There were some big unknowns when the White River School District took its food services program out of the hands of Chartwells, the food service provider for many schools in North America, and decided to fly on its own. But, according to a report from district Food Service Supervisor Hydie Kidd to the White River School Board at its regular meeting March 11, so far, so good.
Kidd reported, through January, the child nutrition department is showing a gain of more than $2,000 and is building a following. Breakfast numbers are on the rise, Kidd reported, and lunches are gaining ground as well.
The economy is boosting the district’s free and reduced lunch numbers.
In other business, the board:
• accepted Wickersham School of Discovery and Wilkeson Elementary School Principal Carolyn Rembert’s retirement.
• accepted a leave of absence for technology paraeducator Betsy Schultz.
• hired Wilkeson Elementary long-term substitute teacher Kristin Haney, bus driver Chentale Uhls and long-term Glacier Middle School substitute food service worker/cashier Kim Weirsma.
• announced parent teacher conferences begin Tuesday and run through March 27.
• set its next special meeting for 6 p.m. March 25 with the topics to include high school culminary projects, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) update and a Professional Learning Communities update, and 6 p.m. April 8 for its next regular meeting. Both will take place at the district board room.
• announced spring break will begin March 30 and run through April 3.
• heard from district parent Roni Smith, who thanked the board for their work and expressed her appreciation for their dedication.
• approved travel for Pamela Stern to attend Language! training in Denver. The training will allow Stern to train teachers in the district in the reading intervention program. The cost is covered by a grant.
• enjoyed a presentation from the Foothills Elementary School Highly Capable students, who shared their architecture projects with the board. Teachers Tracy Schatz and Amanda Smith briefly explained the program, which involves seven to 11 students who meet once a week for two hours after school.
As part of their architectural course study, older students have been exploring the makeup of buildings, dams, bridges and most recently geodesic domes. Students brought their beginning geodesic structures to the board meeting. When complete, each project should support the weight of a student.
Younger students who have been studying ancient buildings brought their pyramids and castles to the board and talked about the features of each of the structures.
Each elementary school in the district runs a similar program for students to go above and beyond their classroom work and the teachers get together once a month to collaborate.
