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Food pantry to be opened at Prospect

GIRARD — The Girard Board of Education has approved an agreement with Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley to have a food pantry at Prospect Elementary School.

Prospect Principal Debra Gratz and Girard Intermediate Principal Greg Bonamase told the board Wednesday of plans to have a food pantry at the school by February to help students who may be hungry and need food during the school week.

Gratz said an anonymous donor has provided $5,000 to get the pantry started.

She said other school districts have similar pantry programs, such as Niles and Warren.

”This pantry would be for the nightly needs of children who may be hungry,” Gratz said.

Plans are to hold a food drive early next year to get the pantry stocked.

Gratz said children have been learning about healthy eating from educators from the Ohio State Extension Office who come to the school.

In another matter, Board President Mark Zuppo said the board has met with Axiom Architects LLC of Youngstown for the planned 1,000-seat performing arts auditorium to be added to the west side of Girard High School off Shannon Road.

He said a meeting will be Dec. 20 to discuss a timeline for the project.

The firm was hired at up to $600,000 for the design and planning of the auditorium addition. Groundbreaking will be held in the spring with a goal to have the project done by spring or fall 2019.

School officials have said the high school has a cafetorium with a small stage for programs but there is not enough room to get students in grades seventh to 12th in the cafetorium all at the same time. Separate assemblies have been held or moved to the main gymnasium.

Plans are to hold graduations, musical performances, plays and other school events in the new auditorium.

In other business, the board:

• Heard from Bonamase the intermediate school received a ”Momentum Award” for improvement and growth on state tests. The school was one of nine in the area to receive the recognition;

• Heard from Girard High School principal William Ryser the high school and junior high are having students take part in a suicide awareness series with online videos at school and also available to parents at home;

• Hired Melanie Sump and Alexandra Hagood as academic intervention specialists at the intermediate school at $78 per day paid by Title 1 funds;

• Approved Patrone Brothers Landscaping for snow and ice removal at $1,473 per day for the entire school district.

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