School board OKs $1,000 bonuses

SILOAM SPRINGS — All contracted School District employees will be getting a $1,000 bonus in May.

School Board members approved the one-time bonus, which will cost the district about $740,000, during their meeting April 8.

The bonus will allow the district to spend down its fund balance, according to Chief Financial Officer Terry Raskiewicz. Administrators originally planned for a tight year, but the district received more revenue than expected and had fewer expenses, said Superintendent Jody Wiggins.

The district received stimulus money related to the covid-19 pandemic and was able to use the money for some expenses, such as days when staff had to take off for covid-19 isolation or quarantine, cleaning supplies and some staff member salaries and benefits, Raskiewicz said.

For example, the district was able use the covid money to pay a portion of Assistant Superintendent Shane Patrick’s salary because of the work he has done contact tracing and as the point of contact between the Arkansas Department of Health, Department of Education and the school district, Wiggins said.

“That happened in multiple different areas and positions,” he said.

The district has also been able to save in areas such as transportation, because there have been far fewer sports trips, Raskiewicz said.

“Our staff have had an exceptionally hard year and we want to reward them for all of the extra effort and all of the extra time and energy they put in this year and the frustration they have had to endure with remote kids and virtual kids and quarantines and isolations,” Wiggins said. “This is away we can do that monetarily. We are in a good position district wide financially that we can do this and I strongly recommend this.”

All contracted staff members who were employed as of April 8 are eligible for the bonus, Raskiewicz said. Temporary employees, substitutes, hourly or other non-contracted employees will not receive the money, she said.

The bonus will not be prorated based on the number of days worked or based on full- or part-time status and it will not be multiplied by the salary index, she said. Employees who fill more than one position will still receive a single bonus, she said.

In other business, School Board members approved a $500 increase to teacher’s base pay.

The changes to the certified salary schedule included new stipends for team members who are certified in professional crises management and stipends for online teachers, Raskiewicz said. Pay for additional duties will also be changed from a flat rate of $30 an hour to the certified staff member’s personal hourly rate, since most teachers now make more than $30 an hour, she said. The changes were approved by the certified employee personnel policy committee.

School Board members also moved to send an updated salary schedule to the classified employee personnel policy committee.

The committee will have 10 days to review the changes, then the board will meet again before the end of the month to review the committee’s recommendations and any additions it may make to the schedule, Wiggins said.

The School Board took the following additional actions:

• Accepted the results of Arkansas Legislative Audit for the year ending in June 30, 2020. The district had a clean audit, Raskiewicz said.

• Approved a resolution requesting no polling places be provided for the 2021-2022 school board election. Board member Connie Matchell is running unopposed.

• Approved the renewal of certified personnel contracts for the 2021-2022 school year.

• Accepted the resignation of eight licensed staff members, including Annie Samaniega, second grade teacher; Sandra Kidd, second grade teacher; Natali Cordova, first grade teacher; Ashlee Scroggins, first grade teacher; Markie Garner, high school English teacher; Kory Loftis, high school speech language pathologist; Maegen White, first grade teacher; and Ross White, high school vice principal/career and technical education coordinator.

• Hired five licensed staff members for the upcoming school year, including Becki Caudill, second grade teacher; Kara Wells, high school English teacher; Canaan Craig, high school world language teacher; Michelle Williams, high school English teacher; and Tyler Voss, high school art teacher.

• Approved the addition of one certified full-time high school special education position.

• Approved the addition of one classified full-time special education paraprofessional.