June 2024 School Board Meeting

The Mount Vernon R-V Board of Education held its Regular Meeting on Thursday, June 20.  Below are some items of interest:

 

The Board adopted a schedule for Regular Meetings in the 2024-2025 Academic Year.  

  • The schedule is attached to this post.
 

A report was given on the progress of installing the new synthetic turf at Mountaineer Stadium.  

  • The removal of old turf is complete and the installation of new turf is proceeding well.  
  • Work begins soon on the integration of hashmarks, numbers, lettering, logos, and ad panels.  
  • The project is still on schedule to be completed in July.
 

The Board approved a 5 year extension to the District’s partnership with First Student as our student transportation provider.

  • The District enjoyed a long relationship with Apple Bus Company for many years.
  • During the 2022-2023 school year, First Student purchased Apple Bus Company and became the District’s transportation partner.
  • The Board approved an extension to the agreement with First Student that included a 5% increase in rates for next year with subsequent 5% increases through the 2028-2029 school year.
 

In response to feedback from the Salary/Welfare committee, two changes were approved regarding certain support staff positions.

  • The Board approved a new compensation structure for the District’s Nursing Staff.
    • School nurses with Registered Nursing credentials will be connected to the District’s Professional Staff Salary Schedule from the appropriate column.
    • When hiring RN candidates, the District will honor the first ten years of relevant experience and one for every three years above the first ten.
    • Licensed Practical Nurses working under the direction of the District’s Head Nurse will be compensated based on a new column added to the Support Staff Salary Schedule.
    • LPN candidates hired by the District will be given credit for all years of similar experience from the new column.
      • Please see the attached Support Staff Salary Schedule to see the new LPN salary column.
  • The Board approved a Specialized Paraprofessional Stipend Rubric.
    • The purpose of the rubric is to recognize and compensate Paraprofessionals who are working in difficult situations as a result of the students they serve.
    • The rubric is an objective measure of job circumstances based on four criteria:
      • Student Disability Severity
      • Behavioral Challenges
      • Medical Needs
      • Physical Demands
    • Each situation will be evaluated by a committee to include the following personnel:
      • Director of Student Services
      • Building Principal
      • Building Counselor
      • Process Coordinator
    • The stipend are as follows:
      • Level One:  $500
      • Level Two:  $1,000
      • Level Three:  $1,500
    • A copy of the rubric is attached to this post.
 

In addition to the salary changes listed above, the Board approved the following changes to the Salary/Welfare Provisions for the 2024-2025 school year:

  • The District is expecting relatively flat funding from local taxes in FY25.
  • However, there is expected to be a fairly substantial increase to funding from the state Foundation Formula in FY25.
    • The formula was recalculated due to accreditation results from MSIP 6 with increases to the State Adequacy Target as well as changes to threshold bonuses to take effect in FY25.
  • Because of these changes, the Board considered and approved the following increases to staff compensation and benefits:
    • Movement on Schedules for Experience and/or Education (Approximately 2%)
    • Participation in the Teacher Baseline Salary Grant to set minimum salary at $40,000
    • Increase Actual Base Salary to $37,500 (7.14% increase)
    • Add $2,500 to reflect the increase to the base:
      • Below Step 7 in Columns A-B; 
      • Below Step 6 in Column C; 
      • Below Step 5 in Column D; & 
      • Below Step 1 in Column E 
    • Increase Base Pay on Support Staff Salary Schedules 
      • Custodial Increase:  7.26%
        • $14.75/hour Custodial
      • BS Degree Increase:  7.16%
        • $16.62/hour w/College Degree
      • DESE Certification and/or 60 College Hours Degree 7.15%
        • $15.29/hour w/o College Degree
    • 7.14% increase for those not on Salary Schedule
    • Full Coverage of Insurance at $6,168 per employee (7.08% increase from FY24)
  • Full provisions and salary schedules are attached to this post.

The Board approved a preliminary budget for FY25.

  • A full budget will be approved in September.
 

Rental rates for District facilities were kept at the same rates for the 24-25 school year.

 

In Closed Executive Session:

 

The Board approved the following personnel recommendations:

  • Rebecca DeLay resigned from her position at MVIS.
    • Mrs. DeLay joined the District in 2012 and spent the past twelve years teaching in our Special Education Department at the Intermediate School.
  • Sarah Reynolds resigned from her position at MVIS.
    • Mrs. Reynolds joined the District in 2020 and spent the past four years teaching Third Grade at MVIS.
  • Hannah Tiffin resigned from her position at MVHS.
    • Mrs. Tiffin joined the District in 2022 teaching ELA at both the Middle and High Schools.
  • Christina Penland was approved to fill a vacant Special Education Teaching Position divided between the Middle School and Intermediate School.
    • Mrs. Penland served as a Special Education Paraprofessional at MVMS this year and served as a substitute teacher in the District since the spring of 2022 including a long-term substitute position in Sixth Grade that year.
    • This is to replace the position vacated by the resignation of Rebecca DeLay.
  • Chastity Magee was approved to fill a vacant Custodian position at MVIS.
  • Johnna Plybon was approved to fill a vacant Custodian position at MVIS.
  • Megan Calvert was approved to fill a vacant Special Education Paraprofessional Position at MVES.
  • Solai Hale was approved to fill the position of Freshmen Volleyball Coach.
  • Kevin Kultgen was approved to fill the vacant Head Cross Country Coaching position.
  • Andrea Piepenbrink was approved to fill the vacant Head Cheer Coach position.
    • Mrs. Piepenbrink was recently hired as a Special Education Teacher at MVIS.
    • She served as the MVHS Coquette Coach and spent six years as a Cheer Coach in Monett.
  • Michael Solak was approved to fill the vacant position of Middle School Academic Team Sponsor.
 

The next scheduled meeting of the Mount Vernon R-V Board of Education will be Thursday, July 18 at 7 PM in the District Office Board Room. 







Attached Files