Teachers in the Trenton R-9 School District will move one step on the salary schedule, but those whose salaries were frozen will not have those steps reinstated following action Wednesday evening by the Trenton R-9 Board of Education.
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Teachers in the Trenton R-9 School District will move one step on the salary schedule, but those whose salaries were frozen will not have those steps reinstated following action Wednesday evening by the Trenton R-9 Board of Education.
Salary and Welfare Committee Chairman Kristi Davis, who had presented the committee’s proposal at the March 14 meeting, was again present to answer questions by the board. The committee was asking that not only would teachers receive one step movement for experience as was recommended by Superintendent Craig Noah, but that teachers who had been frozen on the schedule would have one or two steps reinstated. Salaries were frozen during the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 school years. It had been estimated that the one step movement would result in a $400 raise for all teachers ($56,100 in additional teacher salaries). To add back one or two years for those frozen on the schedule along with the one-year movement, would cost $83,300, plus approximately $6,000 for retirement costs, while adding the second year would cost the district $105,900 plus around $11,000 in retirement costs. The difference between Noah’s recommendation and the proposal by the committee was about $60,800.
Mrs. Davis presented information provided by the Missouri State Teachers Association and based on the budget provided by Noah, which showed that the district would receive net revenue over this year’s revenue of about $1 million. Using a figure of 6.9 percent to be spend on salaries, MSTA had projected that the district would have about $770,000 available for staff compensation. Several board members said that the projected revenues presented by Mrs. Davis were completely different than what Noah had projected, which was $86,000 in new revenue. Terry Spillman said the figures compiled by MSTA were “contrary to everything” he has been reading and made a motion to approve Noah’s recommendation of one step movement for all certified staff. Kevin Bailey seconded the motion, and noted that it looks to him like the district will be deficit-spending for the next four or five years. Noah said that is correct, if the district plans to continue with its capital improvements and other programs as they currently exist.
Board members Steve Holt said that the board wants to provide increases to teachers that will keep up with the cost of living, but that the new funding formula may result in a nearly $1 million shortfall for the same “package of goods” seven years from now. He also said that once the district budget has been formulated, the board may be able to come back and look at salaries again, as was done last year.
The board then voted on the motion, which passed 5-0, with Cass Fuller and Rod Cotton absent.
The board then certified results of the April 4 election, which showed Martha Roberts and Jeff Pash being elected to the board. Cotton also sought one the two seats on the board. Mrs. Roberts and Pash took the oath of office and were seated on the board. Denise Hamilton was presented a plaque in recognition of her three years of service to the board.
Officers were elected, with Fuller elected president; Kevin Bailey, vice president; Susan Leeper, board secretary; and Terry Spillman, treasurer. Fuller will serve as the MSBA delegate, with Bailey serving as alternate.
The board voted to adopt the MSBA Tobacco-Free District policy, which prohibits tobacco on all school property, including leased property and places where school events are being held. Ronda Lickteig, representing the Grundy County Health Department Board of Trustees and staff, had earlier addressed the board, asking that the policy be adopted and outlining ways the policy can be communicated to the public. Board members held a lengthy discussion on the issues related to enforcement of the policy, especially when it involves visitors. Pash said he believes that most people, when told of the policy, will comply. Mrs. Roberts asked if the policy is even legal and was told that an MSBA attorney developed the policy and that it is legal. It was noted that several districts have passed the policy. Noah recommended that the policy be passed and that the board then work on steps to communicate it effectively to the public and to determine how it will be enforced. The policy passed, 4-2, with Spillman and Mrs. Roberts voting no.
Kim Anderson of Anderson Photography addressed the board to find out how she can be considered to provide school pictures within the district. Mrs. Anderson, who has been in business for six years, provided samples of her work and was told that there is no policy on how the photographers are chosen. Noah said each building principal decides who will take the school pictures.
In other business, the board approved the summer school application and discussed the Newton Learning Summer School Program, which will be held in the district May 30 through June 30. The low bids were accepted for custodial supplies from Bond Wholesale and Industrial Maintenance Supply for a total of $12,874.58. A bid of $8,881.20 was accepted from Ricoh for copy paper. Although it was not the low bid, George Moore told the board that the difference between the high bid and the low bid (submitted by Paper 101) was $817.20 and that the district had been very satisfied with the products received from Ricoh and felt it was a better bid.
Following an executive session, the board took action on several personnel items. They include:
• the acceptance of resignations from Angela Gott, special education paraprofessional at TMS; April Hatfield, kindergarten teacher; and Sara Jacobs, Rissler physical education instructor.
• the hiring of Jackquline Wyant of Trenton, who will be a 2006 graduate of Graceland University, as a special education instructor at Trenton Middle School; Wendy Shuler of Trenton, currently an elementary teacher at Tri-County R-7 at Jamesport, as kindergarten instructor; and the hiring of David Probasco, currently a K-12 physical education instructor at Southwest Ludlow, as Rissler physical education instructor.
• the hiring of summer school staff, including Susan Provance, Bev Speck, Lesley Arnold, Tammy Ockenfels, Mary Ellen Johnson, Babe Roy, Gene Schelker, Carolyn Schmidt, Kris Ockenfels, Jennie Croy, Penny Tolle, Troy Crawford and Jackie Hoffman, teachers; Susie Vandevender, secretary; Lisa Schilling, nurse; Kim Holloway, paraprofessional; Lynn Daniels, Donna Ferguson, Sarah Bonnett, Shirley King, cooks; Mona Loyd, food service manager.
• the hiring of all current non-certified staff for the 2006-2007 school year, with a salary increase of one step on the salary scale.
• the hiring of extracurricular sponsors for the 2006-2007 school year, including Aaron Stark, freshman sponsor; Michelle Gaines, sophomore sponsor; Troy Crawford, junior sponsor and NHS; Kay Moore, senior sponsor; David Elliott, FBLA; Steven Rogers, FFA: Connie Hoffman, FCCLA; Sarah Siebenborn, FTA (one-half); Denise Bruner, FTA (one-half) and Foreign Language Club; Sarah Dannar, forensics; Tim Gilham, instrumental music; Davina Gilham, science club; Martha Brinkley, THS student council and yearbook; Penny Roberts, TMS student council; and Suzi Beck, TMS FCCLA.
• the hiring of coaches, including Wes Croy, Jon Adwell, Chris Parks and Mike Tipton, high school football; David Probasco and Rich Griffith, middle school football; Ann Constant, girls golf; Greg Buescher and Susie Vandevender, high school softball; Pam Bowden and John Cowling, middle school softball; Mike Bosley, girls tennis; Russell Clough, high school volleyball; Taya Moore, middle school volleyball; Greg Buescher and Mike Tipton, high school boys basketball; Rich Griffith and Mike Bosley, middle school boys basketball; Kris Ockenfels and Susie Vandevender, high school girls basketball; Quentin Albrecht and Mary Hale, middle school girls basketball; Bill Hill, high school and middle school wrestling; Connie Hoffman, THS football cheer coach; Carolyn Schmidt, THS basketball cheer coach; Robin Wilson, THS wrestling cheer coach; and Mary Woodson, TMS cheer coach.
• approval of the hiring of an assistant volleyball coach at THS. That person has not yet been named.
• increasing the returning administrator’s salaries by 1.67 percent.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 9.