VIENNA — The Maries R-1 Administration will continue to monitor the unpaid school lunch bills following a school board decision last month to suspend the policy of giving students with an unpaid lunch bill of over $25 an alternate meal of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a carton of milk. 

At the October school board meeting, Superintendent Teresa Messersmith gave the board members an update. She said they looked at the unpaid lunch accounts. In the elementary school $2,036 is owed on lunch bills. In the middle school $1,585 is owed. In the high school $2,679 is owed for a total owed in lunch bills of $6,300. 

She said this is “quite a bit of money,” but noted some of it may be from last year. She said they will continue to keep an eye on it and bring the big balances to the board’s attention to see if they want to keep the policy or go back to serving those who don’t pay peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 

Messersmith spoke with R-1 food service director who said the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is effective in that when some students are served it, the next day they bring money to pay for lunch. 

Board member Mike Kleffner said it is probably the kids who aren’t paying their lunch bill who are the ones who need to eat the lunch meals. Board member Kacie James said the “emotional damage has already been done” when they give a child a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when everyone else is eating the regular meal. 

Messersmith said Maries R-1 has a low free/reduced lunch rate. Kleffner said that probably most who owe money on the lunch bills would qualify. Elementary Principal Shanda Snodgrass said it is hard to get them to do what needs to be done to get the free/reduced lunches. 

They will continue to monitor this.

In other business at the October R-1 School Board meeting:

—The Maries R-1 Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) is due October 2023. It is a detailed plan of actions for accomplishing the district goals. Messersmith said they need to put together a committee. There is much to do and it takes time to do the plans, assessment and needs. They are starting the work now.

—The contract with Missouri Builders Service replace the middle school roof was tabled until some of the board members questions can be answered. The board questioned some of the exclusions. 

The scope of work is to mechanically attach a half inch recovery board over the existing modified roof system. Fully adhere a 60 Mil EPDM membrane over the half inch cover board. Flashing of all penetrations, curbs, and walls per manufacturers specifications. Provide a 20-year manufacturer’s warranty. And provide and install 24 ga. drip edge and counter flashing in manufacturers standard color. The contract price is $110,419. 

Messersmith said the company has to have payment and performance bonds. The company will do the demolition. Board President Vicki Bade said once they get the corrections and questions answered, they can sign the contract. Messersmith said there is time as the work won’t be done until the summer. 

—In the financial report, Messersmith reported formula/CTF funds for October at $112,923.69, which is higher than the four-year average. Prop C revenue was $49,286.58, which is $9,000 higher than the four-year average. She said they thought it would be higher because of record sales tax collection these past two years. Transportation revenue for the month was $57,199, much higher in comparison with the previous months when it was about $7,800. It went from 40 percent to 75 percent. She said transportation revenue may be less next month but it still will be higher than it was during he summer. 

The electric bill in October was $6,755.80 and fiscal year-to-date electricity expense is $27,555.06. There was no propane purchased in October and the current reading is 28 percent. 

—Bade asked for a preliminary agenda be sent out to the board members and they can add to it any items they want to discuss at the meeting.