Teachers and nurses at the Crawfordsville Community School Corp. will receive $3,000 stipends for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our staff’s been through a lot, and they’re going to continue to go through a lot next year,” superintendent Dr. Scott Bowling told the school board, which approved the extra pay Thursday.
Area school districts have been providing one-time stipends to staff members this year in acknowledgment of the additional demands brought on by the pandemic.
The stipends will also be paid to last year’s retirees, who were not included in the original proposal. And former staff members who worked the entire year before leaving the district will receive half of the amount, up from Bowling’s proposal of $500.
“Because I’ve heard from people that say they shouldn’t get any because they’ve left us to go somewhere else,” Bowling said, “and then I’ve heard from all across the district that they should get the full amount.”
There was a similar divide among the board. Members Susan Albrecht and Ellen Ball questioned whether the stipends were meant to thank staff for putting in the extra effort or to also reward them for loyalty.
“And if that’s what it is … we need to be honest about that,” said Albrecht, who suggested paying the full amount or only slightly less.
“I’m of the opinion that if you made it through the entire year and you gave all, I think it feels a little bit like a slap to say you’re not worthy of the same amount as someone who stayed,” she added.
Board president Steve McLaughlin raised concerns that teachers who moved to other districts may be double-paid. Member Kathy Brown said she would favor giving slightly more money, but not the entire amount.
The district is tapping into the $1.4 million rainy day fund for the stipends. Coronavirus relief money will replenish the fund over the next three to four years.
Indiana’s new budget boosts funding for public schools by about 4.5% each of the next two years and lawmakers want the increase to go toward boosting teacher pay.
Bowling said the district can reach the state’s target of raising minimum teacher salaries to $40,000 per year. The current level is $38,300.
But he said most schools will struggle meeting the goal of increasing average pay to $60,000. And he said a target of using 45% of tuition support dollars for salaries should also include benefits.
The district’s bus drivers will also take home more money with the board approving a raise in starting pay to $22.50 per hour. The hourly rates for drivers, bus monitors and workers without commercial driver’s licenses were also Increased.
Work continues on the high school renovation project. During the week of July 19, crews plan to mill and pave the remaining part of the parking lot, assistant superintendent Dr. Rex Ryker said.
In personnel matters, the board approved the hirings of Nathan Mason, Hoover counselor; Celina Alexander, Nicholson Elementary third grade teacher (covering a maternity leave); Kaitlyn Ferguson, Hose Elementary music; Brian May, high school social studies; Marlowe McVay, Nicholson third grade; Patrick Myers, social studies; and Kris Ervin, high school guidance secretary.
Ervin returns to the district following her retirement as a high school teacher.
The board accepted the resignations of Nicholson third grade teacher Taylor Myers and Hose special education teacher Jill Deel.
