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The North Branch School Board delayed adopting the school fees and lunch prices for next year 2023-2024 until staff gets an answer to a unanimous concern the Board has about milk.  Board member Adam Trampe saw a snafu in the free lunch and breakfast rules, going into effect at the start of the new fiscal year, July 1.  The legislature enacted free meals for all students but if a student opts to consume a pricier a la carte dish, or if the student wants to purchase a second meal, the student pays 70 cents for milk.  If the student eats the single, standard menu offering, milk is free.  

Board members were concerned there’s nothing to keep a student from picking up the meal but not eating the food, just so they can get a container of milk free.  Board member Heather Naegele commented that students often bring food, or they have food allergies — but they want milk.  If they can receive free milk with a meal, why can’t they get a milk free without a meal?

Director of Finance and Human Resources Todd Tetzlaff promised to look into the issue and the Board opted to take action on fees at the next meeting.

Lunches as a second meal or for adults are set at $5, a la carte selections will vary depending on what the district’s food service has to pay for products.  As far as fees— North Branch metal welding and wood class charges will increase by an estimated $10 but other activities and fees remain the same. Maximum that a family will pay stays capped at $1,000.

The School Board adopted the year-end revisions to various accounts and necessary transfers for this year’s budget and accepted the 2024 budget numbers. A detailed explanation was gone over in the May 25 work session.  Director of Finance and Human Resources Tetzlaff said the legislature is increasing pupil aid as of 2024 school year by four percent, and by two percent in 2025, and lawmakers added an automatic inflation factor to funding from now on, capped however, at three percent.

In setting the updated census-based population figures for Community Education programming funding—the Board learned there’s been 2,000 new residents residing within the district in 10 years. 

Enrollment numbers at the end of this year showed 2,586 students attending all facilities.

The new official holiday of Juneteenth, recently established in law, will result in district staff being off on June 19.  Buildings can still be used by outside organizations that have scheduled activities and the district grounds can be utilized. There is no “Youth Connections” that day.

The day of the Board meeting was the last day of the school year, June 8,  and Superintendent Sara Paul expressed her gratitude for all the staff members and volunteers who helped “create opportunity’ for North Branch students.

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