Tentative agreement detailed

Jay School Corporation and its teachers have reached a tentative agreement.

Jay School Board reviewed the agreement, which calls for average teacher raises of 7.5%, during its meeting Monday.

The board plans to vote on the agreement, along with wage increases for administrators, support staff, bus drivers and substitute teachers, during a special meeting at 5 p.m. Oct. 23.

Jay Classroom Teachers Association approved the agreement last week.

Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley told the board the average raise for teachers would be 7.5%, with the lowest raise coming in at 5.5%. Starting teacher pay increased by 7.5% in the proposed contract, putting that wage at $43,003. Salaries range up to $67,003 for those with 30 years of experience. Teachers who have a master’s degree would receive an additional increase.

Board member Vickie Reitz expressed her hope that the contract keeps Jay School Corporation competitive with others.

In addition to the raises for teachers, the agreement calls for a 4% increase for all extracurricular activities employees. It also would add 12 extracurricular positions as coaches for the new elementary school basketball program.

“It was smooth,” said Gulley of the negotiation process. “People were prepared and professional. … I think the level of trust is probably as high as it could be.”

He also thanked board officers Ron Laux, Donna Geesaman and Phil Ford for their work during the negotiations process.

Gulley also provided an enrollment update, noting that Jay Schools’ enrollment went up by 27 students this year. Enrollment has gone up just twice in the last seven years.

Also Monday, board members Jason Phillips, Marcie Vormohr, Chip Phillips, Geesaman, Ford and Reitz, absent Laux, received information regarding the newly created Jay County School Safety Commission, which will include a judge, the sheriff, school safety specialists and others as appointed by the school board. (Such a group is required by state law this year.)

Gulley said an initial meeting with county commissioners president Chad Aker and Jay County Sheriff Ray Newton went well and brought forth some new ideas. Newton, for example, suggested that additional officers at schools be made part-time employees. Gulley said he’s considering that idea, adding that it might result in a greater police presence than if a second school resource officer was added.

Gulley plans to have a proposal in writing for the board to review next month with plans to bring the subject to a vote in December.

In other business, the board:

•During its Patriot Pride moment, heard from staff and a student involved in the Project Lead the Way program at Bloomfield Elementary School. Sixth grade students work together to build and race VEX IQ robots.

•Reviewed two options for the school corporations’ 2024-25 calendar. One runs from Aug. 8 through May 23 and the other from Aug. 15 through May 29, with slight adjustments made to breaks to accommodate the differences. The board plans to review the options and vote on them at its next meeting. Gulley also mentioned the coming eclipse on April 8 and discussed options for that day, noting that some school districts are taking the day off. He plans to have a recommendation for the day next month.

•Approved the following: accepting a $44,300.40 Formative Assessment Grant to help with the purchase of the NWEA assessments; the purchase of online curriculum for vocational agriculture courses at a total cost of $13,130 for seven years; various extracurricular assignments including Ava Stockton as FFA sponsor; leaves of absence for Sarah Sudhoff, Jane Evans, Kiah Bruns and Julia Kable; field trips for the FFA soil judging team Oct. 19 through 21 to Benton High School and Early College Students on Oct. 26 to Wright State University; a bus request from Fellowship Baptist Church for Nov. 12; and a contract for occupational therapy services with Abigail Muhlenkamp.

•Heard the financial report that shows projected positive cash flows of $161,714 and $105,933, respectively, in the education fund and operations fund.