R-9 District Will See Increase In Employee Health Care Costs

Insurance premium costs for the Trenton R-9 School District will be going up next year, but at a rate Superintendent Dan Wiebers said the district could manage at this time.
During a meeting on Tuesday night, members of the R-9 Board of Education unanimously voted to accept a plan from Blue Cross/Blue Shield that would see premiums go up by 8 percent with very little change to the coverage currently being provided to the district. It was one of two options considered by the board, with the other plan cost being 10 percent higher but leaving coverage as-is.
The plan approved by the board results in the district paying $572.69 per month/employee and would add $99,591 to what the district is currently paying for employee health insurance ($530.17 per month/employee for approximately 176 employees). The premium total being paid this year is $1,119,930.20 or approximately 10 percent of the entire district budget. Under this plan, employees would maintain a $2,500 deductible, but would see out-of-pocket expenses increase by $1,000 to $6,000 individually and $11,000 for a family/group. Employees can use co-pays toward the out-of-pocket expenses. A buy-up plan that allows employees to decrease their deductible to $1,000 and is paid by the employee will cost $23.17 per month, if the employee chooses to add that coverage.
The second plan of a 10 percent increase would have put premiums at $582.28 per month/employee and cost the district $124,389. The deductible of $2,500 would have been kept intact along with all other benefits of the current policy.
Wiebers told the board that he has already started working that figure into the proposed 2018-19 budget, which board members will consider in June. He had originally been using a 2 percent increase figure, but added that he “feels comfortable working with that figure (8 percent).”
Board member Cliff Roeder noted he is concerned about the district continuing to shoulder the burden of increased employee insurance coverage costs, asking at what point does the district draw the line in paying for those increases. He said that until the board looks at increasing the insurance deductible, the board could expect the cost to continue rising. He said that “at some point, the staff may have to share some of the risk.”
The board agreed to have Director of Supportive Services Kris Ockenfels move ahead with seeking bids to replace the gymnasium roof at the high school, which was determined to have been damaged during a hailstorm in 2014, but not found until an inspection of a leak in March. Ockenfels said the district’s insurance carrier, MUSIC, has agreed to pay for the roof replacement (there is a $1,000 deductible), with the work to be done this summer. Bids are to be submitted to the district office by May 2.
The board approved two grant proposals to the GEC Community Foundation, which require no match. The first grant is being requested by Rissler counselor Leslie Woodard and is for $432 to purchase six “wobble stools” to serve students who struggle with inattention during class time. The second grant is being requested by first grade teacher Christy Gibler and is for $1,403 to purchase three assessment kits to determine student reading levels. The vote was 6-0 with Brandon Gibler abstaining.
Assistant THS/TMS Principal Kasey Bailey presented information about the R-9 District’s at-risk program for middle school and high school students, including information regarding the learning and academic labs, success center, in-school suspension, the parent portal and the BRIDGE program.
THS Principal Ron Franklin, in his written report, announced that the “pride” time that takes place during the last period of the day at the high school and middle school will be moved to the beginning of the day next year. He said this would better represent the home room model as well as provide better opportunities to meet the academic and BRIDGE program objectives and goals. The start and ending times are not altered and the move would allow for the lunch period at the high school to be moved from a 10:30 a.m. start to11:08 a.m.
Other reports heard include:
• Summer school will be held from May 22 to June 22, with registration now under way. There will be no classes on May 21 to allow for instructional preparation as well as for custodians to get classrooms ready.
• Snow make-up days remaining include May 16, 17 and 18, with an early-out on May 18 as the last day of classes for the year.
• The spring MSBA meeting will be held on April 25 in Milan.
• Rissler students will participate in bus evacuation drills on April 18 and a fire drill is planned for April 23.
• An elevator inspection was done at the Rissler School on March 30 and the districtwide “walk-through” by the district’s insurance carrier was done on March 29.
The oath of office was given to incumbent Cliff Roeder and Dr. David Whitaker. Doug Franklin and Gibler were re-elected as president and vice president, respectively. Roeder will serve as the treasurer and Susan Leeper is the secretary. Franklin and Gibler will also serve as the district’s MSBA delegates.
Following an executive session, the board accepted the resignations of Rissler teacher Linda Aherns and Success Center paraprofessional Kathy Hullinger as well as custodian Kathy Wright, who will be retiring. Hired were Jamee Greener, second grade; Bridget Maloney, first grade; Terri Figg, Jackie Hoffman and Mary Ellen Kincade, speech implementers; Wes Croy, athletic director; Robin Burkeybile, THS cook; Mike Tipton, academic team sponsor; Amos Dickson, freshman sponsor; Abi Bailey, middle school head volleyball coach; Julia Keuler, middle school assistant volleyball coach; David Burkeybile, mascot sponsor; and KelLeigh Bryant, Tucker Franklin and Alicia Kieffer, substitute teachers.
Summer school cooks were also hired and include Ruth Blackburn, Tawyna Farmer, Carol Leeper, Betty Schultz, Annette Donohue, Robin Burkeybile and Tami Corbin.