District to set lunch prices, contracts for year

Published 5:14 pm Saturday, July 20, 2013

The Austin Public School Board will work out the details of its coming school year at a Monday afternoon meeting.

Mary Weikum, director of food and nutrition, and Mark Stotts, director of finance and operations, suggested the district raise the cost of school lunches by 10 cents, or $2.10 at elementary schools and $2.30 for students in higher grades, to comply with National School Lunch Program regulations.

The board will decide whether to accept the low bids it received on Monday for bakery and dairy products.

Email newsletter signup

Bimbo Bakeries of Savage offered the lowest bid at a slight increase over last year’s bakery prices.

Kemps of Rochester was the only dairy bidder, and offered pricing at a 12 percent increase over last year.

Raising paraprofessional wages by 35 cents this coming school year and 30 cents in 2014-2015, and raising food and nutrition service employees’ wages by 20 to 40 cents this year and also next year, depending on the position.

The board will also decide whether to renew the 21,300-square-foot section of Queen of Angels Catholic Church it uses for the Community Learning Center for another year.

Other business

During the meeting, the board will also:

—Decide whether to accept about $4,080 in donations, including a $2,500 from the Kiwanis Club and $1,000 from Ruth Ann Register for Sumner Elementary playground equipment.

—Decide whether to set the Truth in Taxation hearing for 6 p.m. or later on Dec. 9 at the Austin City Council Chambers.

—Decide whether to approve policies on advertising, school board officers, school board meeting agendas

—Hear an update on progress at the new I.J. Holton Intermediate School.