Plasterers and painters have been busy replacing with insulated walls two- thirds of the glass windows that once lined the front of the New Garden school building. Bosley said the windows were removed to conserve energy. The openings that remain will be replaced with more energy-efficient windows.
The renovation is costing the school district $750,000, most of which is included in the 1989-90 budget.
That budget provides for other renovations as well.
According to Bosley, the state Department of Education approved the district's request to construct a new administration building at the high school. The $350,000 building will be smaller than the current facility at Mary D. Lang Elementary School, but will open up badly needed classroom space at the elementary school.
Bosley asked that a special school board meeting be held later in the month for a vote on the awarding of bids for the project. "We would like to begin construction in the fall and be moved into the building by December," he said.
In other business, the school board unanimously approved a proposal to increase the price of cafeteria food.
Joseph Boyle, secretary of the school board, suggested that a number of items on the menu be increased in price from a minimum of 5 cents to as much as 10 percent of last year's costs. According to Boyle, the district lost almost $10,000 on food services in the 1988-89 school year. "The proposed increases should adequately make up for the deficit we saw last year," Boyle said.
School board President John C. Cole asked if it would be possible to increase the price of "luxury items," such as soft pretzels, ice cream and cakes even more than proposed.
"I'd rather encourage a student to choose a bowl of soup instead of a nutty bar," he said. Board member Alexander v. d. Luft disagreed with any further increase.
"The way I understood it, the proposed increases cover the deficit. We're not in this to make a profit," Luft said.
