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From mandated increases in teacher and classified salaries by the state to growing class sizes, the administrative staff and members of the Snowflake Unified School District (SUSD) Governing Board came together in a budget work session before the meeting on Feb. 12 to discuss potential options for the upcoming budget.
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Finance Director Mark Ollerton shared that while the budget is pretty simple as school financing is based on current year enrollment with student count days starting in January and concluding in April, the final adjustment of the budget does not take place until May. “Where this gets tricky is there is now a mandated salary increase, as well as increases in insurance and retirement.”
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Ollerton continued, “The biggest concern is the 20 percent by 2021, based on the average teacher salary from the school year 2017-18, which was approximately $44,000. Twenty percent of that is a large amount. This year the state is giving us two percent, while last year we gave the certified 13 percent.”
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Superintendent Hollis Merrell also noted that the minimum wage will increase by a dollar in January 2020 which will affect the classified employees. “As a district, we have been very generous and in the past have given the increase to all of the classified employees, not just the lowest paid employees. We have moved everybody up with it.”
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Merrell continued, “The amount we get from the state for teacher increases does not come close to a five percent increase. A group of superintendents recently talked with the governor and said, ‘If you want us to give a five percent, you need to give us five percent.’”
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Also at the forefront of the discussion was the need for more staff. Merrell said, “The high school went from 620 students to nearly 830 students with the addition of one teacher.”
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While the custodial staff is up from past years, there is only a custodian cleaning the entire junior high school. As Snowflake High School Larry Titus stated, “The teachers have done a fantastic job but if the buildings weren’t clean and looking nice, no one would have the pride. I think it is important to reward the support staff for their level of expertise that they bring.”
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Snowflake Intermediate School Principal Kim Lewis reminded everyone, “The pay is not what drives the teachers. The inner drive of the people in this community is what makes it work.”
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On a positive note, Matt Weber, superintendent of Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT), gave a brief presentation, applauding SUSD for breaking the $6 million mark this year. “You have more students each year joining your Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in your high school. Not many districts can report a steady increase of students. That is a good streak to be on. That speaks loudly for the teachers, because they are the ones that are marketing the programs. It speaks loudly for the administration to make sure the students have access to CTE.”
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NAVIT provides an additional funding stream for the district with an estimated $241,000 for fiscal year 2019. It also pays for students to attending Northland Pioneer College while completing their high school diploma. Since 2001, NAVIT has brought $6 million dollars into the district and is offering on-site
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classes at Snowflake High School that include multi-media, agriculture, network technology, business graphic design and construction technologies.
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Weber said, “Even if our students want to head to a university, CTE skills are extremely helpful for all of our students. We offer wonderful programs that are right here at home.”
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In other business, the board:
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* Approved the update to the Parental Involvement Policy 2019 to include “messages provided via the District School Messenger System” in Part Two, Section E.
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* Approved the statement of assurance.
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* Tabled the updated community facility use agreement fees for more information.
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* Changed the March board meeting from Thursday, March 14, to Tuesday, March 19.
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* Approved the 2019-2020 Proposed Salary Schedule, option two.
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* Approved the hiring of the following new employees: Makenna Tanner and Jenna Van Winkle, Snowflake Intermediate paraprofessionals; Robin Mercer and Paige Bingham, Taylor Elementary paraprofessionals.
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* Accepted the resignations of the following: Bryan Lang, assistant offensive coordinator; Carol Carrales, Taylor Elementary paraprofessional; Katie Gillespie, SHS women’s soccer junior varsity coach; Sydney Lewis, Highland Primary health technician; Keilanie Hatch Gordon, Taylor Elementary paraprofessional; and David Alexander, Snowflake Intermediate special education teacher.
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* Approved of volunteer Susanne Berger as SHS assistant softball coach.
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