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Region 8 Executive Director Dr. David Fitts (left) gives Como-Pickton Consolidated ISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Bower the Region 8 Superintendent of the Year plaque. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
Waiver filed for summer feeding program
COMO-PICKTON—Though more than half of Como-Pickton Consolidated ISD’s students qualify for free or reduced lunches, 95% of them live farther than 2 miles from the school, a quality that makes the district unable to effectively implement a summer feeding program, Superintendent Dr. Greg Bower said at the Monday night board meeting.
“Most of our kids, as you [the board] found out from our COVID response, had their meals delivered,” Bower said. “For us to go through and hire them [food service] again to come in and do something would be staggering in cost.”
A school is required to offer a summer feeding program if more than half its students qualify for free or reduced lunches, but districts can file a yearly waiver if the program would not effectively serve students. For rural, far-ranging districts like Como-Pickton, it’s not feasible for most students to walk, according to Bower.
“There are very few students who live within a reasonable walking distance to take advantage of that,” Bower said. “Aside from that, there’s no crosswalks or sidewalks for them to use.”
The board approved the waiver, 6-0.
In other items, the board approved the $14,305 purchase of a radio repeater system to be installed on a tower in Como. This is part of a wider effort to own the entire communications system instead of leasing it, said Bower. The district currently owns all its handheld radios kept in classrooms.
“The very last step will be to get our bus radios installed,” Bower said. He estimated that would cost $8,000-$10,000, though Bower added he has not received quotes yet.
In his report, Bower talked about the staff reaction to the district’s move to limit online learning in late September, saying they were “appreciative” of the decision.
“Our school district took a very strong stand to be one of the very first in the state to make that bold move for our staff and for our students,” Bower said.
Bower also noted October is Principal Appreciation Month and thanked the gathered principals for their work.
“We have the best administrative team that I’ve ever worked with,” Bower said.
Board president DJ Carr also thanked the principals, saying he is “very appreciate of what you all have had to go through since March.”