A $502,825.41 food services transfer was approved on Oct. 20 by the Gasconade County R-2 Board of Education to balance the account that was over budget due to the district providing free lunches to students.

Superintendent Dr. Jeri Kay Hardy recommended transferring the funds.

“The food service transfer is due to students not having to pay for lunches,” she began. “The recommended action is to transfer $502,825.41 to offset the deficit for the 2024-25 school year.”

Board Member Jean Baker asked how the program was doing.

“Is participation up?” Baker asked. “It’s been a while since we’ve talked about it.”

Hardy said more students are taking advantage of lunches since the district made them free during the 2024-25 school year.

“Is it up again this year?” Baker clarified.

“It’s about the same as it was last year, but it is up,” Hardy confirmed.

They approved the transfer with a 5-0 vote.

Hardy also provided a budget summary.

“Our total ending balance is $15,603,097.89, and the preceding year was $17,709,427.13, and that was due to the prepayment of the bonds,” Hardy said.

The board made an early bond repayment of over $2 million to help save on interest and increase its borrowing power in preparation for future bonds.

A bond issue is being discussed for the April 2026 ballot. Members continue to discuss the potential parameters of a bond, and plan to vote on a course during the Nov. 17 meeting.

Despite failing twice before, once in 2023 and again in 2024, the board has continued to plan for district improvements while funding maintenance and repairs. One ongoing project is the Gerald Elementary School (GES) gymnasium remodel. GES Principal Brad Royle said the updates have disrupted some of the building’s routines, but have left opportunities in its wake.

“Since the gym renovation has started, it’s kind of interrupted our morning assembly that we have every day, so I just threw it at (Randee Schatz),” Royle said. “Okay, why don’t we make this a newscast opportunity? So this past week, she’s given up every day of her prep to film a newscast with some of our BETA Club kids. It’s been a little rough around the edges, but it’s been good. She’s doing birthdays and stuff. She talked to Tyler Ahring today, and he’s getting her some recent equipment. She’s gonna set that up as part of an ExcEL class on Thursdays to do a week’s worth of newscasts.”

ExcEL is the before and after-school classes provided by the 21st Century Learning Grant.

The next board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Nov. 17 at the Administration Building in Owensville.