The Princeton R-5 Board of Education March 13th approved steps and movement for the certified staff and a wage schedule for non-certified staff for next school year.
Superintendent Jerry Girdner reports the base pay for certified staff is $38,000, which is part of a state grant. All staff members receive annual raises based on their experience and education levels.
The board will review possible increases to the salary schedules in June. That will give the administration and the board time to determine if the state budget will continue to provide funding for starting teacher pay grants and the career ladder.
The board voted against a motion to accept a donation from Danny Derry in return for the naming rights of the baseball field. The vote was one in favor and six opposed. Board Member Blake Bosley was the affirmative vote to approve the donation and naming rights request.
The board previously reviewed the proposal from community member Danny Derry, who offered $30,000 for the opportunity to name the baseball field at the new complex after his grandfather, Dewey Derry.
Dewey Derry graduated from Princeton in 1934. He played minor league baseball for the New York Yankees for two years. He was also a coach and player for the Princeton Merchants baseball team from 1940 to the mid-1950s.
Superintendent Jerry Girdner said there was a lot to consider in naming rights. Some of the challenges are the two existing fields of Gerald Gentry and Dick Franklin and if those field names would be moved to the new stadium. There have been suggestions about past coaches George Scurlock and Dave Niemeyer being honored with field names. There have also been donations made that naming rights were not offered or considered. A concern would be if all previous donations should have an opportunity for naming rights and what that donation level should be.
There was a discussion on a Wall of Fame at the concession stand to honor accomplished baseball and softball athletes, coaches, and contributors. It would provide an opportunity to recognize Princeton’s past while naming the fields numerically as fields number 1, 2, and 3.
The board approved district administration to provide possible policies or procedures that would evaluate the naming rights of school district facilities. The board will continue to work toward a solution and adoption of a plan and procedure regarding the naming of facilities.
The board also voted to withdraw a grant from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to operate a daycare. The topic is to be revisited next year.
The Mercer County Area Development Corporation Board previously presented information on the possibility of a county daycare. The proposal would require the Princeton R-5 School District to host, manage, and fund the program.
School administration provided a draft budget showing possible revenue and expenses. The estimated annual loss of $65,000 could be offset in the short term with a grant from DESE.
The Mercer County Area Development Corporation will work to present possible annual funding opportunities to offset the cost to operate.
The board will collect proposals for bank depository services to start July 1st.
After a closed session, it was announced the board approved the resignations of Junior High and High School Principal Brent Mitchell and Junior High School Math Teacher Lindsay Landis.
Probationary and tenure teaching contracts for next school year were approved. Extra duty assignments were also approved for next school year.
The board approved hiring Third Grade Teacher Katlyn Bagley.
