Board approves bids, per-diem variance, field trip and software subscription

At its Sept. 30 meeting, the Portage Township Schools board approved a series of operational items aimed at facility and program support.

Trustees authorized administration to advertise bids for waste removal and recycling services, with a proposed contract term from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025; the administration said the first legal notice would publish Oct. 4 and staff hoped to award a contract by Nov. 11, 2024. The board also approved authorization to advertise for mechanical/HVAC upgrades at Jones Elementary in 2025, replacing horizontal unit ventilators with energy-efficient vertical units tied to recently sold bond-funded site improvements.

The board approved a one-time variance to allow a $160 flat per diem for food-service staff attending the USDA annual conference; presenters said hotel and airfare costs are not charged to the district and attendees had previously earned the opportunity to attend. Trustees also approved an overnight senior-class trip to Great America on a first-come, first-served basis; administrators said counseling and financial measures exist to avoid excluding students who cannot afford the $100-per-student cost.

Finally, trustees approved a four-year curricular software subscription for Portage High School’s math department with a stated four-year total of $1,480. The agenda and discussion included inconsistent spellings of the product name (transcript shows “Akuta,” “CUDA,” and “Kuda”); the district presented the purchase as a tool to generate differentiated worksheets, multiple versions and presentation modes for teachers.

Each motion carried on roll call.