Front-line workers lauded at District 95

Teachers, janitors, cooks and bus drivers have been hailed as front-line workers in the COVID-19 pandemic by officials at Carbondale Elementary District 95.

Board President John Major lauded the teachers for their efforts in getting remote learning up and running. "I give them applause for their hard work in remote learning," he said at the April 9 Board of Education meeting, which had been postponed from March. "They have done a tremendous job and that's great work."

He went on to praise janitors, cooks and bus drivers for their work in preparing meals.

Superintendent Daniel Booth said that more than 50,000 meals have been delivered to students through a logistics effort that involves the cafeteria running three days a week, preparing six days worth of meals. The plates are then delivered to students' homes by the school buses.

Booth added that District 95 has partered with Carbondale Community High School, ensuring that all children age 18 and under are receiving school meals.

Meanwhile, with the absence of foot traffic in the schools, building renovations planned for the summer have been finished earlier, said District 95 Director of Finance Eric Trimberger.

Cafeterias at Carbondale Middle School and Lewis have been completed. "The floors are being waxed this week," Trimberger said.