The Lapeer Community Schools Board of Education has approved an increase in the price of lunches at all middle and high schools in the District for the 2011-12 school year.
Elementary lunch prices remain the same.
The increase is required by the federally mandated Healthy Hungry Free Kids Act of 2010. School districts that have an average full paid price point below the federal average free reimbursement rate of $2.46 are being required to increase prices over time to this level. Lapeer’s current average lunch price is $2.35.
The lunch price increase will average about 8 cents for as many as 600 students in the middle schools and high schools of the approximately 3,500 lunch meals served daily.
Base lunch prices for the coming school year will rise:
At the Middle Schools
From $2.15 to $2.50 at the crisp station
From $2.15 to $2.25 at three other food stations
At the High Schools
From $2.15 to $2.50 at the play bowls station
From $3.00 to $3.25 at the redi set deli station
Nearly 47 percent of the District’s students qualify for free or reduced meals due to their parents’ household income and family size. LCS also will again next year offer Reduced qualified students no charge for lunch meals.
Lapeer Community Schools, from kindergarten through 12th grade, will continue to offer free breakfast to all students.
Friday, June 17, 2011
East/West will have co-op hockey, swimming
In its budget adoption on June 16, the Lapeer Community School Board approved a co-op hockey team for students from Lapeer East and Lapeer West high schools. The Board also agreed to maintain a co-op swim team for students from the two high schools.
In the budget action, the board also agreed to increase pay-to-participate fee for the 2011-12 school year. The annual fee allows a student to play in up to four sports during the school year.
At the high schools, the fee has increased from $120 to $150 a year. Middle school participation fees have been raised from $95 to $125. Students who qualify for reduced-price lunches will pay half of the regular participation fee. Students who qualify for free lunch will pay $25. In the past, there has been no fee for students who qualify under the free lunch program.
In the budget action, the board also agreed to increase pay-to-participate fee for the 2011-12 school year. The annual fee allows a student to play in up to four sports during the school year.
At the high schools, the fee has increased from $120 to $150 a year. Middle school participation fees have been raised from $95 to $125. Students who qualify for reduced-price lunches will pay half of the regular participation fee. Students who qualify for free lunch will pay $25. In the past, there has been no fee for students who qualify under the free lunch program.
School board approves 2011-12 budget
The Lapeer Community Schools Board of Education has approved a $49.7 million budget for the coming 2011-12 school year.
Throughout the budget process the Board faced state funding decreases and retirement cost increases that led to a potential shortfall of $8.6 million from current year spending.
About half of that will be made up in concessions totaling $4 million in new contract provisions with the Lapeer Education Association.
Another $2 million will come in other spending reductions. Part of those reductions include voluntary pay cuts of 2.5% by the two assistant superintendents and the Central Office administrators in the 2011-12 school year. Those administrators also agreed to a 7.5% reduction in pay for the 2012-13 school year.
The remaining $2.6 million required to balance the budget will come from the District’s fund equity. The District may qualify for an added $100 per student in state funding by meeting the governor’s financial best practices criteria. That could represent another $600,000 in revenue, reducing the fund equity portion contribution to the budget to $2 million.
The budget calls for a staff reduction of 45 teaching positions, which at this time includes 8 layoffs. The remainder of the staff reductions will come from retirements and resignations.
Under cuts to the athletic department budget at the high school level, the District will only fund one co-op hockey team for students from both Lapeer East and Lapeer West. The board agreed to continue to fund a co-op swim and dive team for students from both schools.
Pay-to-Participate fees at the high schools will rise from the current $120 to $150 per student (for participation in up to four sports) and at the middle schools from $95 to $125 for the 2011-12 school year.
Throughout the budget process the Board faced state funding decreases and retirement cost increases that led to a potential shortfall of $8.6 million from current year spending.
About half of that will be made up in concessions totaling $4 million in new contract provisions with the Lapeer Education Association.
Another $2 million will come in other spending reductions. Part of those reductions include voluntary pay cuts of 2.5% by the two assistant superintendents and the Central Office administrators in the 2011-12 school year. Those administrators also agreed to a 7.5% reduction in pay for the 2012-13 school year.
The remaining $2.6 million required to balance the budget will come from the District’s fund equity. The District may qualify for an added $100 per student in state funding by meeting the governor’s financial best practices criteria. That could represent another $600,000 in revenue, reducing the fund equity portion contribution to the budget to $2 million.
The budget calls for a staff reduction of 45 teaching positions, which at this time includes 8 layoffs. The remainder of the staff reductions will come from retirements and resignations.
Under cuts to the athletic department budget at the high school level, the District will only fund one co-op hockey team for students from both Lapeer East and Lapeer West. The board agreed to continue to fund a co-op swim and dive team for students from both schools.
Pay-to-Participate fees at the high schools will rise from the current $120 to $150 per student (for participation in up to four sports) and at the middle schools from $95 to $125 for the 2011-12 school year.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
City makes plans for Box City
Each year, Lapeer Neighborhoods, Inc. sponsors a FREE craft/art event targeted to pre-school & elementary age children called “Box City” during the Lapeer Days Festival.
This year’s event will take place during Lapeer Days downtown under the Farmer’s Market Pavilion from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, August 19th, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 20th. Since this is a FREE event, it is quite popular and fun!
The goal is to help educate young people about how healthy, vibrant cities are formed via planning/zoning. The children receive a color coded “permit” at the registration table to build a place to live, work, buy things or help people. They then receive small cardboard boxes and crafts to decorate their “building.”
After each child completes their own masterpiece, they place it on the faux City grid in the proper color coded zone (i.e. homes near parks away from factories/industry; places to help people near neighborhoods, etc.). Each creation is a great piece of art, individually; but when all the buildings are placed together in the “City” it truly is a wonderful site. This activity is supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Downtown Business Association also supports the program annually. Local involvement is key to the success of this event!!
Sometimes older students are the best volunteers for this program! Younger children really relate to teenage mentors. If any junior high or high school students are interested in volunteering (parents and art teachers are also always welcome), they can contact Denise Soldenski, Grant Administrator for the City of Lapeer at (810) 245-4221 or dsoldenski@ci.lapeer.mi.us.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
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