ALLEGANY, N.Y. — Discussions on the revision of the school lunch program policy as well as presentations of students’ community service projects and the state report card were highlights of Tuesday’s meeting for the Allegany-Limestone school board.
In commenting on the first reading of a new policy for the school lunch program, Superintendent Karen Geelan said the district proposes to change its practice for children who forget lunch money. Currently, the district provides a basic lunch consisting of a sandwich, fruit and milk to the student, free of charge. Under the new policy, a student who forgets lunch money would receive a full meal, free of charge, up to three times. The basic lunch would be provided to the student who forgets lunch after receiving three full meals free of charge.
School board member Jay King questioned why the district provides the basic lunch to children who forget their lunch money, as he believes there is a stigma attached to the meal. Geelan said the current policy had been practiced due to government funding and reimbursement received by the district. She said the current basic lunch policy had been set in place to free up district staff from trying to get money back from families for the full lunches.
Over the course of time, however, the district questioned if full meals were needed by youngsters, such as those in athletic programs, which prompted the new policy. The board will hold a second reading of the policy at the next meeting before voting on the matter.
Another presentation on student volunteers who provided a community service was provided by high school art teacher Theresa Heinz. She said her advanced painting class created beautiful seasonal designs in storefront windows in downtown Allegany.
“You need to go down Main Street if you haven’t already,” Heinz told the board and administrators. She said the students were given gift certificates by the Ink Well art shop as a show of gratitude for their work.
“I’m just really, really proud of the students we have here at (Allegany-Limestone),” she added.
In her presentation on the state report card, director of instruction Paige Kinnaird, said the comprehensive team’s research showed the district needed to focus on four key findings. The comprehensive team’s findings were submitted to the New York State Education Department.
Kinnaird said the team’s report showed attendance issues increased as students progressed through the grade levels; female students outperform male students in assessment scores in the elementary school; students with disabilities at all levels perform lower than other schools in the region; and district students struggled with constructive response questions in English Language Arts and math exams.
Kinnaird said she will help the district address these issues by interlacing solutions with board of education goals for the school year as well as the district’s professional development plan.
In other matters, the board approved the appointment of Casey Williams to a 12-month, full-time position as custodian; Lori Putt to a 12-month, full-time position as cleaner; Bethanie See as a part-time food service helper; and Lisa Yeager to a 10-month, part-time position as food service helper.
Appointed as substitute teachers were Karen Moore and Abigail Maguire; substitute teacher aides, Jennifer Conlan-Vasalos, Tina Marino and Abiigail Maguire; and substitute food service worker, Mary Marks.
