By SALLY BELL
Staff writer
The Cranberry area school board approved a resolution Monday night to award contracts for capital improvements at the district.
Renick Brothers Construction Co. of Slippery Rock was awarded a construction contract for heating and air conditioning improvements at the elementary and high schools after submitting the low bid in the amount of $819,000 for the project.
A & MP Electric, Inc., of Guys Mills was awarded an electrical construction contract for lighting improvements at the high school after submitting the low bid in the amount of $76,000.
The bids came in higher than expected but were still within the projected budget for the projects, said Superintendent Bill Vonada.
The work on the HVAC and electrical systems is to be performed over the summer when students are on break.
Food service update
Cranberry Area School District is not eligible to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision Program, said Kim Daugherty, food service director, in an update to the board.
The CEP is a meal service option for school districts in low-income areas through the United States Department of Agriculture’s food and nutrition service.
It allows districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without having to collect household applications.
Locally, only Oil City school district is participating in the program, Daugherty said.
The board also renewed its food service contract with Metz Culinary Management for the 2017-2018 school year. The contract contains no breakfast or lunch price increases.
Elementary and high schools
Kindergarten registration is up to 64 students, said Elementary Principal Robert Horner in a report to the board. That number is still low for this time of year but registration can go on to either ebb or flow over the summertime, he said.
Currently, the second-grade class is the largest one at the elementary school, with 110 students, Horner said.
At the high school, schedules are full of activities as the school year winds down, said Principal Ritt Smith.
A cookout is planned at the high school on May 18.
Two Cranberry school board members, Mark Marterella and Ken Brannon, have children who are graduating this year. Those board members will be on hand to pass out diplomas to students at graduation.
Budget
The Cranberry school board is set to consider the district budget for preliminary approval next month.
Currently, the budget projection stands at $18.6 million in revenue and $18.7 million in expenditures, leaving a deficit of about $74,000.
“The goal is to try to evaporate that (deficit),” said Henry Karg, business manager.
Personnel
The board accepted with regret the resignation of several personnel who are retiring, including elementary school teacher Marcia Ridgeway, high school librarian Dale Logsdon, and assistant business manager/board treasurer Patricia Couts.
Next month’s meeting of the Cranberry school board will be at 7 p.m., Monday, May 22, at Cranberry Elementary in Cranberry Court.
