STRATTANVILLE – The lingering labor dispute in the Clarion-Limestone School District appears to be over.
Clarion-Limestone Area Education Association president Andrea Deible told C-L school board members Wednesday that the teachers had accepted a tentative contract earlier in the day Wednesday.
Following an hour-long executive session, school board president Molly Greenawalt said the board didn’t have time to review the contract before Wednesday’s meeting.
The board will hold a special meeting Tuesday to vote on the contract. The meeting will start at 8 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
C-L teachers have been working without a contract since the end of June 2018.
In other business Wednesday, school board member Mike Meals reported on the progress of the football co-op program with Clarion Area School District.
Meals said that in a joint meeting with Clarion representatives the bands from both schools had “thought things out” and the cheerleaders had been discussed. C-L has a cheerleading squad but Clarion doesn’t, and the C-L program may be open to Clarion students.
Meals said the uniforms for the new team and mascots haven’t been determined.
“It has been a great beginning,” he said.
Meals said the co-op committee had also discussed a similar agreement for track and field but there were no “deep dives” into it.
Board member Dave Schirmer expressed his “disappointment” that Todd Smith hadn’t been hired as the offensive coordinator for the new team. Clarion school district hires the coaching staff under the terms of the co-op agreement.
Meals said C-L’s input was “respected” but for “whatever reason” Clarion chose not to hire Smith for that position.
Meals said the committee was making “good progress” and has a “good relationship.”
The board altered the district’s pay to play policy. Student athletes will pay a $50 annual fee that covers all sports. A family will pay no more than $200 per year.
The board renewed the contract for food service with Nutrition Inc. The new contract is effective from July 1 to June 30, 2020.
The board also approved participation in the National School Lunch Program through Nutrition.
Kelly Valmassoni of Nutrition said the company is exploring the possibility of expanding services for C-L students. She said the company was trying a “grab and go” breakfast where students can pick up something and take it with them instead of having a traditional breakfast.
She said a “second opportunity” breakfast may also be available that would provide students a chance to get a breakfast after the first period bell.
Valmassoni said Nutrition was also offering catering for events at the school, classroom parties and healthy options snacks in classrooms.
She said the food costs had increased because Nutrition had upgraded some food products.
Valmassoni said Nutrition’s budget is always a “worst case scenario” but that the contract includes a “bottom line guarantee” for the district.
School board member Lee Stewart said the Clarion County Career Center is operating with an interim director and is re-advertising the director position. He said it is hoped the position will be filled before the start of the next school term.
The board approved the career center’s budget of $3,734,017, an increase from the current budget of $3,657,121. C-L’s share decreased from the current $227,353 to $207,560.
The board canceled its May 1 meeting.