Free lunch program extended for McCook Public Schools

McCOOK, Neb. — Students at McCook Public Schools will get free lunches until the end of December.

The USDA has extended the program that funded free lunches during the summer to December 31, said McCook Public Schools business manager John Brazell at the regular McCook Board of Education meeting Monday night.

The lunches are slated to begin Monday, Sept. 21. Unlike the lunch program in summer that was opened to the community, this program is limited to MPS students enrolled in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. It also does not include weekends.

Brazell also announced that after 23 budgets he’s prepared in his career, he is retiring at the end of this school year. Brazell was hired by MPS in 2018.

In other business, the board agreed to put on the October meeting agenda the purchase of a school activity bus at $326,500.

That’s $180,000 more than the 2007 bus the board considered buying two months ago. Brazell told the board Monday night that staff test drove the 2007 bus several times and expressed concerns about the difficulty of it to “get up and go.” The bus has 580,000 miles.

Brazell said the 2015 bus, with 185,000 miles, has a lift for wheel chairs and the ability to store wheel chairs in the back. It has plug-ins for technology along with television and DVD screens. With the school district normally averaging 15,000 miles annually, the 2015 bus would still be more valuable in 20 years than the 2007 bus, he said. But the additional cost is something the board needs to be aware of, he emphasized, and whatever route the board chose, “we need to get something in our fleet.”

Board member Tom Bredvick asked if a trade-in of a current bus was possible and Brazell said the current buses would not garner much revenue because of their age.

Board member Dennis Berry asked that the purchase of the 2015 bus be placed on the October agenda, saying it’s the wisest move to make when pro rating milage. Board member Mike Langan agreed, citing the many hours students spend on the bus traveling to activities.

In other business, the board:

- Unanimously approved local substitution certificates with Bredvick citing the high need for local substitutes. Those interested in being a substitute are asked to contact building principals for qualification requirements, he said.

-Administered the Oath of office to high school student council member Alec Langan, to serve on the school board in a non-voting position;

- Unanimously approved the district policy, “Title IX - Procedure for Complaints of Sexual Harassment.” The district already has a Title IX policy that was compliant with state statute, but this one is more in-depth, said Loretta Hauxwell, policy committee chairperson and school board member She also cited Craig Dickes, McCook Senior High vice principal, who is the contact person for Title IX sexual harassment procedures; a staff member is required to be appointed to the procedure process.

-Other district policies the board unanimously approved were the McCook Public Schools Guide to Re-open Schools, giving McCook Schools superintendent Grant Norgaard the authority to make changes to the document as conditions warrant, and policies on student Attendance and student Fees.