Board retains Chartwells to provide food service

MARLBORO - The Marlboro school district has renewed the district's food service management contract with Chartwells for the 2007-08 school year. The Board of Education approved the contract at its regular monthly meeting on June 19.

The district said Chartwells will guarantee a financial subsidy of $50,000 and the deal established the following lunch and milk prices: elementary school children, $1.90; middle school children, $2.10; adults, $2.85; milk, 45 cents; milk (kindergarten pupils), 20 cents; reduced lunch price, 40 cents.

Chartwells has been the food service provider in the Marlboro school district for more than a decade.

In related news, the board congratulated administrative assistant Elizabeth Walsh and Chartwells Dining Services Director Vincent Palmiero for compiling and submitting the Healthy School Recognition Grant application which resulted in the district being awarded a $2,500 grant. The funds will be used to purchase heart rate monitors with calorie counters, enabling physical education/health teachers to teach students lifelong lessons on personal fitness, healthy eating habits and cardiovascular health.

The board also approved the Marlboro Memorial Middle School grades seven and eight jazz band and Royalaires show choir trip to the Festival of Music in Boston during the 2007-08 school year, and the Marlboro Middle School grades seven and eight show choir, jazz band, festival orchestra and chamber orchestra trip to the Heritage Music Festival in Cleveland during the 2007-08 school year.

The costs associated with the trips are fully funded through fundraising efforts conducted by the parents and students, but do require approval of the school board for the students to travel, according to district administrators.

In other news, the board accepted the following retirements: Donna Ogle, elementary school teacher, Frank J. Dugan Elementary School, after 26 years of service; and Sylvia Gentner, teacher of Span-ish, Marlboro Middle School, after 20 years of service.

The following resignations were accepted: Cynthia Anders, school aide, Marlboro Memorial Middle School; Lisa Gentile, instructional assistant, Marlboro Middle School; and Maritza Olivencia, instructional assistant, Asher Holmes Elemen-tary School.

And, the board has abolished the positions of 35 special education instructional assistants. These were assistants who previously worked with students whose Individualized Education Program required an individual assistant. In some cases the IEPs have been modified so that fewer instructional assistants are needed in the district, and in other cases students who had an instructional assistant have graduated from the district, meaning fewer assistants are needed, according to administrators.

The board will hold its next regular meeting at 8 p.m. July 17 at the school district's administrative offices, 1980 Town-ship Drive.