R-3
teachers get 3% raise in base salary
by Danielle
Hillix
Landmark editor
Teachers in the Platte County R-3 School District will
see their base salary increase by $800. It's an increase
of slightly less than 3% in the base pay.
A new salary schedule was approved by the R-3 Board of
Education at a meeting Thursday.
The $800 increase brings the district's 2002-2003 base
salary to $28,600. According to the board, across the
salary schedule the district's teachers will see an approximate
4.5% percent increase in average salary.
In the same motion, the board agreed that the salaries
of employees not on the current salary scheduled would
also be increased by 4.5 percent, while substitute teacher
pay was increased by $5 a day to $80 per day.
"This schedule came after a healthy discussion with
the teacher committee," Superintendent Dr. Mark Harpst
said. "We did our best to be fair. I think this schedule
will do a good job of attracting new teachers and rewarding
the old."
In other business, Harpst announced that the school district
was selected as a recipient of Missouri's Safe School
Grant. It is an "all but sure thing" that the
district will receive $73,000 from the state for an alternative
school to assist at-risk students. The district will be
responsible for $31,000 in funds.
"Our drop-out rate, at times, is higher than it
should be," Harpst said. "This alternative school
is a vital step to getting kids to stay in school."
"We need to reach out and get a diploma in the hands
of these kids," assistant superintendent Ron Harmon
said.
On a recommendation from Harmon, the board approved the
purchase of curriculum software for the alternative school.
The board also received updates on its current building
projects, including Siegrist Elementary, Paxton Elementary,
and the ballfield. A representative from the construction
company said punchlists for the Siegrist and ballfield
projects will be done by early August, meaning the projects
will be "essentially complete." The representative
also said the projects are still "well within budget."
Resignations were accepted from Noella Palmer, Paxton
School secretary, and Renee Lambert, PCHS secretary. Mrs.
Palmer is resigning after 32 years of service with the
district. Mrs. Lambert is expecting a child.
The next board of education meeting will take place on
Aug. 15 at 7 p.m., immediately following the district's
Back to School picnic.
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