HS school board approves changes to personnel policy

The Hot Springs School Board approved two changes to its personnel policy related to employees who are adopting a child and the membership of its Personnel Policies Committee last month.

Jessica Jeffers, president of the Certified Personnel Policies Committee, told the board at its meeting on Dec. 15 that the committee had adopted both changes and was asking the board to adopt the changes, as well.

The first change approved by the board added one section to the school district’s sick leave policy.

The new section states that “employees who are adopting or seeking to adopt a minor child or minor children may use up to fifteen (15) sick leave days in any school year for absences relating to the adoption, including time needed for travel, time needed for home visits, time needed for document translation, submission or preparation, time spent with legal or adoption agency representatives, time spent in court, and bonding time.”

“We’re asking that they be able to use 15 of their sick days” in accordance with anything that pertains to adopting a child, Jeffers told the board.

The second change dealt with the membership on the committee. “Last year, we decided that we wanted equal representation across the district to where we had two members from each school,” and the change in verbiage reflects that, she said.

The board adopted both changes without dis

cussion.

According to the change request, it’s the responsibility of the Personnel Policies Committee to “review and make recommendations regarding policies of the district affecting certified personnel.”

The PPC consists of 12 certified teachers, two building- level administrators, and one district- level certified staff member. There are to be two representatives from each of the six Hot Springs School District buildings.

“The election of said certified teacher members shall be conducted in September of the reelection year by the then existing PPC as provided by law. There shall be no more than two (2) administrators, and one (1) district- level representative, and the appointment of administrative members shall be made by the Superintendent in September of the third year, subject to review by the board. A majority of the PPC may change the number of members and makeup of the committee, provided there are no fewer than five (5) certified teachers, nor more than two (2) administrators, and no fewer than one (1) district-level representative,” the policy states.

Membership on the PPC is three years, with present members serving the remainder of existing terms as previously determined.

In other business, the board also approved seven new trucks for the maintenance department.

Rodney Echols, the district’s director of athletics, maintenance, and transportation, said the older vehicles are costing more to maintain than they are probably worth.

The first vehicle the district will purchase will be a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 work truck for $26,428.

“This will allow us to move one of those maintenance trucks out of the fleet, and then we’ll continue to work to replace the remaining outdated vehicles as quickly as we can,” Superintendent Stephanie Nehus said.