Board delays decision on pay

Board members were in general agreement that substitute teachers should be paid more. They’re uncertain, however, as to if that will help attract more of them.
Jay School Board discussed substitute teaching issues at its meeting Monday but decided to wait on any decisions.
The issue of substitute pay came up in May when the board decided not to vote on a recommendation that the rate remain at $65 per day. Board members noted that administrators had reported difficulty in finding enough substitute teachers, and board member Mike Shannon asked how Jay County’s rate compares to other schools in the area.
Superintendent Tim Long prepared a report for the board that showed Jay Schools is on the low end when it comes to substitute pay. (Rates at some neighboring school districts are: Mercer County - $80; South Adams - $75 for a licensed teacher and $67 for everyone else; Randolph Central - $70 for retired teachers and $65 for everyone else; Blackford - $60).
Board member Ron Laux expressed support for a $5 per day increase for substitute teachers.
“I think it’s worth strong consideration,” he said.
But other board members placed their focus on finding ways to attract more substitutes, wondering if a larger raise would help and what the financial impact would be. Business manager Brad DeRome told the board that every $5 increase in substitute pay would cost the corporation about $10,000 over the course of a school year.
Board member Tammy Bennett suggested that administrators talk to several current substitutes to try to get some ideas about what could attract more interest.
Long said he would do so, and the board decided to continue the discussion at its July 18 meeting.
“The $5 is not going to be the fix,” said Shannon. “It’s something we probably should do, but it’s not going to be the fix. We’ve got to find something else that will fix that.”
In other business, the board:
•Made the following teacher transfers: Rebecca May (to third grade at General Shanks Elementary from fourth grade at Redkey Elementary), Jane Evans (to second grade at Redkey from kindergarten at Judge Haynes Elementary), Valerie Jutte (to kindergarten at Judge Haynes from fifth grade at East Elementary), Autumn Brown (to kindergarten at Judge Haynes from preschool at East), Erin Homan (to preschool at East from kindergarten at Judge Haynes), Courtney Knistle (to special education at Judge Haynes from special education at East Jay Middle School), Andrea Garringer (to fourth grade at Judge Haynes from alternative school at East Jay), Michelle Keever (to special education at East Jay from special education at West Jay Middle School), Beth Stafford (to half-time special education at West Jay from half-time special education at Pennville Elementary). Four teaching positions — General Shanks third grade, East kindergarten and fifth grade and JCHS Spanish — need to be filled for the 2016-17 school year.
•Accepted resignations from Westlawn Elementary part-time instructional assistant Shirley Dollar and bus mechanic Kyle Frazee, and approved leaves of absence for Judge Haynes principal Erica Tomano and Westlawn custodian Roger Johns.
•Accepted extracurricular resignations from Amber Yadon (JCHS student council), Danielle Fritz (EJMS seventh grade volleyball and girls basketball), Natalie Corcoran (Pennville Just Say No), Ryan Steinbrunner (EJMS eighth grade boys basketball) and Carol Gebert (JCHS musical director), and approved extra-curricular assignments for Jacquelin Analco (JCHS student council), Rachel Arnold (Judge Haynes cheerleading) and Danielle Fritz (EJMS sixth grade volleyball).
•Voted to renew the corporation’s property casualty insurance for $162,958 through EMC Insurance and to switch providers for its worker’s compensation insurance through Indiana Public Employers Plan for $105,677. The corporation previously had workers compensation insurance through Accident Fund, but that company did not offer a quote for renewal.
•Learned from DeRome that the corporation received a Common School Fund loan of $295,000 from the Indiana State Board of Education to help pay for technology advancements, and heard from Long that the corporation received a $17,000 Education-Workforce Partnership Planning Grant.
•Added an item to the JCHS dress code prohibiting students from wearing “tails or animal ears.”
•Approved field trips for the JCHS girls basketball team June 17 and 18 to Tri-Village High School in New Madison, Ohio, and June 27 through 30 to St. Francis University basketball camp in Fort Wayne, and the archery teams June 23 through 26 to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
•OK’d policy updates regarding non-discrimination, guidance and counseling, anti-harassment, drug prevention and a variety of other topics.
•Set its meeting dates through January 2017. The board regularly meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month.