By Tim Alsobrooks
Paris, Tenn.- Paris Special School District Director Dr. Norma Gerrell announced at Tuesday night’s board meeting that the district will offer free breakfast to all students next year. School Nutrition Director Pam Brazzell and Dr. Gerrell have worked on the budget and think they can offer free breakfast to all students.
Dr. Gerrell said students can eat in the cafeteria or perhaps will be served a breakfast in a sack so that students take it to the classrooms and save some for snacks later on. Students are more attentive and better prepared for the day.
Food for breakfast includes sausage and biscuits, chicken and biscuits, pancake on a stick, fruit and more. The system has been approved for some money from a USDA grant for fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks for grades K-5. Dr. Gerrell said the district is trying to make sure students are well fed and that she will roll out more ideas come August.
Read To Be Ready
Dr. Gerrell said the “Read to be Ready” program has been great but the district received a letter saying that it was not in the budget for 2019-20. Each child that goes thru Read to be Ready gets about $250 worth of books.
Dr. Gerrell has talked with State Rep. Bruce Griffey and said he agreed to do anything he can to get the funding back. Dr. Gerrell asked all board members to talk with representatives.
The program runs the month of June and feeds kids and improves their reading skills.
The board approved some budget amendments to finish out the fiscal year. Budget Director Mandy Hudgins discussed some of the movement of money with the major amendment is the ½ year Food Service Supervisor Salary. Hudgins said she decreased food and equipment expenses to make up for salary increases.
The final debt services funds expended on the bond payment for Rhea. The payment will reside in the General Purpose going forward.
End of the Year Housekeeping Measures Approved
The board approved a continuation budget to operate on in the new fiscal year when it starts July 1st. The budget allows the system to not spend more than 1/12th of allocated funds until a budget can be passed likely later in July.
The board heard a presentation of the annual alternative education survey, which basically lists the two intervention programs, one at Rhea Elementary and one at Inman Middle School. The guidelines require PSSD to tell the number of students who went to these areas, length of stay, etc. This is a housekeeping measure that is submitted every year.
In other housekeeping measures, the board heard about the LEA Character Education and Conflict Resolution along with bullying compliance reports for the 2018-19 school year. These type of reports have to be filled out for federal guidelines as well every year.
Photo by Tim Alsobrooks.
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