CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Area School District will be prepared for the arrival of students on Aug. 28, the first day of the 2017-18 school year.
That preparation hasn’t been without some difficulties, including the resignation of an instructor five hours prior to last night’s school board meeting. The official resignation date has yet to be determined, however.
Other preparations include a new parking lot off of Mount Joy Road at the elementary school. The board reviewed bids for the project, which will provide an additional 50 parking spaces.
The low bid was submitted by Jefferson Paving at $78,687, and they are to have the work completed by Sept. 5. A bid for garbage removal was also accepted from Advanced Disposal for both buildings.
The bid, which includes recycling, includes $998 per month at the junior/senior high school, $619 for summer collection per month and $498.81 per month at the elementary school.
The handbooks for the elementary and junior/senior high schools were approved with the biggest changes including the dress code, which is now uniform through all grades, and an updated lunch policy for the elementary school.
Superintendent Terry Struble explained that in the past the policy regarding non-payment for lunch allowed for a student to have three lunches unpaid for.
And at the fourth, if the student came through the line with food and it was discovered at the register that they still did not have money on their account, the tray of food would be taken away and the student given a brown bag lunch.
Struble said this was detrimental in several ways. It embarrassed and punished the child, it wasted food and money and nothing was resolved.
Now the policy will be to continue allowing the child to have their cafeteria lunch and when the overdue account reaches $50, the situation will be reviewed and parents contacted.
If no resolution can be reached, there is the possibility the district can take the matter to the district magistrate.
The board discussed the property assessment at the former Clearfield Middle School site on Mill Road.
Struble explained that the property is assessed at $130,000 for 12 acres. Demolition of the building removes the improvement value; however, the district needs to file an appeal on property assessment prior to Sept. 1.
Struble said they do not have a market value on the property and will wait to get that information after the appeal.
A right-to-know request was also discussed by the board. Simon Campbell submitted the request Aug. 7 for information regarding the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
Solicitor Carl Beard recommended the district provide as much information as they can without providing some restricted information, such as names and addresses, and without siding with either Campbell or PSBA.
Because the items presented at this board meeting needed to be approved for the beginning of the school year, next week’s school board meeting has been cancelled.