The Delaware City Schools Board of Education on Monday heard a presentation about food service and approved a contract with an architecture firm to begin planning expansions throughout the district.
Director of Food Services Sally Rathje reported to the board that the district’s food service department has been fiscally self-sufficient for 16 years and remains “in the black.” Rathje said the district will be increasing lunch prices at all the schools in the district. Elementary school lunch prices will increase from $2.70 to $2.75, while prices at Dempsey Middle School and Hayes High School will increase from $2.95 to $3.
Rathje said her department will be increasing meal options at each school to accommodate different tastes, and they will be offering more à la carte options.
Executive Director of Human and Material Resources Jerry Stewart also gave a presentation in which he gave school nurse Eileen Duffy a “Well Deserved” award from UnitedHealthCare, the district’s healthcare provider. The award honors Duffy for coordinating seasonal wellness challenges for staff; setting up fitness tracker loan programs, special cooking kits, and family event days; and for leading several other programs to help staff get and stay healthy.
Monday’s board meeting was the final one with Paul Craft as the superintendent of the district.
Craft said he’d done some research and determined that he had attended 175 board meetings in his time with the district.
The board approved Craft’s resignation earlier this year after he accepted a position as the CEO of the Metropolitan Educational Technology Association (META). His last day with the district will be July 30.
Craft thanked the board of education, and he added his tenure as superintendent has “been the pleasure of my life.”
Board President Jayna McDaniel-Browning thanked Craft for his work with the district and praised him for putting together “a wonderful team” to lead the district.
The board also approved entering into a service agreement with Triad Architects to begin designing planned capital improvement projects as a result of the bond issued passed by voters in May.
Additionally, the board approved a number of staffing changes, including the resignation of Michelle Bumgardner, an administrative assistant at Woodward Elementary.
The board also approved the following employments:
• Rebecca Greene, a psychologist at Willis Education Center.
• Danell Hall, an intern psychologist at Willis.
• Noah Messerall, a teacher at Woodward Elementary School.
• Jill Mustard, a psychologist at Willis.
• Katherine Nelson, a teacher at Carlisle Elementary School.
• Alyssa Petsche, a teacher at Hayes.
• David Reed, an intervention specialist at Schultz Elementary School.
• Jennifer Shonebarger, a guidance counselor at Hayes.
•Paul Tankovich, a teaching and learning coach at Willis.
• Kathrina White, an intervention specialist at Hayes.
The board will meet next on Aug. 5 at 6 p.m. at Willis.
