SAD 52 board reverses wage freeze for special education staff

SAD 52 board reverses wage freeze for special education staff

C.M. Harthorne, Special to the Sun Journal

Lewiston-Auburn |

Monday, September 12, 2016

LEEDS — SAD 52 directors have reversed their decision to hold special education wages at last year's level E-mail this storyPrint this storySave this story The effect of their vote last month resulted in two new employees being compensated according to the salary formula that has been used since 2010, while two returning workers in the same category were held to last year’s salary. Special Education Director Deb Alden presented the board with a spreadsheet Thursday comparing SAD 52 benefits and salaries to nine other districts. The board voted unanimously to offer returning workers the 2016-17 wages based on the teachers' salary formula. The original measure, instituting optional full family health insurance, passed on a 3-2 vote in May, with one director abstaining. The root issue was that the vote took place after the budget was settled, and therefore was not part of the spending plan for 2016-17. At the board meeting Aug. 25, when salaries were voted on, Director Peter Ricker pointed out the potential expense of the added insurance benefit. After discussion, the board voted to hold the salaries of employees offered the full family insurance at 2015-16 wages until more information became available. At Thursday’s meeting, Chairwoman Betsy Bullard said, “It was never our intention to leave any valued employee without fair compensation.” Assistant Chairwoman Diana Morgan asked if any of the employees were taking advantage of the full family insurance offer. Business Manager Deb Roberts said they were not, but Ricker pointed out that the potential cost was not something that can be ignored. Occupational therapist Shelly Rau, who did not receive a raise because of the issue, expressed her disappointment and asked if her salary based on the 2016-17 formula was in the budget. They told her it was. The school board members were all in agreement that it was never their intention to foster any inequity in pay or other benefits. Bullard expressed her commitment to continue to improve the hiring process and to attract the best possible candidates. In other business: * Gail Marnie of Tripp Middle School presented the board with a plan to change the school’s grading to a standards-based system. The system will be based on a scale of 4-1, representing exceeds, meets, partially meets, and does not meet, in that order. * The board voted unanimously to hire an additional education technician for an incoming student. The salary will be reimbursable by the state. * The board voted to accept the donation of a scoreboard for the soccer field at Leavitt Area High School, offered by the Leavitt trustees.