Laredo R-7 Board Reorganizes

The Laredo R-7 Board of Education reorganized and took action on personnel items during a meeting on Monday night.
According to information provided by Administrator Misty Foster, the oath of office was administered to Angela Lowrey by board secretary Robin Griswold. Kristi Urich will also be serving a three-year term, but was not present for the meeting. Re-elected to serve as officers on the board were Brad Wilford, president; Matt Foster, vice president; and Mrs. Urich, treasurer. Phil Fox was re-elected as the MSBA delegate.
The board voted to increase the 2019-20 base salary for certified staff by $500. This would set the base salary for a first-year teacher at $28,400. Increases were approved for the salaries of the office aide and part-time custodian to $8.60 per hour while a 2.5 percent salary increase was approved for the bookkeeper, head cook, head custodian and administrator. Also approved was an increase for the special education aide, who will now be paid $10 an hour.
It was decided the district would continue paying 40 percent of the cost for the Career Ladder program for next year. The state had paid 60 percent of the cost during the 2009-2010 school year, but has not funded the program since that time.
Approval was given to accept a five-year contract renewal for technology services through Morenet. The board accepted a bid from Central States Bus Sales, Inc. for purchase of a bus with grant funds and agreed to continue membership with MSBA at a cost of $1,351. The board voted to purchase Big Ideas Math – Grade 6 as the math curriculum.
Changes in the school calendar were approved, using April 22 as a make-up day and making May 17 the last day of school. Classes will be dismissed at 1 p.m. on both May 16 and 17.
The board discussed, but took no action, on building improvements, health insurance, non-certified contracts and the NEE contract. There was also a review of the budget and a list of upcoming events.
Extra duty contracts were offered to Michelle Lynch, fifth/sixth and seventh/eighth grade basketball coach; Tammy Meeker, eighth grade class sponsor and seventh/eighth grade track coach; Shelly Burress, I-Ready sponsor; and Micah Burkeybile, cheerleading sponsor for fifth through eighth grade. A contract was approved for Alicia Rojas to serve as speech therapist at a cost of $56.50 per hour as was a contract with Asten Carmen to serve as occupational therapist assistant at a cost of $38 per hour and 37 cents per mile. A contract with Amy Montgomery as a licensed professional counselor was approved. She will be paid $38.95 per hour for approximately eight hours a week.
A special board meeting was set for 6 p.m. on Monday, April 15. The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 13.