With new management and maximizing the use of commodities, school officials have dramatically decreased the revenue the School District has to pour into the food service account.
This year, $60,000 was added to the account compared to $160,000 last year.
Pea Ridge Schools
Food prices 2014-2015
Breakfast
Grades kindergarten - 12th $1.50
Grades kindergarten - 12th reduced $.30
Adults $2.25
Lunch
Grades kindergarten - fifth $2
Grades sixth - 12th $2.25
Grades kindergarten - 12th reduced $.40
Adults $3.25
Milk $.40
Juice $.35
"I can not brag enough on the work Mr. Martin has done," Rick Neal, school superintendent, said, referring to Keith Martin, assistant school superintendent who is in charge of the food service department. "We're not going to be placing any more money into food service. If we get our check for June, we'll get $30,000 to carry over.
"Our goal next year," Martin said, "we'd like to break even. Even making a profit would be a stretch, but we can get a lot closer to breaking even."
Martin said if a profit is made, it would allow money to be used to upgrade equipment.
Board president Ann Cato asked Martin how he had managed to save so much money.
"By maximizing commodities -- the meat is the most expensive thing you buy in a grocery store. We're also providing a better quality product," Martin said. "You're not ahead; we've stopped some of the bleeding."
School lunch prices will increase by a dime for next year as required by state mandate.
According to Martin, the school district is required to examine the current lunch and breakfast prices using the Paid Lunch Equity calculations provided by the USDA to help school food authorities calculate their paid lunch price increase requirement and no-federal source contributions to meet the requirements of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
He also said there were 98 students fed the first day of the summer lunch program which is funding by the state. He said the school is also running buses down Gann Ridge and Twelve Corners roads to pick up children for lunch.
"We want our kids fed," Sandy Button, board member, said.
In other business, the board:
• Hired Chip Greenwell as assistant principal, Pea Ridge High School
• Charity Fingerhut, Pea Ridge Middle School 6th social studies
• Casey Donson, PRHS business teacher
• Brittany Humes, MS language arts, junior high cheer
• Jared Ross, PRMBA, plastic & metal fabrication instructor
• Transferred Ronda Hall from half- to full-time; Jamie Studer from half- to full-time; John Gibson to half-time Gifted and Talented and half-time Social Studies; and
• Accepted the resignation of Suzi Cotton.
• Approved a new stipend schedule;
• Approved 68 students to enter the district through school choice.
General News on 06/11/2014