Scott City teachers will see a 3.5 percent raise this fall

Teachers and staff at the Scott City School District will see an average 3.5 percent increase in salaries with the start of the 2015-2016 school year.

The Scott City School Board this week also approved adding $900 to the teacher base salary, increasing the amount from $29,800 to $30,700 for first-year teachers with a bachelor's degree.

"We've been adding to the salary schedule on a regular basis for the last several years," superintendent Diann Ulmer said. "When we have money available, we try to put it toward things like that."

Board members approved a budget for the coming school year. The budget includes total revenue of $7,543,976 and total expenditures of $8,305,974.

Ulmer said the higher expenditures reflect planned construction and renovations at the district, which are being funded by a $1.75 million bond issue approved by voters in November.

The bond issue, Proposition Kids, will fund items such as more secured entrances and cafeteria renovations. A $750,000 portion will be used to pay off the district's lease certificates, which is a financial mechanism for making payments on the installation of the blue roof and kitchen renovations completed in 2007-2008.

Preliminary plans for construction were presented to the board, and members of the Proposition Kids committee will review the plans and give feedback to the architect.

Ulmer said the renovations likely will be completed by this time next year.

In other business, the board voted to increase the tuition for 2015-2016 to $6,250 a year -- a total increase of $150. Ulmer said about 15 students who live outside the district pay tuition each year.

Ulmer also reported the student attendance rate for the district during the 2014-2015 school year was 95.56 percent.

The board recognized Courtney Kern for her work and accomplishments as elementary school principal during the past 12 years.

She submitted her resignation in February and will return to teaching kindergarten. April Garner, who has worked at Jefferson Elementary in Cape Girardeau for 16 years, will become principal Aug. 1.

Some of Kern's accomplishments include creating additional safety measures for students, an increase in parental involvement at the school and the idea for the elementary honor choir, which has represented the school at various locations, including St. Louis Cardinals baseball games.

"She always worked to keep the kids' needs first and did a lot of things for the elementary," Ulmer said.

klamb@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City, Mo.