LEWISTOWN — The Mifflin County School District’s Board of Directors addressed a wide range of issues during its regular meeting on Thursday night, covering an agenda that included major votes on contracts, food service funding and inter-district cooperation.

Chief Operations Officer Clint Aurand briefed the board on the district’s recent annual tabletop exercise with local first responders. The event brought together representatives from the Pennsylvania State Police, Mifflin County Regional Police, Lewistown Police Department, Fame EMS, Logan Fire Company, the Mifflin County Office of Public Safety, and the county’s 911 dispatch center. District administrators, principals, transportation office staff, and representatives from the technology department also participated.

Aurand noted that the exercise scenario, which involved a suspicious smell in a school building, closely mirrored a real incident at Strodes Mills Elementary earlier in the year. Lessons from previous drills helped staff respond effectively. Aurand thanked all agencies involved for their cooperation and support, emphasizing the value of such exercises in refining emergency response.

Aurand reported that district transportation operations are in strong shape as the new school year approaches. Activity trips, including those for sports, band, and clubs, are fully covered. The transportation office has completed routing for new students and kindergartners, and work continues to resolve a minor issue involving missing information from one private school. The district has reached out repeatedly and plans to send a formal letter to ensure all private school students receive appropriate transportation once the necessary data is provided.

He reminded families who have not yet registered new students, especially kindergarteners, to do so promptly. The transportation office requires final student lists ahead of the start of school to arrange bus routes and avoid delays.

The board recommended approval of a slate of bus companies as supplemental transportation providers for athletic and activity trips. When primary contractors are unavailable, Melvin Hart LLC, Coontail Adventures LLC, Fullington Trailways and VIP Limousine, Rebco Bussing, and Lauber Brothers will be used at the same rates as existing contractors.

Linda K. Wagner and Rebecca L. Fuller were recommended for approval as new drivers for Krise Transportation, further strengthening the district’s transportation network.

Board members held several roll call votes on key contracts and budgets. The board approved a five-year exclusive beverage contract with PepsiCo Beverage Sales, LLC, retroactive to July 1, 2025, and running through June 30, 2030. Discussion of the contract focused on the agreement’s scope and the district-wide impact for school cafeterias and vending.

The board also approved the 2025-26 food service budget. The budget reflects a cautious financial outlook, with a slight reduction from the previous year, and incorporates a $0.10 increase in meal prices for both elementary and secondary students.

Elementary lunches will be priced at $2.95, while middle and high school lunches will cost $3.10. The price adjustment aligns with rising food and labor costs while keeping meal prices competitive with neighboring districts.

Federal and state reimbursements continue to account for the majority of food service revenue, enabling the district to provide free breakfasts to all students and free lunches to those eligible for reduced-price meals. Over 70 percent of Mifflin County students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a figure bolstered by community eligibility provisions at several elementary schools.

The board confirmed that the food service budget anticipates stable participation, with over 500,000 lunches and a quarter of a million breakfasts served in the prior year. The district’s partnership with Metz Culinary Management will continue, following a competitive bid process for food service management that resulted in the renewal of their contract.

A third major vote approved the 2025-26 inter-district agreement for non-public Title I service between Mifflin County and Mount Union Area School District. This agreement allows eligible K-5 students from Mount Union who attend Sacred Heart School, a non-public school in Mifflin County, to receive federally funded supplemental math instruction from the district.

The two districts will coordinate to ensure compliance with all federal requirements, and Mount Union will reimburse Mifflin County based on the per-pupil allocation set by federal guidelines.

During closing business, the administration announced that federal funds previously withheld from the district–covering Title II, III, and IV programs–had been released, totaling $524,000. This restoration of funds adds support for professional development, language programs, and other federally supported initiatives in the district.

The board also confirmed that the previously discussed increase in cafeteria substitute pay had been handled during a prior committee meeting. Board members requested information on real estate transfer tax receipts, which will be distributed at a later date.