Proposed revisions to the Employee Policy Manual were discussed and certified staff contracts for 2017-18 were approved by the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education at its May 2 meeting.
The Employee Policy Manual changes were developed over the past year by a committee comprised of 20 employees that encompassed all three employee groups (certified, non-certified and administrator). A final vote on the proposals will take place at the next meeting on May 16.
For employees with at least 10 years of service who choose to use a second personal day, the day will still be deducted from the employee’s sick leave, but will not affect the opportunity to earn perfect attendance, according to the proposal. Changes were also made to revise language to reflect implementation of the new health insurance that was adopted on Jan. 1, 2017. The revisions simply update the changes that occurred when the new health plan began.
Currently, the District provides reimbursement for tuition of $150 per credit. New language emphasizes that the District will provide additional compensation for credits earned in areas difficult to find qualified candidates with those degrees. The proposed changes extend the window of the Board’s commitment to the Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) another year to June 30, 2019. The hope is that employees are assured there will be no changes to OPEB for a rolling two-year period. In addition, the consortium rate of pay for NJSD summer school will be provided only to District certified staff. Non-certified staff members are not eligible for the consortium rate even if they are licensed teachers.
The Board approved certified staff contracts for 2017-18 and extended administrator contracts through 2018-19. In other personnel decisions, Nicole Lang was hired as a speech and language teacher at Tullar and Elizabeth Stebnitz was tabbed as an EBD teacher at Shattuck. Resignations were approved for Taft teachers Stephanie Cull and Kendra Schmitz, Tullar and Coolidge counselor Kristin Wegner, Washington speech and language pathologist Karen Julian and high school teacher Lowrie Leahy, all effective June 2. Leaves of absence were approved for Horace Mann staff members Angela Lee and Pamela Seifert Green.
Board officers for 2017-18 were voted upon. Michelle Swardenski will remain president, Jean Maurice Boyer will retain his vice-president role and Christopher Kunz will stay at treasurer. Betsy Ellenberger will take over as clerk and Diane Haug will remain secretary.
Also, the boys and girls powerlifting teams and Special Olympics basketball teams were honored for their state championship and runner-up finishes. Board scholarship recipients, Marissa Hart and Talaysha Kuss, were recognized as well.
|