Proposed changes to the 2021-22 Employee Policy Manual were reviewed by the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education at its April 6 meeting.
The change that received the most attention during the open forum and the meeting involved language intended for certified staff that have a specified number of extra days to their 190-day contract. The proposal removes the specified number of days and states that “additional days may be required for some positions in order to fulfill job requirements.” Some staff members affected by the change who spoke during open forum were concerned the language is too vague and could be interpreted by future Board and administrations in different ways. Some Board members expressed similar concerns, but it was noted that the language was proposed by the District’s legal counsel based on situations that have occurred in other districts.
Other significant changes that received less discussion were the addition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a paid holiday, the increase of the beginning salary for a first-year teacher to $46,000 and the increase in monetary penalties for staff members who voluntarily break their contract with less than 30-day notice for administrators or non-certified staff members or during the summer for certified staff members. All of the changes will be voted upon at the next meeting on April 20.
Hires were approved for Katie Buettner and Erin Cotter as Family and Consumer Education teachers at Neenah High School. End-of-year resignations were approved for Wilson teacher Adam Potratz, high school teacher Mallory Lampe, Washington Speech and Language Pathologist Alyssa Antoine, high school teacher Brooke Hatten and high school educational assistant Linda Woodburn. An immediate resignation was approved for Coolidge teacher Kelsey Noskowiak and a resignation was approved for Tullar health assistant Julie Buss, effective April 16.
A board policy was adopted for visitor use of tobacco products on school premises. Another policy on gifts and advertising was sent back to the policy committee for more discussion.
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