Committee still working on teacher compensation

A committee grappling with how to compensate teachers for extra duties is still struggling to reach a consensus.

Patrick Morgan, director of administrative services, told Cape Girardeau School Board members Monday night that several issues are still up in the air, but with contracts being discussed in the next six weeks the committee must move quickly.

Members have met seven times since September to review current procedures for funding coaches or leaders of extracurricular activities, but few decisions have been made.

Generally the district pays coaches or teachers a percent of their salary for extra services. The committee intends to locate individuals who are getting paid for services they no longer conduct, identify individuals who are completing work but not getting paid, and to develop a justification for their pay scale.

"We haven't got our numbers organized yet," said Amanda Dugan, a committee member.

Board member Paul Nenninger said the district should be able to see who and why anyone is getting paid. Misty Clifton, the director of finance, said she can see personnel's base pay and their extra duty pay, but the two are listed as one figure on the ledger.

Teachers currently being compensated have been asked to list the number of students served through their program, duties required, liability risks and their experience.

Responses from the survey are due at the end of the month, and another report is expected at the next board meeting.

Other items

• Damage repairs from the February ice storm are an estimated $10,801. A soccer post destroyed at the high school cost $2,800, a projector and printer at Jefferson Elementary $900 each, and two computers at Blanchard Elementary $1,200. Other costs include roof repairs, water damage to books and loss of food.

Action items

• Members approved a bid for banking services from US Bank. US Bank's bid was $1,075 a month, with a 2.9 percent interest rate compounded daily. Bank of America's bid was $1,045, with a 2.96 percent interest rate compounded monthly. Clifton said service charges were comparable, but the daily compounding of the interest rate will net the district more money.
• Five days were added to the calendar to make up for eight bad weather days. The state requires a district make up six days and half the number of extra days missed after that, meaning the district will have to make up seven days. Two days are already built into the calendar. The extra days will be May 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, and 30. May 22 was originally the final day of school and was scheduled to be a half day. May 22 will become a full day and May 30 will be a half day. Graduation will not be affected.
• A written curriculum for foreign language was approved. Parents can view the curriculum online at www.cape.k12.mo.us by clicking on "Departments" and then "Curriculum."
• The prospectus for Preparing for Academic Success classes, which will be required of all freshmen starting next year, were approved. Charles Bertrand and Paul Nenninger cast dissenting votes. The board approved the implementation of the classes last year, with the hope of reducing the dropout rate by providing time for academic preparation, tutoring and development of social skills. The cost of hiring four certified teachers for the classes is $165,600. Bertrand questioned whether the classes assume every student is dropout material.
• The prospectuses for nine new classes at the Career and Technology Center were approved. Introductory courses are: engineering design; digital electronics; marketing techniques; business management; sports, entertainment, and recreation marketing; plant science environment; and Photoshop. Other courses are career education exploration and basic health care principles and career education. Staffing cost for the programs is an estimated $30,860. Much of the existing staff will conduct the courses.
• A general district "School Improvement Plan" was approved. Individual and more specific improvement plans for the middle school, junior high, and high school were approved in January. The plans are necessary for the three schools because they did not make adequate yearly progress on state tests last year.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

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