School board approves substitute wage increases

s approved a pay increase for its substitute teachers.
At the regular school board meeting May 17, superintendent Ron Lorenz discussed the option of raising the substitute teacher pay from $130 to $140.
“In keeping with our process we try to conduct market comparison of our salaries to make sure we’re in line with other districts. When we took a recent look at our substitute teacher pay, we noted that we are a little bit below the average. We’re currently paying $10 less than the average of our area. We’re proposing the increase effective July 1 to make sure we remain competitive,” Lorenz said.
While admitting all districts were struggling, Lorenz recommended the increase to make sure the district had no difficulties in getting substitute teachers. The board approved the salary increase as presented.
Lorenz then issued a proposal to the board for the increase of substitute support staff salary by $2 per hour, again, to remain competitive.
“When we looked at the rates for secretaries, paraprofessionals, and bus drivers, we’re in the range of about $2 per hour below the average. It’s a little bit different for each work group, but it’s right in that range, so we’re recommending a $2 per hour increase,” stated Lorenz.
The salary increase was approved as presented.
The board also discussed making a parking lot improvement to Inman Elementary and the high school, specifically, restriping the lots. Lorenz said the parking stripes in both lots had become very faded, and the cost of doing the painting in-house was costly.
“We ran an estimate on what it would cost us to paint it ourselves. As it turned out, the paint itself was going to cost us more than $6,000, so we went out and solicited two bids. The low bid was from Southwest Iowa Parking Lot Maintenance of Shenandoah for $8,800, commented Lorenz. “They are the group that did the Inman parking lot 10 years ago, and if you compare the two lots, they did a much better job than the group that painted the high school lot the last time.”
Lorenz recommended approving the low bid, as the cost of the paint, and the cost of specialized equipment for the district to do the painting made it more cost effective to have the job hired out.
The board approved the restriping bid as presented.
The last action item was approval of purchasing MyView Elementary Literacy curriculum, at a cost of $206,445.
“This material would replace our current collaborative classroom materials for core reading and writing and provide teachers with material resources aligned to the Iowa Core,” Lorenz said.
The district’s existing curriculum was purchased around 10 years ago. The board approved purchasing the MyView Elementary Literacy curriculum.
In other business, the board:
• Aproved a memorandum of understanding with iJAG for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the hire of Zachary Eberle as 6-12 instrumental music teacher at the Red Oak Jr./Sr. High School for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the hire of Denise Stull as English language arts teacher and junior high fall play director at the Red Oak Jr./Sr. High School for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the hire of Nolan Blackman as seasonal IT support for the summer of 2023.
• Approved the hire of Shaely Nowels as high school assistant bowling coach for the 2023-24 school year, pending authorization.
• Approved the hire of Alec Ruskell as varsity assistant wrestling coach for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the hire of Janelle Erickson as junior high volleyball coach for the 2023-24 school year, pending authorization.
• Approved the hire of Sierra Wilkinson as junior high volleyball coach for the 2023-24 school year, pending authorization.
• Approved the hire of Tristan Johnson as varsity head girls basketball coach for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the hire of Carter Bruce as varsity assistant girls basketball coach for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the hire of Dillon Wiser as varsity assistant football coach for the 2023-24 school year.