Camden School Board Raises Meal Prices, Daycare Fees for Fall

CAMDEN, N.C. — Camden County school meal prices will rise $1 per meal, and after-school care fees will climb this fall, after the Camden County Board of Education approved a round of increases at its July 9 meeting. The board also agreed to spend $94,000 to replace a failed fire alarm system at Camden Middle School.

The votes came as district officials described mounting costs in programs that have leaned on local money to stay open. The district put roughly $303,000 in local funds into its cafeterias this year, Reeves, who oversees auxiliary and student services, told the board.

Breakfast prices will rise to $2.55 and lunch to $4.15 under the plan, a $1 increase for each meal. Reeves said the change brings the child nutrition program to "a zero sum" with federal meal reimbursements after the district had "been taking a loss."

"I know it's a large number to do it one time for families," Reeves said.

A smaller increase last summer "really didn't have an impact on the overall financial wellness of the child nutrition program," he said. The board approved the new prices unanimously on a motion by board member White, seconded by board member Overton.

The board also raised daycare and after-school care fees for the first time in three or four years, Reeves said. The application fee climbs from $10 to $25, the weekly after-school fee from $65 to $85 and the weekly summer daycare rate from $100 to $130.

The district had to put $75,000 into the program this year after an NC FAST grant that had supplemented it ran out, officials said. Reeves said the new rates should return the program to self-sustaining status and remain "still well below" what private daycare providers charge.

Weekly fees continue to cover field trips and a daily snack, officials noted.

On the fire alarm, Reeves said the middle school's system failed inspection, and the district has been working with fire departments and the fire marshal to get back into compliance. "In the end, we can't fix the system ourselves anymore," he told the board.

A request for proposals drew a single bid, from Williams Fire Sprinkler Company, to repair and replace the system for $94,000. The cost was included in the district's capital improvement plan but was never funded, so the money will come out of regular operating funds.

"But we have to do it," Reeves said. The contract was vetted by the board's attorney, and Williams agreed to the attorney's recommended changes.

In the financial update, the district's finance officer reported that the state budget was signed Tuesday — the first in a couple of years. Most school employees will receive 3% raises, while teachers will average 8%, though the district is still waiting on pay schedules, bonus details and other guidance from the Department of Public Instruction.

"At least we actually do have a budget for the first time in a couple years," she said. Some 12-month teachers are paid in July, and the district hopes to load the new pay scales before then to avoid issuing back pay in August.

During announcements, the superintendent thanked the Camden County Board of Commissioners and the county manager for a county budget that will let the schools operate without cuts and add $500 to the local teacher supplement. "This is the first raise in the local supplement that our teachers will have gotten since 2013," the superintendent said.

In other action, the board adopted the North Carolina School Boards Association's spring 2026 policy updates after the customary 30-day review and approved a $10,550 payment for the association's custom policy updates and web hosting services for 2026-27. Policy 7325, pulled from last month's updates over concerns, was tabled for another 30-day review after the board's attorney produced a revised version; it returns for approval in August.

The board also approved the 2026-27 child nutrition procurement bid recommended by the Northeast North Carolina co-op, which received one bid, and an $18,700 contract for Benchmark Advanced literacy professional development. Those funds will cover five training sessions, targeted coaching for grade levels and individual teachers, and a full K-5 session at the end of the curriculum's third year of implementation.

Construction on the new high school campus continues to pick up speed, Reeves reported. Sidewalks are in place in multiple areas, nearly all the brickwork is up, and all but one set of windows — left open so crews can move materials upstairs — should be installed.

"It's really moving rapidly actually," Reeves said. Clay is down on the softball field, seeding has started on athletic facilities, and a more detailed update on the team building is expected next month.

Public safety agencies including fire, EMS and the sheriff's department will tour the new campus soon to begin developing safety protocols and procedures for the building. The district is also planning summer walkthroughs so all high school staff can see the campus before the school year begins.

Reeves announced a two-day safety training Aug. 11-12 covering the standard response protocol and standard reunification method, run with the "I Love U Guys" Foundation and Raptor. Multiple school systems, law enforcement and EMS will participate, and parents are invited to attend.

In the human resources update, Davis listed the district's July vacancies: a middle grades ELA teacher, a school counselor, a high school science teacher, a CTE instructor, an assessment and accountability coordinator, three exceptional children's instructional assistants, an after-school program assistant, a child nutrition manager and assistant, plus bus drivers and substitutes. "We are sitting very well compared to what we need" when measured against other districts in the region, she said.

Hoggard, presenting the curriculum update, reviewed year two of the district's three-year strategic plan, citing new advisory boards, expanded staff recognition, the Raptor badge alert and student bus badge systems, and approval of a 6-12 ELA curriculum resource. The district plans to develop its next strategic plan as a five-year document, she said.

The board opened the meeting by honoring Kate Nates, valedictorian of the Camden Early College High School class of 2026. Nates earned the highest weighted GPA in his class, accumulated 40 college credits and completed an associate degree in engineering while still in high school.

He will continue his studies at North Carolina State University, one of the nation's most respected engineering institutions. "You set an extraordinary example for your peers," the board said in presenting his valedictorian certificate.

The board approved personnel recommendations from closed session and scheduled a closed session meeting for July 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Grandy Primary conference room to finalize details of a personnel contract; no open business is expected. The meeting, which opened with an invocation by Pastor Bill Blake, adjourned after 36 minutes.