VIENNA — The Maries R-1 School District took another step toward becoming more competitive pay-wise with other schools in the region by increasing the district’s base pay by $1,000 and adding a $500 step for all other teachers. The school board approved this at the May meeting.

At that meeting, Superintendent Mark Parker brought the board members two proposals. One increased the base pay from $28,000 to $29,000 for certified staff, and the second proposal increased it from $28,000 to $30,000. Last year, the board approved a certified base pay salary increase from $27,500 to $28,000. 

Parker said Principals Ian Murray and Shanda Snodgrass have confided that it is becoming increasingly difficult to hire staff because of the low pay at Maries R-1. It is a problem that has persisted for several years, and also has played a role in staff members leaving the district for more competitive pay at other school district. Maries R-1 needs to be more competitive to attract and to retain teachers. Parker suggested they increase the base pay and also add a $500 one year step. Also, he recommended a proportionate five percent raise for administrators, and a $0.30 per hour raise for non-certified staff. It will cost the school district an estimated $69,970.39 for all of it if they raise the base pay to $29,000. This includes the salary increases, retirement, medicare and also part of his is a reduction in board paid insurance totaling $8,323.08 for this year because of changing to a different health insurance contractor. Certified staff raises total $65,257.82 and non-certified staff raises total $4,712.57.

Board member Joseph Barnhart asked how far Maries R-1 is from being competitive with its salary schedule. Parker said closer as $30,000 is what most schools in the area start at. It has become a more frequent occurrence at the school district for an applicant to turn away from an offer because of the district’s pay schedule. 

However, Maries R-1 has a reputation of having a positive school culture and good students, which is a draw for teachers wanting to work in a positive and progressive campus environment. Parker said the school grows its own teachers from among its alumni and community with those teachers who stay in the school district. Parker suggested they make a goal of getting to the $30,000 base pay as soon as possible, and to consider allowing teachers to bring in more years of experience. This would be a big draw. It would mean a teacher coming in with a lot of years of teaching experience would be paid for all of it, but Parker said he’s not sure how to do this now as it would have to be phased in. There would be eight or nine teachers earning $50,000 to $60,000, which is “a chunk of money.” At Maries R-1, teachers can bring in and be paid for five years experience whereas at Dixon school teachers can transfer in all of their years of teaching experience. 

Barnhart asked if it is possible for the district to increase pay and still do the capital improvements the board wants to see implemented. Board Vice President Penny Schoene noted the budget has to break even. Parker said they are looking at it and without the insurance buy-out they have this year, the school would go in the hole paying for this. But, he said once they know what the staff costs will be, they can build a budget around it. They have discussed buying textbooks, but the administrators agree that “teachers are more important.” Schoene asked if the district can afford this, and Parker responded that it can, and “I will make sure we can.” He anticipates receiving summer school revenue of $29,000 to $30,000. 

Schoene said there are many variables to consider, but “this is a priority and you are committed to making it work because it has to work.” She said staff expenses will total 79 to 81 percent of the school district’s budget. 

Elementary Principal Shanda Snodgrass said the teachers sometimes come to her and express distress with financial difficulties. They have so many expenses and not always enough money to pay for all of it. Snodgrass said Maries R-1 is blessed with good teachers. 

Schoene said Parker did present two options, for both a $29,000 and a $30,000 base pay. Parker said he thinks they need to look at it and see how it can work out over the next year or two and also to talk about ways to transfer in more years of experience. Snodgrass said she thinks a $1,000 raise in the base pay and one $500 stop for now is good. Schoene agreed, saying “everybody gets this.” Barnhart asked how important it is to teachers to be able to transfer in their years of experience. Parker said being allowed to transfer those years will help bring in teachers to the district. Schoene said the district can’t bring in someone with 25 years. 

Board member Dave Garro said they have to look at the district’s tax base. “We don’t have that,” he said. Schoene said she is more in favor of raising it to $29,000 for the first year and see if it works and make the raises progressively. Parker said the district’s school calendar, its pay, and the good school culture are ways to draw students and teachers. Snodgrass said staff will be happy to know raises are coming because some are having trouble “making their bills.” Barnhart suggested they raise the base to $29,000 with the idea and the hope for raising it to $30,000 next year, but that is not a promise. Schoene said that’s $3,000 in raises over three years. Snodgrass said $30,000 is comparable to the base salary of other schools in the area. 

Garro asked if they know how many teachers they’ve lost because of the money. He would like to see this kept track of so they know what is “driving them to leave. We need to be competitive, but we need to look at why they leave.” Garro wondered if some teachers leave because its too far to drive or they have family issues that compel it. He asked the administrators to track this. 

Snodgrass said she thinks the teachers stay with the district because it is a small school, has a good school culture, and the staff works as a team. “We have a lot of wonderful things to offer,” she commented. Parker said sometimes teachers don’t know what they’ve got until it’s gone. 

Schoene said the school district has to be frugal, but the teachers are the district’s number one resource. Barnhart asked if they have the ability to draw in other students and Parker said they do if they offer more for students, more to do, such as starting archery competition next year, having an increased online presence, and more involvement and growing the community. 

Barnhart said he’d like to see on paper how Maries R-1 compares to other schools in pay schedule. Parker said he obtained a pay schedule from other schools and they are looking at making a non-certified salary schedule for next year. Schoene said they need this. In the past they’ve paid whatever they wanted to pay or paid a new person what the person they replaced was making.

In other business with salaries, Parker said SPED Director Joe Edwards has done a great job this year and has kept up with the increased requirements of his job. All other districts pay the SPED Director on a 12 month contract. Edwards is on ten and a half month contract and Parker recommended adding ten days to make it an 11 month contract. This will cost an additional $2,814. There is a lot going on and this will give Edwards time to concentrate on important areas and completing Title paperwork. Parker said Edwards is having to do make up work that has not been done in a long time. Barnhart made a motion to extend his contract by half a month to 11 months and to look at it again next year. The board approved this.