School Board Extends Superintendent’s Contract, Increases Substitute Teacher’s Pay Rate

Oskaloosa School Board 2012

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Oskaloosa School Board approved an increase to substitute teacher pay rate, approved salaries and benefits for administrators and directors, and extended the superintendent’s contract in its meeting on Tuesday night.

Superintendent Russ Reiter said increasing substitute teacher pay rate is important to make sure the district has quality substitute teachers.

“Last year we went out and took a survey of a number of surrounding districts and looked at where we were at compensating our substitute teachers. We were a little on the low end and we’re always looking to keep good quality substitutes,” Reiter said.

Reiter recommended approving an increase of $5 in pay rate for substitute teachers. The board unanimously approved the recommendation.

The board unanimously approved a salary and benefits package increase of 3.75 percent for employees that are not part of the bargaining group. That group includes administrative secretaries and other district personnel. Reiter also recommended increasing salaries and benefits for administrators and directors. The board unanimously approved the recommendation. The amount of the increase was not disclosed.

The board also unanimously extended the superintendent’s contract for an additional year to complete a three-year contract. Reiter also received a 3.1 percent increase in salary, which amounts to $4,910.

“We’re grateful that he’s willing to stay,” said School Board President Susan Boxler.

The board unanimously approved the following items:

• Renewal of equipment breakdown insurance policy in the amount of $164,012 from July 2013 to July 2014 with Jester Insurance Services. That amount increased $40,000 from the previous year.
• Membership in the Iowa Association of School Boards. Dues for that association cost $7,194.
• Board Policies, 500 series.
• Changes to the Oskaloosa High School Handbook and Good Conduct Code Regulation 503.4. Athletic Director Kevin Pedersen presented the changes. The board made only one modification to Pedersen’s proposal. The code does not allow students to travel with the team or “suit up” if they violate the Good Conduct Code. Pedersen proposed requiring students to attend those events. The board asked Pedersen to change that language to allow coaches to make that decision.

Two items were tabled from the agenda. Reiter said the approval of terms for the 2013-2015 OSSA Master Agreement should be tabled because a few details have not been decided. The board also looked at choosing five IASB legislative priorities. They narrowed it down to these six priorities:

• Supports preserving the integrity of the statewide penny sales tax for school infrastructure, including the tax equity provisions of buying down the highest additional levy rates to the state average.
• Supports full state funding to encourage local initiatives to fully comply with current professional development program requirements.
• Supports flexibility in the use of modified allowable growth for dropout prevention and the expansion of the definition of at risk to also include low socio-economic status as a factor in determining a student’s at risk status.
• Supports reform of Iowa’s K-12 education system that: is research based, is focused on student achievement, includes comprehensive assessments to measure the full range and rigor of the Iowa Core, maintains oversight and control by locally elected boards of directors, does not “repurpose” existing education funds, does not impose new mandates unless they are fully funded.
• Supports the repeal of the mandatory school start date, while offering incentives to school districts to provide extended days and/or innovative calendars.  School districts receiving these incentives will evaluate and determine the impact on student learning when establishing the start day for school
• Supports sufficient state revenues to adequately fund public education as Iowa’s number one priority.  IASB opposes erosion of the existing tax base.  IASB supports a fully accounting every two years by state government of the costs of all exemptions, credits or deductions for the income tax, sales tax or property tax.

The board will meet before its next meeting to finalize the OSSA Master Agreement and to agree on the five IASB legislative priorities.

Lastly, the board unanimously approved the following appointments and resignations:

Resignations:

• Tim Milledge, elementary school principal

Appointments (starting at the 2013-14 school year):

• Mike Dursky, elementary school principal (salary not discussed).
• Mark Scholes, middle school associate principal at a salary of $75,000.
• Katie Carper, elementary school fifth grade teacher at a salary of $33,615.
• Elizabeth Roe, elementary school fourth grade teacher at a salary of $45,948.
• Melissa Letzring, elementary school fourth grade teacher at a salary of $33,615.
• Sarah Zimmerman, elementary school first grade teacher at a salary of $44,456.
• Mariann Raum, middle school TAG (talented and gifted) interventionist instructor at a salary of $45,948.
• Autumn Reisetter, high school special education teacher at a salary of $33,615.

The board also went into closed session to discuss matters in litigation as provided by section 21.5 (1)(C) of the Iowa Code. The next scheduled school board meeting is on Tuesday, Aug. 13.