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Board approves calendar change, career-ladder plan, Anthem insurance, Fresh Ideas contract, meal-price increases and bus purchase
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Summary
The Crawford Co. R-II board approved amendments to the 2025–26 calendar, adopted a 2026–27 career-ladder plan, approved an Anthem insurance renewal (board-paid cap $749.89), renewed a Fresh Ideas food-service contract, raised meal prices slightly and authorized purchase of two buses for $308,674.
The Crawford Co. R-II school board approved a package of routine business items at its meeting, including a calendar amendment, adoption of the 2026–27 career-ladder plan, insurance and food-service contracts, a small increase in student meal prices and a purchase of two buses.
Calendar: The board voted to remove one of two unused snow days from the 2025–26 school calendar so students will dismiss earlier in May. The motion to amend the 2025–26 calendar (moved by Roger, seconded by Caitlin) carried 6 yes, 1 absent.
Career ladder: The board approved the district’s career ladder plan for 2026–27, which the assistant superintendent said was revised to match state guidance. The assistant superintendent described the stages and payments: Stage 1 — 50 hours at $1,500; Stage 2 — 75 hours at $3,000; Stage 3 — 100 hours (transcript did not specify a stipend amount for Stage 3). The motion to adopt the plan passed 6 yes, 1 absent.
Insurance: Staff recommended renewing the district’s insurance with Anthem. The superintendent said the district negotiated the increase down to 7.9% (compared with market increases as high as 20–40%), and that the board-paid portion would be capped at $749.89 per month. The superintendent cited a total premium increase of roughly $125,466. The board approved the Anthem insurance options with the stated cap (motion passed 6 yes, 1 absent).
Food service and meal prices: The board approved a Fresh Ideas service-management contract for 2026–27; the superintendent said the vendor granted a modest 3% increase and the district remains on a lower, grandfathered meal plan. The board also approved new meal prices: staff breakfast $2.57 and lunch $3.60; student breakfast $2.17 and lunch $2.96 (student prices rose by $0.10). Motion carried 6 yes, 1 absent.
Buses: The board authorized the purchase of two buses from Midwest Transit Equipment for $308,674, noting limited bidders and fleet-standardization benefits. The motion passed with a recorded vote of 6 yes, 1 absence.
Other routine items: The board accepted April results for a local proposition as presented (the transcript did not specify the proposition identifier), approved going out to bid for an interest-bearing account for bond proceeds and scheduled the regular May meeting for Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., with closed session to follow.
Closed session notice: The board later voted to enter closed session under Section 610.021, subsections 3 and 13, Revised Statutes of Missouri to discuss personnel after a 10-minute recess; vote recorded as 6 yes, 1 absent.
What was not decided: No formal budget cuts or staffing changes were adopted at this meeting; those issues remain under staff review.
