03/17/11 School closings due to weather have meant the altering of the Plymouth Schools calendar several times this year. At the school board meeting on March 15, Superintendent Dan Tyree announced yet another change. Tyree said the last school day for students is now set for June 6 and teachers will be on the job until June 6.
The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) mandates that public school have classes for 180 days each school year. In years past, waivers were given for closings, but waivers are no longer allowed.
A federal mandate has prompted an increase in breakfast and lunch prices for the 2011-2012 school year. Schools have been mandated to increase the cost of a lunch meal by 10 cents. Gloria Burnham, Director of Food Services, appeared before the board on Tuesday night to request an increase of 10 cents for breakfast, bringing it to $1.10 and 25 cents for lunch, increasing prices to $1.75 and $1.85.
Burnham presented a comparison of current charges for all of the area schools. Plymouth currently charges $1.00 for breakfast and $1.50-$1.60 for lunches. The only school with lower costs from the 15 schools surveyed was Triton Schools. Triton charges 85 cents for breakfast and $1.40 for lunches. Culver Community Schools had the highest prices with $1.65 -$1.75 for breakfast and $2.40-$2.50 for lunches.
The board voted 4-0 to approve the increases for Plymouth.
Board member Larry Pinkerton was absent from the meeting.
Tyree praised the work of the food service staff saying they are doing a fantastic job providing quality meals at low prices.
The board also voted unanimously to sign a letter in support of Phase II of the Greenways Trail. A grant application by the City of Plymouth is being submitted and those responsible for submission are seeking support from various boards within the City.
Phase II of the Greenways Trail will tie the current trail in with a proposed downtown park.
Carol Anders Correspondent
