If a recently approved funding request gains approval at the state level, a new childcare option will be coming for staff members of USD 253 Emporia next school year.
During their regular board meeting Wednesday evening, the USD 253 Board of Education approved using a portion of the district’s remaining ESSER III COVID-19 funds to support a portion of the cost to establish four childcare classrooms. The $600,000 will be used on a one-time basis and will help to cover the purchase of furniture, technology and supplies for the classrooms as well as the salaries of providers.
USD 253 Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Judy Stanley says with the ESSER III funds only being used for the coming academic year, the district will be actively searching for more permanent grant funding for continued operation in the future.
The total cost of the first year of operation will be roughly $600,000 with a projected revenue of more than $94,700 in the coming year. Board President Leslie Seeley says it is an expensive project, but a necessary one.
The childcare classrooms will be established at Logan Avenue, Village, and Walnut elementary schools and the Jones Early Childhood Education Center. The Walnut, Jones and Village classrooms are scheduled to be available in August with the Logan classroom set to be available in January.
The district’s request to utilize ESSER funding will now go before a state task force with an answer expected to be given by next month.
In other business, the board approved the district’s meal fees for 2023-24 with a five-cent increase in breakfast and a 10-cent increase for lunches districtwide. USD 253 Interim Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations David McGehee says the increases are necessary due to continued fluctuation in food costs nationally.
The increases will see the cost of breakfasts rise from $2.20 to $2.25 for Kindergarten through 12th grade and from $2.85 to $2.90 for adults. Lunch costs will increase from $3.20 to $3.30 for K-8 with high school prices rising from $3.40 to $3.50 and adult prices increasing from $4.40 to $4.50.
McGehee tells KVOE News the district is trying to keep meal costs relatively low for district families, however, it is difficult to plan for future increases as it is unclear when or if the current price of food will begin to stabilize.
Separately Wednesday, the board voted unanimously to approve an extension of Superintendent Dr. Allison Anderson Harder’s contract through 2025. Following the announcement, Anderson Harder stated she is “very excited” for what’s ahead in the coming school year.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, June 28 at 6:30 pm inside of the Mary Herbert Education Center.
