besides the school district, Seibel said.

?We?re going to help you do more of what you?ve already decided to do,? Seibel told board members.

He said an executive group, which includes USD 410 Superintendent Steve Noble, will decide the scope of the project and where grant money is to be designated.

Noble said the board will approve the donation, probably at its August meeting, once the specific amount has been determined.

Fees and practices

Hinerman reported that school district patrons will have the added convenience of making online payments for meals, fees and classes through Skyward on the district?s website.

The board decided to have the district absorb the costs for offering that service.

?It?s the cost of doing business,? Koons said.

Hinerman also reported the district will be switching to a time-card system for employees on hourly wages. He said the plan would be explained to those affected later in the week.

In a 2011-12 budget update, Noble said some numbers have changed since his report last month. One factor, he said, is the Wichita district?s decision to lower its local option budget,which freed some state funding for other districts in the state.

While implications are still tentative regarding how much the mill levy will be increased to receive maximum funding for USD 410, Noble said, it will need to increase about 2.5 mills for the upcoming year for the district to meet its debt obligations for bonds and interest payments.

Noble said the 2011-12 budget will be published with the maximum 8-mill cap for the capital outlay fund, which would result in a property tax increase of 5.9 mills, giving the board maximum authority for approving the budget. The board has discretion to approve a lower mill levy if it chooses.

The final budget will be decided in August.

Other business

In other business, the board:

? approved the 2011-12 handbooks for Hillsboro High School.

? approved student course and activity fees for 2011-12 (see chart). No fees will be charged for explor?atory courses in the middle school.

? approved maintaining the same fees as last year for textbooks and 1-1 computer use.

? approved resignation of Becky Lindsay as HHS At-Risk aid.

? approved the district?s membership for 2011-12 in the Kansas Association of School Board. Membership dues are $7,006.

? approved the district?s participation for 2011-12 in the KASB Legal Assistance Fund with the fee being $1,400.

? approved substitute teacher pay rate for 2011-12 at $87.50 per day, which remains the same as the previous year.

? approved the 2011-12 non-contracted classified employee benefit information.

? elected or appointed the following board officers: Deb Geis, Marion County Special Education Cooperative representative; Andrews, MCSEC alternate representative; Mark Rooker, Teaching Excellence in Education Network representative; Joe Sechrist, TEEN alternate representative; Koons, chief negotiator; Andrews, assistant negotiator; Chad Nowak, Professional Development Council representative; Weber, KASB Governmental Relations representative; Andrews, USD 410 Technology Committee representative.

Board member Joe Sechrist was absent from the meeting.

Meal prices

Grades K-12 breakfast $1.45

Grades K-5 lunch $2.10

Grades 6-12 lunch $2.45

Staff/Visitor breakfast $1.70

Staff lunch $3.20

Visitor lunch $3.70

Milk $0.35

Course and activity fees

Recorder No fee

HMS Activity Fee $20 per year