‘True plastic silverware’ will be tested in Belleville schools

Amid all the big-ticket news at the District 118 board meeting of a debt certificate and penny sales tax, it was the possible demise of one simple bit of plastic that had the board and administrators giddy.

This year, two schools will be testing actual forks and spoons, said the food service director.

That means, maybe, no more sporks in Belleville schools.

“When you see a kid eating a salad with a spork, you understand,” said Steve Ebbesmeyer, food service director for the district.

“This is major stuff,” said Matt Klosterman, superintendent of Belleville District 118.

Board members quickly broke into conversation debating the merits and downfall of real silverware as well as annoyance that the move comes as one’s own children had graduated from the district.

“All four of my kids are out of the district now, good timing,” said Aaron Snively, to which Board Member Judine Keplar said, “Don’t take away my joy!”

Ebbesmeyer said the food service department has done comparative pricing and looked at the need, and said “as long as everything goes well, we’ll have true plastic silverware.”

The food service director provided the report typically reserved for principals during the school year. Ebbesmeyer reported on the number of meals served – 1.6 million – by the district, including meals to the 21 schools in the cooperative that are not in the district.

He said participation in the lunch program was “very good” at 76 percent, and said that compares favorably to other districts in the state.

Ebbesmeyer reported that orange chicken with rice and a popcorn chicken salad with goldfish crackers were popular entrees, although he admitted that the chicken and crackers may be actually consumed and the romaine lettuce left on the tray.

“It still gets the food in front of them, and over time (they may eat the lettuce),” he said.

He also told the board of food items he would like to bring to students, including another Asian-inspired entree and a Mexican-inspired entree.

Later in the meeting, the board increased the price of lunch by 10 cents, to $1.90 for a paid meal. The district must “take steps toward a full price paid meal,” said Assistant Superintendent Ryan Boike.

Klosterman said it is still one of the lowest prices in the area, largely because of the cooperative agreement the district has with other schools.

In other business

▪  Klosterman recommend to the board that the resolution for the penny sales tax be deferred. He said he was concerned that with the “enormity of the election” in November, the voters may not be adequately prepared to answer the question.

School districts representing 50 percent of the county’s student population must pass a resolution for the penny sales tax to be on the Nov. 8 ballot. On Monday, Belleville 201 also tabled the matter.

Klosterman said recent conversations both within the district and among other superintendents were very concerned with the timing, and recommended reconsidering the matter for the April ballot.

“It really comes down to hae adequate opportunity to convey what the tax is about,” he said.

▪  The board agreed to issue a debt certificate in the amount of $14.5 million, for school construction costs.

“The debt certificate allows us to create a ‘basket’ for all the construction bills that are going to come in,” said Linda Matkowski, financial advisor to the district.

She described it as a legal process that allows schools to pay construction bills without creating funding bonds for each invoice.

▪  The Illinois State Board of Education will audit the district within 45 days. ISBE sent a notice to the district recently, Klosterman said, and the audit would concentrate on how the district manages general state aid, transportation and early childhood money.

▪  Buildings will be opening on July 28 for administrators. New student registration begins Aug. 1.

▪  Board secretary Terra Hilmes will be on maternity leave at the beginning of the school year. The board agreed to appoint Evelyn Duncan to fill in just for board matters during Hilmes’ leave.

▪  The board agreed to an agreement with Chestnut Health Systems, where the district will supply space, access to students and parental consent for social workers to support District 118 students. There is no cost to the district, Klosterman said, and the social workers would remain employees of Chestnut.

“We struggle with not having enough social work support in our district,” Klosterman said.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 10:18 AM with the headline "‘True plastic silverware’ will be tested in Belleville schools."