SCHOOL BOARD OKs TEACHER SALARY HIKES

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education approved a salary increase for teachers and administrators at its meeting Monday afternoon.

New board member Kathy Swan abstained from the vote. "I have difficulty with the package because of the financial crisis we've been through," she told board members before the vote. "In business, salaries are sometimes frozen when other things have to go. I have difficulty justifying this."

The other five board members voted in favor of the proposal.

Also at the meeting, no recommendation was made to change a budget cut that eliminated one of three district band directors. The board met in closed session for about 30 minutes to discuss the issue, which has drawn comments from parents of band students for two months.

The approved salary package was worked out by a team of teachers and administrators before being presented to the school board.

In adopting the proposal, the board froze the teachers' salary schedule but allowed teachers to advance on the schedule. This movement will cost the district an estimated $113,000.

Teachers are paid according to a schedule that takes into account the number of years a teacher has taught and the teacher's educational level. Teachers move along pay steps as they accumulate experience and education. Pay at each step remains the same for next year.

The beginning salary for a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree will be $19,400. The salary for teachers with 25 years experience and a master's degree plus an additional 30 hours of college credit will be $36,060. The median salary on the schedule, for a teacher with 12 years experience and a master's degree, is $27,240.

In addition, teachers who will not advance on the schedule will receive one-time payments of $460 or $540, depending on their placement on the schedule. Business Manager Larry Dew said 75 of the district's 300 teachers fall into this category.

After a certain number of years, teachers must continue to increase their educational level in order to advance on the pay schedule.

Administrators will receive pay increases of at least $540. Some will receive more because of earlier contractual agreements.

The administrative raises and one-time payments combined will cost the district about $35,000.

Dew has said the increased costs of salaries will be covered by anticipated increases in local and state money to the district.

While salaries will increase under the agreement, teacher Jo Peukert, who is president of the Cape Girardeau Community Teachers Association, said teachers will take home less money next year.

This school year, in addition to a pay raise, all Cape Girardeau teachers and administrators received a $700 bonus. They will not get a bonus next year.

Although teachers will receive $420 or $540 more in salaries, Peukert said teachers will actually take home $160 or $240 less because they will not receive the bonus.

Administrators' salaries for the coming year are: Superintendent Neyland Clark, $72,540; Director of Elementary Education Richard Bollwerk, $60,250; Director of Secondary Education James Englehart, $62,290; Business Manager Larry Dew, $59,006; Director of Special Services Betty Chong, $47,750;

Vocational School Director Harold Tilley, $50,000; Vocational School Assistant Director Orville Kraus, $40,000; Central High School Principal Dan Milligan, $57,672; Athletic Director Gary Lynch, $44,185; Central Junior High School Principal Lanny Barnes; $55,875; Central Junior High School Assistant Principal Gerald Richards, $48,280; L.J. Schultz Principal Carolyn Vandeven, $50,627;

Elementary Principals Jim Watkins, $48,280; David Giles, $47,740; Richard Giles, $47,740; Gary Kralemann, $48,280; and Sam Jarrell, $49,538.

Kraus was named the new assistant director for the vocational school at the meeting. An assistant principal for Central High School has not been hired yet. The school's two assistants are retiring.

Other parts of the salary package include:

Tuition reimbursement for approved three-hour college credit every five years at Southeast Missouri State University rates.

Expansion of the cafeteria plan to offer life insurance, disability, accident, cancer, dental and vision options.

Missouri State Teachers Association membership dues may be deducted from salaries over a 10-month period instead of the current four-month period.

Teachers may accumulate unused emergency leave days to 100. Currently the limit is 90 days.

Payment upon retirement for accumulated emergency leave days will increase from $15 per day currently to $20 per day in 1992-93 and $25 per day in 1993-94.