It’s been a complaint heard by boards of education for decades – school lunches are subpar.

At the board of education meeting Monday night, board member Dr. Hanna Sizemore said she is very concerned about the feedback she has gotten from parents on the quality of school lunch.

“I’m just really discouraged to hear such negative feedback from parents who’ve been there and eaten,” Sizemore said. “We need to have the parents on our team. We need the parents to give constructive feedback, encouraging their kids to try [the food] because we don’t have an option out. We can make changes but we can’t undo a big national movement.”

The federal government regulates school lunch sizes and contents. Schools cannot serve more than 800 calories in a lunch.

Board member Jan McNeel said this is an alarming number considering that a growing child needs more calories a day than they are getting. She added that for most students, lunch is the only meal they have every day.

“The federal government is putting out guidelines and if we don’t follow their guidelines, then they’re going to pull the money from us,” board member Kenneth Vance pointed out.

“I’ve got a real problem with that,” board president Emery Grimes said. “We are Americans. People died for our freedom and the federal government says ‘you have to.’ That’s not freedom, ladies and gentlemen, that’s Communism. It’s a form of control. They say it’s because of obesity. School lunches did not cause obesity. Did I like what we were serving when it was all pre-wrapped, no, I didn’t, but it’s still better than some of these kids starving to death.”

Grimes asked Superintendent C.C. Lester to do a comparison of how many students are eating hot lunch this year to last year’s numbers.

The school board receives federal funding according to the number of students who eat school lunch. If the number drops, the amount of money drops, which may lead to a reduction of cafeteria staff.

Lester said he would have the numbers for the next meeting.

In updates:

• Student representative Cassidy Rao reported that several FFA students are attending the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Those students are: Spencer Carr, Kendra Carr, Ashley Peacock, Emily Gibson, Nick Gum, Jared Gum and Chase Fisher.

Rao recognized the Warrior Marching Band for doing well this season. The band has placed either first or second at every competition this year. Drum major Amy Bennett, percussion section and color guard all won first place at the Mountain State Forest Festival field show.

Project Christmas and Natural Helpers clubs are working together to hold a food drive in November to support the local food pantry. Project Christmas is also collecting Operation Christmas Child boxes from members of the community who wish to participate.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

• Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $15,110.58.

• Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $123,460.87.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

• Seven students and three chaperones of the Pocahontas County High School FFA Chapter to attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 24-27. All expenses will be paid out of FFA Chapter funds.

• Travel requests for October 22.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

• Resignation of Thomas Denison as assistant girls basketball coach at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 season.

• Requested transfer of Gina M. Hardesty from teacher of multi-subjects at Hillsboro Elementary School, fourth grade, to teacher of multi-subjects at Hillsboro Elementary School, fifth grade, effective at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.

• Employment of Shirlene Groseclose as teacher for the after-school program at Marlinton Middle School, effective October 24 to May 10, 2013, at $20 per hour, not to exceed 150 hours, not to exceed $3,000 to be divided by nine individuals. This being the same position approved by the board October 8 to be divided by eight individuals.

• Requested transfer of Cindy Wade-Price from custodian III at Pocahontas County School/Green Bank Elementary-Middle School to custodian III at Pocahontas County High School, effective October 24 for the remainder of the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Term of employment is 150 days.

• Employment of Phillip C. Anderson as golf coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,200.

• Employment of Kay Wiley as girls track coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,500.

• Employment of Delmos Barb as boys track coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,500.

• Employment of Michael G. Burns as mentor teacher, mentoring Victor Crutcher, at a supplement of $1,000 for the 2012-2013 school year.

• Employment of Jeanne M. Hanna and Shannon B. Bircher as substitute teachers for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 24, for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year.

• Employment of Joshua P. Barkley, Joseph P. Warder and Jeanette Sharp as substitute custodians for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 24, for the remainder of the 2012-2013 fiscal year, as needed.

• Employment of James T. Daniels and Charles R. O’Steen, II, as substitute maintenance for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 24, for the remainder of the 2012-2013 fiscal year, as needed.

• Employment of Shannon B. Bircher as substitute secretary/accountant for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 24, for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year, as needed.

• Employment of Jeannie M. Holzman, Anita Grimes Workman, Kathleen Henry and Sarah A. Cover as substitute aides for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 24, for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year, as needed.

• Employment of Anita Grimes Workman and Thelma Wylie as substitute cooks for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 24, for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year, as needed.

The board will meet at Marlinton Elementary School Monday, November 5, at 7 p.m. for the LSIC/Faculty Senate meeting.

The next board meeting will be Tuesday, November 13, at 7 p.m. in the board of education conference room.

Suzanne Stewart may be contacted at sastewart@pocahontastimes.com