At their regular September 11 meeting, the Lanesboro School Board heard a report from Taher Food Services, the new vendor for the school’s lunch program. Taher’s district manager Brett Bauer and local food service director Emily Kiehne not only presented a report on the first few weeks of food service, but also set an attractive table and offered everyone treats of pumpkin bars, apple crisp and apple cider to enjoy. Bauer shared that both the apples and cider were purchased from Blossom Hill Orchard in Preston.
According to Bauer, the kitchen is now serving 60 more meals a day than at the same time last year. The lunch program offers more choices than in the past. The unlimited fruit and veggie bar has been a big hit with the students.
Taher will be offering limited time offers. First to be offered will be cheeseburger fries. These offers will be in addition to the usual menu and will usually try to challenge the students to try something new.
Staffing went well; one previous Lanesboro food service employee joined the Taher staff. In the future Kiehne will split her time between the two schools for which she’s responsible, but she has been at Lanesboro most of the days so far as they get going. Bauer noted that the transition was “extremely smooth.”
In October, Taher will be surveying the students in an effort to provide menus that they like.
The contract with Taher is a one year contract and will be reviewed annually.
Transportation
Chad Wangen also reported to the board. He shared that DOT had already been at the school to inspect the vehicles. The inspection went well with all the vehicles passing. While substitute van and bus drivers are still needed, the regular routes are staffed. Superintendent Matt Schultz enthused that one of the new kitchen employees also is driving a van for the school.
The new bus which was expected in June arrived right before school started. The new electric buses have not yet arrived.
Public Comment
Tamara DeGarmo addressed the board to thank them for the different situation for food service and noted that she appreciated the new vendor. She had polled several students and learned they too were enthusiastic about the food service this year.
DeGarmo also thanked the school for their work to improve communication.
A third topic she spoke to was staff retention. She urged the board to “make targeted efforts to make Lanesboro a destination school for teachers” and suggested surveying teachers to learn the school culture and what they would like to see improved.
MOUs
Two MOUs (memorandum of understanding) were discussed and approved. The first was concerning the READ act training. The state provided funding for the training. Teachers who complete the training will each be paid $520. They will also receive one graduate credit following completion of the training. This MOU will be in effect through June 30, 2026.
The other MOU was regarding leaves of absence, sick days and personal days. Lanesboro had previously set up two different banks for time off — one for Earned Sick and Safe time and one for original sick days.
With the new state legislation, a school may not have multiple banks for sick days. As a result, the school decided that any banked days before January 2024 would stay original sick days while days after January 2024 would be bankable as Earned Sick and Safe days. In 2026, a paid family leave change will take effect and change how the school will need to account for the days one again.
Other Business
In other business the board:
•Approved the hiring of Rae Rowell as a title paraprofessional as well as Day Care staff;
•Approved the hiring of head coaches Matt Asleson for boys basketball and Steve Storhoff for girls basketball;
•Certified the $1.17 million proposed tax levy; this is the maximum amount and will most likely be lowered later;
Set snack prices for the year at $23.50 per quarter or $94 per year
•Approved the crisis management plan; a copy of the plan goes to local law enforcement, but is not made public for safety reasons;
•Approved the second reading of Policy 422; this policy states that the school policies apply to adults at the school as well as to the students;
•Gratefully accepted donations of $1,000 for the scholarship fund, $200 from the Legion Auxiliary for shirts for the bus drivers and $250 from the Fountain Fire Department for the Tex/Mex trip.
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