TYRONE — The Tyrone Area School District’s proposed food service budget includes a five-cent increase in student meal prices for the 2026-27 school year, according to Amanda Owens, a regional manager of The Nutrition Group.

With the increase, the suggested cost of an elementary student’s meal would be $2 and the cost for middle and high school students would be $2.15, Owens said, noting lunch prices were last raised in the 2022-23 school year’s budget.

While giving a presentation to the board alongside Taylor Danko, Tyrone’s food service director, Owens said the proposed budget was built on an enrollment of 1,566 students and an average daily attendance of 94%.

The enrollment total does not include students who are enrolled in outside cyber charter schools since they do not participate in the national school breakfast and lunch programs, Owens said.

Food costs are budgeted at an increase of 5%, Owens said, noting the increase is reflective of rising food costs officials have seen this year and an anticipation of changing regulations. Paper and cleaning was budgeted at an increase of 6%, she said.

Under the proposed budget, Danko is slated to remain as the district’s food service director.

Danko said the district set up a sushi station for the high school students and provided samplers of sushi and cookies for the board to taste during the meeting.

The district did something similar for the elementary school students during Read Across America week, Danko said, noting the students were excited to try green eggs and ham, in honor of Theodor Geisel’s birthday, better known as Dr. Seuss.

Business Administrator Faith Swanson said the food service budget is a conservative budget and noted the rising costs of food prices everywhere.

“We all know, if you go to the grocery store, it hurts a little bit more,” Swanson said.

During public comment, the board heard concerns from Becky Schreckengost, the union president of the district’s support staff, regarding the compensation of Tyrone’s education support professionals.

According to Schreckengost, the district’s support staff — paraprofessionals, administrative assistants, custodians, grounds keepers and maintenance staff — are “the backbone of our school system” and many of them are struggling to make ends meet on their current wages.

Some staff members need second jobs just to survive, she said, noting staff turnover is high as a result.

“We are losing talented and caring people to local businesses that pay better,” Schreckengost said.

The district is also currently facing a crisis-level shortage of support staff, which is directly impacting the daily operation of schools, she said.

“While our staff are incredibly dedicated, many are forced to leave due to poverty-level wages, and many interview but cannot accept positions due to the ability to afford daycare or the cost of living,” Schreckengost said.

Schreckengost pointed out that a groundskeeper position was advertised at Head Start in Altoona for $18.25 per hour, which is nearly $4 more than Tyrone Area School District’s rate for the same position, $14.50 per hour.

“I believe that our district can do better. I am requesting that the board work together toward higher wages for all support staff to ensure we can attract new talent and keep the dedicated professionals we already have,” Schreckengost said.

The board took a consensus vote to approve its committee reports that were discussed during last week’s work session meeting, including a resolution seeking the immediate purchase of affected technology items — Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, laptops and desktop computers — at a cost of $375,895 for the 2026-27 school year.

At last week’s work session meeting, technology director Glen Drager said the purchase was necessary due to significant projected pricing changes in the market. Funding for the technology items will be transferred from the technology department’s assigned fund balance, according to the meeting’s agenda.

After Tuesday’s voting session meeting, the board entered into an executive session to discuss personnel, board President Rose Black said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.