Nutrition program still short

By: Chyna Broadnax | Mooresville Tribune
Published: November 03, 2009

Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education members learned Monday that the district's Child Nutrition Department continues to bleed money.

Chief Financial Officer Melissa Wike told the board the department spent $128,000 more than it took in through Sept. 30.

CND Director Trish Campbell "has made a large improvement from where she was this time last year," Wike said.

The department was $248,000 in the red at this time in 2008, according to Wike.

Interim Superintendent Brady Johnson said the department isn't set up to make a profit.

"The goal of this program is not to make money but to break even," he said.

According to Wike, the Prime Time program has accrued losses of $68,000.

Prime Time will be able to turn things around financially as it begins to bring in money from its supplemental tutoring service, which typically brings in some $175,000.

Wike said both programs are in the early stages for the year and all revenue hasn't been accounted for.

IB programs
Interim Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Melanie Taylor presented the board and fellow administrators with an update on the two International Baccalaureate Candidate programs.

One IB program is housed at Mt. Mourne in Mooresville and the other at Northview in Statesville.

According to Taylor, both schools are in the process of completing the second part of their IB application. They have until Dec.1 to get final IB authorization.

Although this is the first year for both programs, which are considered "middle years" programs, administrators believe it's the perfect time to start discussion of the IB Diploma program.

The diploma program will begin in 2011-12 school year and will have the 11th and 12th grade component.

Taylor suggested the school board begin to think about whether these programs will be at the existing IB sites or have their own separate facilities. She said they will need to begin talks on training staff, transportation, facilities and resources.

"It's probably better to start the discussion now," Taylor said.