NEW PARIS — National Trail Board of Education members and administrators discussed a number of issues during their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Food Service Director Dorothy Frist said that while all students 18 and under currently qualify for the school’s free and reduced lunch program, the district hasn’t seen many applications coming in.

“The kids just aren’t eating,” Frist said, indicating that many students have begun bringing a packed lunch into school.

Transportation and Safety Coordinator John Toschlog said that several bus drivers employed by the district had recently participated in a K-4 safety training exercise. The event included bus evacuation drills and lessons on bus stop safety, including the importance of crossing in front of the bus at a safe distance and reasons why food and drink are not allowed on buses.

“If the bus is driving down the road and somebody chokes, there’s nobody there to save you,” Toschlog said. “Chances are the bus driver wouldn’t even hear.”

Middle school principal Jen Couch and high school principal Mike Eyler said that the district has partnered with Recovery and Wellness Centers of Midwest Ohio and Preble County We Are the Majority to help students and staff develop strategies to handle stress and anxiety.

“We’ve noticed a lot of students just wanting somebody to talk to,” Eyler said. “We’ve done a lot of talking and counseling with our students just to help get their minds right.”

We Are The Majority is an after-school leadership program organized by Recovery and Wellness Centers of Midwest Ohio. The program is open to high school and middle school students, and encourages young people to live drug, alcohol, and tobacco-free lives.

Finally, Fischer said that the district’s online platform for remote learning students, Edmentum, was “finally up and running.”

“Parents and students seem to be doing well with it,” Fischer said, noting that technical difficulties had prevented some of the district’s remote learners from accessing course materials until the week of Sept. 14.

The next meeting of the National Trail Board of Education will take place Monday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the K-8 cafeteria