Cumberland County Board approves strategic-plan amendments, accepts Dairy Alliance grant and raises adult meal prices

At a meeting adjusted for inclement weather, the Cumberland County Board of Education voted to amend and approve a revised strategic plan, accepted a Dairy Alliance grant offered at no cost to the district, approved increased adult meal prices and moved forward with budget planning and amendments.

The director presented the revised strategic plan, which had been discussed at a work session, and asked the board to approve updated goals to enable printing and implementation. Board members proposed and successfully voted to amend the plan to add a K–2 focus, clarify ACT participation/score language and address substitute availability; a motion to amend was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board accepted a Dairy Alliance grant that the director described as not requiring district matching funds. The item was presented as a routine grant acceptance reflecting prior work-session discussion; the board approved it in roll-call vote.

Following the food-service audit, the director said adult meal prices were “too low,” and presented new pricing to go into effect in January. The recommendation presented at the meeting was to raise staff lunch to $5.25, visitor lunch to $6.25 and visitor holiday lunch to $8.00; board members discussed rounding odd-cent amounts for convenience before voting to approve the price increases in roll call.

On budget matters, the director reviewed the planning calendar for the 2026–27 school year and said principals had submitted budget-prep sheets by the December 1 internal deadline. The board voted to approve the budget plan to continue the calendar toward county-commission submission and also approved several budget amendments and line items that include reallocated grant funds and capital purchases (including funds noted for a freezer and a walk-in cooler for North Elementary). The business officer reported monthly revenues of $22,828,312 and expenditures of approximately $24,414,004.69, and said sales tax collections are $133,000 ahead of budget year-to-date.

The board approved the consent agenda and adjourned the meeting after a brief media question.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting): Dairy Alliance grant — approved (roll call: Cole, King, Matthews, Nichols, Stoll, Van Winkle recorded as voting yes); Adult meal price increases — approved in roll call (multiple board members recorded as yes); Strategic-plan amendment and approval — approved by voice vote; Budget plan approval — approved by voice vote. The meeting record noted two board members absent.