Deal extended

The Red Oak School Board voted to extend by three years the contract of superintendent Tom Messinger, starting July 1, 2016, with a 2.9 percent package increase. Messinger advised the board he has already placed himself on the higher deductible insurance approved for non-bargaining unit employees and the support staff. 

“I think all in all, the 2.9 percent increase is very comparable for southwest Iowa salaries, and that makes sense to me,” said board member Kathy Walker. 

The board unanimously approved the contract for Messinger, which will pay $145,000 this school year. 

The board also discussed changes to the Red Oak High School handbook, employee handbook, and the district section of the parent/student handbook. 

On the employee handbook, the changes centered on the removal of certain names and a reflection of the classes being moved from Webster Elementary to Inman Primary. The changes to the parent/student handbook also reflect the changes. 

Messinger recommended tabling the high school changes as not all the board members were present. 

“This new attendance policy under discussion in the handbook is entirely new for the district and has a lot of changes involved. I don’t want anyone to be caught off guard,” Messinger said. 

Tabling the changes would also give the opportunity to the board to answer questions regarding the policy change, Messinger advised.