SAD 70 mulls school lunch hike

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HODGDON — Just how much money should students and teachers be paying for school lunches? That is the question being asked by SAD 70 school board members.
    The board spent nearly an hour discussing lunch prices during Monday night’s regular meeting, but failed to come to any consensus on what the cost for those meals should be. Instead, the board tabled the matter for the second straight month in order to accumulate more data.
    As presented, the district is proposing to raise student lunch prices from $1.75 to $2.10 for those in pre-kindergarten to grade eight; and from $2 to $2.35 for those in grades 9-12. Adult meals for staff members would remain unchanged at $3.50.
    Breakfast fees would also remain unchanged at $1 for all students and $1.50 for adults.
    “The increase is because of the rise in food prices,” Superintendent Bob McDaniel said. “One can only assume with the droughts out west that those prices are going to continue to rise.”
    Back in June, the district approved a $10,000 increase to its food services account as part of the 2012-13 school budget. That increase, however, only partially offsets the rise in prices.
    Hodgdon High School Principal Mary Harbison said eventually the district would need to up its prices to $2.51 for full-priced meals.
    Board member David Stevens said he was not comfortable voting on a price increase without having more data on the subject. He suggested board table the matter until the next meeting and requested the administration put together a packet of details such as how many meals are served on a daily basis; how many were full priced versus free or reduced; and what the cost for meals were.
    In other agenda items, the board:
    • Hired Peter Loiselle of Ellsworth as the new assistant principal for Mill Pond Elementary School. Loiselle taught at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Houlton many years ago. The position was included in the 2012-13 school budget.
    • Approved Ashley Porter as a math interventionist for the district.
    • Agreed to a 3-year lease with Dell Computers for 28 laptops for staff members at a cost of $8,621 per year.
    The board’s next meeting is slated for Monday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.