The Coahoma County School District will award its extended long-term substitute teachers with a set salary for the new school year.
In a move to raise their pay and make it more equitable to what other teachers are earning, the school district’s board of trustees voted 4-0 (with board member Milroy Harris absent) to offer an annual salary of $27,668 for those extended long-term teachers.
The vote came during the board’s regular meeting held Aug. 14 at the school district office. Board members present were Patrick Campbell, Edward Kinard, Lester Myles Jr. and Rico Smith.
The new salary will meet federal labor and wage laws, said interim superintendent Dr. Ilene Richards, who recommended the salary.
She said the long-term substitute teachers are “functioning just like a teacher but haven’t acquired their certification.” To be considered in that realm, the teacher will have to have at least 21 hours of education in the area that they are teaching.
Richards, who was appointed as the interim superintendent in early July, said she felt the previous pay was “not equitable.” Previously, those considered long-term substitute teachers earned $90 per day.
Currently, a regular substitute teacher at a school in the Coahoma County School District receives $60 per day while a substitute teacher with a bachelor’s degree receives $80 per day.
Richards said the school district’s current budget shows a $100,000 to $150,000 savings in personnel costs. They have also stabilized the staffing at the local schools.
“We’ve been innovative and creative with our scheduling and cut out some fat,” said the interim superintendent.
She praised the budgetary work done by the principals at each of the county’s schools.
“They are truly advocates for the students. We’ve got a ways to go and we have some challenges, but everybody is upbeat,” Richards said. “All in all, we’re getting there in trying to reach our goals and make things happen.”
Last year, the county school system started the year with an enrollment of 1,404 students. On the first day of school last Monday, there were 1,249 students enrolled in county schools.
In other news, the board:
n Gave its approval for Dr. Christopher Hill, the school district’s assistant superintendent, to attend the Superintendent Academy. The cost will be approximately $2,000.
n Went into executive session to discuss personnel. Campbell, the board of trustees president, said action was taken but declined to say what had taken place, saying it would be reported in the board minutes “when they come out next month.”
n Heard updates from the principals at Friars Point Elementary and Coahoma County Junior/Senior High schools. Both schools have to present updates because they are considered “at-risk schools” because of low scores in recent student assessment exams presented by the state.
Dr. Anna Watson, principal at Friars Point, said her school was close to no longer being labeled an “at-risk school”, while principal Lynn Lang went over what’s expected inside and outside the classroom at the junior and senior high school. He said they are looking for innovative ways to teach students and noted they are fully staffed with a full-time librarian and band director.
n Unanimously approved the school district financial report. Mildred Moore, the district’s finance director, said the school system was “doing fairly well at this time” as there was a fund balance on July 1 of $3,815,572.
The board later agreed to approve claims totaling $351,907.34 for the month of July. A big chunk of those claims was for liability insurance on the school district and student insurance.
In a related matter, the board agreed to accept a bid by First National Bank to serve as the school system’s depository for the new fiscal year.
“Their proposal was better than any other bank,” Moore said.
Richards agreed, saying it will also provide “continuity” as First National is currently where the school district deposits its funds.
