The Trenton R-9 Board of Education approved a proposal by Superintendent Mike Stegman on Tuesday evening for salary schedules for certified and non-certified staff.
Seven hundred dollars will be added to the certified salary schedule to set the base salary at $33,000. Stegman commented this would be competitive to other schools in the area. Thirty cents will be added to the non-certified salary schedule to set the base hourly rate at $11.35 per hour.
Certified substitute pay was increased to $12.00 per hour or $90.00 per day. Non-certified substitute pay will be $11.35 per hour or $85.13 per day. Stegman noted there were about 1,350 substitutes this year, but the number of substitutes each year varies.
The board also approved the addition of a drama club sponsor position for $700.
The total cost of the salary schedules and the addition of the drama club sponsor is estimated to be $188,274. Stegman noted the estimated cost is based on 2019-2020 employees returning for the 2020-2021 school year, which will result in lower anticipated salary amounts. The estimated cost also did not take into account movement for further degrees. He mentioned the worst-case scenario would be Trenton R-9 reserves would drop a percent or two, but revenues should increase each year.
Health insurance will be left capped at $602 per month per employee or have a full single health insurance policy, whichever is less.
The district received five proposals from insurance brokers to help analyze the district’s needs in response to a request for proposals. A subcommittee was created to look at the proposals with the Salary and Welfare Committee. Board members Cliff Roeder and David Whitaker are the two board of education members on the subcommittee. The subcommittee is to bring back information at the next school board meeting.
The board discussed hourly versus annualized salaries for employees, but no action was taken. Board Secretary Susan Leeper said salaries are annualized currently, and she has been keeping track of employees who go through their sick days and personal days but want more days off. Those employees’ salaries will be docked on their last paycheck of the school year.
Nine-month employees receive 10 sick days and two personal days per year. Sick days and un-used personal days rollover to sick days. Once a nine-month employee reaches 50 sick days, the district doubles the number of sick days to 100.
Stegman proposed the board select a set number of days to be gifted as snow days and only used for that purpose. He recommended four days because there are an average of four to five days each school year. Days only used for snow days and, once used, no additional days would be allocated until the next fiscal year. The days would start new each school year and would not be accumulative.
The board approved a Trenton R-9 tuition rate of $6,375 for 2020-2021 for kindergarten through 12th grade. Stegman noted the tuition rate for this school year is $6,308.
A bid was approved from Shuler’s Concrete for about $50,200 ($50,200) for concrete and drainage work at the C. F. Russell Stadium concessions area. The bid was the lowest of two submitted. The other bid was from Joe Devorss for around $65,700 ($65,677).
Building Project Spokesperson Dennis Gutshall reported the concrete and drainage work is necessary because there is a problem with water going over the track when there is heavy rain. He noted the money for the project will come out of bond funds. He added that the work should be done in a timely manner.
Gutshall also reported the rooftop has been installed on the performing arts center stage area, and a lot of insulation area work has been done. Many contractors were on site last week, and Gutshall said the focus will move to the performing arts center commons area and everything up high while lifts are set up. He said the work on the interior will move from east to west, and summer work will be “intense.”
There was painting on the concession stand Tuesday. The concession stand will likely not be ready in time for track season. A meeting is to be held today (Wednesday) to go over the construction progress.
Stegman noted some students and staff were displaced during some of the construction, but they are now back in their original classrooms. He noted there were no incidents related to the location changes. He thanked the staff for working through the inconveniences and the First Baptist Church for allowing the district to use their facilities for two weeks.
Stegman reported all Trenton R-9 schools participated in the statewide tornado drill March 3rd.
Director of Supportive Services Kris Ockenfels has worked with the custodial staff and directed them to increase sanitation efforts throughout the district to prevent the Coronavirus. He recommended everyone wash their hands with soap and water. Resources on the virus have been posted on the district website.
Trenton Middle School Principal Daniel Gott reported the geography bee competition to be in Columbia March 27th was canceled due to the Coronavirus. The competition will now be done online.
The board approved nominating Board Member Dorothy Taul to serve on the Missouri School Boards Association Board of Directors.
The first reading took place for MSBA policy updates that Stegman said mainly addressed changes in-laws.
The MSBA Spring Regional Meeting will be at the Chillicothe High School Commons on the evening of April 23rd from 5:45 to 8:30. Trenton R-9 will register any board members interested in attending. The members should notify Board Secretary Susan Leeper if they plan to attend.
Stegman reported the district will not need a fifth preschool room next school year if the number of preschoolers does not increase. Eighty-seven preschoolers are expected next year.
Personnel dominated actions taken last night following an executive session of the Trenton R-9 Board of Education. It included resignations, a retirement, employment, and setting salaries for nine administrators in the school district.
Resignations were accepted from three instructors: Brook Kreatz in agriculture; Chance Houghton in physical science; and Rachel Harvey in special education. A retirement was announced for Rissler’s head cook Brenda Owen. Darcie Taylor resigned as the sponsor of the middle school science club.
Among employments, Amber Sprague was hired as a summer school secretary. Approved as substitutes were Cassie Holcer, Marsha Hurst, and Nick McHargue. All probationary teachers were employed for the coming school year (2020-21). Susan Gott and Abbye Michael were moved from probationary to tenured teachers. Numerous assignments were made for extra duties and coaching.
Salaries were established for school administrators. Superintendent Mike Stegman, in his second year at Trenton R-9, will earn $113,000 ($113,058). That’s about a two-point seven percent increase ($3,058) over the current salary when he was hired one year ago.
The new salary for the director of supportive services Kris Ockenfels is $90,090. For principals: Kasey Bailey will be at $74,910; Daniel Gott at $75,240: and Tiffany Otto at $72,270. For assistant principals: John Cowling at $64,020; Jackie Price at $62,700; and Adriane Todd at $56,100. Salary for special education director Tara Hoffman was set at $60,390.