Lunch prices go up, school day extended at Middle School
By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
The East Troy School Board accepted the resignations of five teachers at the June 8 regular meeting.
High School teacher Julie Busch, personalized learning coordinator Maggie Mayer, district psychologist Amy Waters, Middle School choir director Kim May and High School choir director Rodger Trader all tendered their resignations with the district, leaving at the end of the this school year.
Busch, who has taught in the district for 22 years, told the board it was “the hardest decision of my life” to leave the district and she was very appreciative of her time with the children and considered her self “blessed” to have had the opportunity.
District Administrator Chris Hibner read the resignations letters from all the educators at the meeting, saying he felt it was important for everyone to hear what they had to say.
Mayer said she was leaving to spend more time with her new baby. Waters is taking a full-time job in another district. May is leaving for another similar position with better benefits and Trader said after 14 years, it was time to go.
Trader strongly urged the district to increase the High School choir director position to more than a 50 percent position, saying it was difficult to do the job in the part-time hours allowed.
When School Board President Ted Zess asked if anyone wanted to motion to accept Busch’s resignation, board member Martha Bresler said “No,” and wiped tears from her eyes.
The School Board, with stated reluctance and much gratitude, accepted all the resignations.
Just three more minutes
Middle School Principal Peter Syens asked the board to change the start time at the school, making it three minutes earlier for the 2015-16 school year.
Syens said it would allow the school to create a resource period near the lunch hour for the students. He said it was difficult for the kids to get extra help from teachers at lunch time and before and after school options don’t always work for families so the Middle School was looking at building a 45-minute resource time into the school day. The rest of the time for the new period will be taken from the traditional “home room” time, Synes said.
Lunch prices increase
School District Business Manager Kathy Zwirgzdas requested the board raise lunch prices by 10 cents next year to bring the district’s prices in line with the U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements on how much paid lunches should cost.
According to the USDA guidelines, East Troy is charging 15 cents less than it should, but districts are only allowed to raise the price of lunch by 10 cents a year.
The cost increase should help the district with some of its shortfall in the lunch program, which has been a topic of concern recently.
