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Board revises framework for teachers' pay

The Grand Canyon School Board approved a new compensation framework that removes teachers and staff from the old salary schedule and outlines standards for performance pay.

Superintendent Sheila Breen said that under the new system, a pay chart is used only to calculate starting salary instead of as a framework throughout a teacher's career here.

"This is how people get placed on the salary schedule," she said. "It's only for new people coming in."

New employees are granted up to 14 points for education level, a point for each year of experience up to 10 years and a point for every two years after that and for other special qualifications that will be used in the job like advanced English as a Second Language or sign language training

Starting salary ranges from $26,000 for 0-1 points to $41,500 for 32 points. Increases are in $500 increments.

"After they've been here, what changes here is that you no longer have that chart with years of experience and level of education," Breen said. "It boils down to how much money the district has for raises and you negotiate how that money will be spent."

Board President Clarinda Vail asked if there is a precedent for this at Grand Canyon already. Breen said the board had been doing it unofficially for the past three years. For example, teachers got a flat-rate increase of $1,200 a couple of years ago, and a percentage increase last year.

She said that because a percentage increase favors teachers at the high end of the scale, districts sometimes alternate between that and a flat increase to help teachers come up in salary more quickly from the lower end of the scale.

"We'll talk about that when we go into negotiations in February or March of each year," she said.

Under the old system, a pay chart was used to determine increases throughout a teacher's career, based on time in service and education gained. Its chief shortcoming was that teachers who maxed out in both areas could go years without a pay raise.

The new system also includes guidelines for performance pay, which teachers receive for teacher work days, perfect or near-perfect attendance and when the district makes adequate yearly progress.

Board member Chuck Wahler wanted to know if the board was being asked to approve the concept or the actual pay scale and performance pay levels as outlined.

"Is this really what's going to be going out to prospective new staff for the 2007-2008 school year?" he asked.

Breen said that was the intent.

Wahler said that in that case, the chart had to make clear that where it said the district had $30,000 available for performance pay, that figure is for this school year and is subject to change yearly.

For the first time, an entry-level pay schedule was devised for classified staff. Points are awarded based on what the applicant brings to the job, such as level of training or education and experience, and what the job requires, such as level of responsibility and initiative and how much the employee interacts with the public.

Under the system point assignments range from five for cafeteria assistant or Indian education instructional aide to 16 for a payroll or accounts payable clerk. Starting salaries range from $6.75-$19.32 per hour.

As is the case with certified staff, classified employees also receive incentives for attendance, though instead of money they are rewarded with extra vacation days.

Both certified and classified staff also receive salary increases for additional training that is approved by the administration and not done on paid district time or at district expense.

The board approved the schedule with the amendment that the form specify that performance pay is renegotiated each year.

"I really think this is going to work very, very well for us," said Wahler.

Fitness training

Tom Bruno gave a update on his progress under the terms of his contract as strength conditioning coach.

He started with a PowerPoint presentation that showed the weight room before and after refurbishment and a $15,000 expenditure that netted $23,000 in equipment. He also answered questions from the board, mostly surrounding safety and accountability.

Safety procedures include a mandatory orientation and strict disciplinary policy, he said.

"If there's any horseplay, if someone were to walk in, you've got two kids hanging on equipment, everyone in the weight room will be suspended for three weeks, because there's no such thing as an innocent bystander when you have so much equipment involved," he said.

The room is open from 4:30-5:30 p.m. for students and from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for staff. So far about 35 people have gone through orientation. He plans another level of training for weight room supervisors in February, he said.

Those using the room have a workout log. Bruno explained how it works for team sports.

"Kids will have a tracked program," he said. "This isn't a free exercise program. What we're going to be having is programs that look just like that booklet for basketball, for soccer. The kids will come in, they will all be typed out. They will know what they have to do that day and they will follow through."

He also showed a new coach job description and evaluation form for head coaches, which he developed with Athletic Director Matt Yost. The description outlines responsibilities and duties applicable to all head coaches.

"In order to do the (coaches) training, I needed to have a structure of what I was going to work on," he said. "We're going to try and create a feeder system into each level of sport. This is all going to start coming from the bottom and rising through. Coaches now will have much more of a direction where they want to take the teams."

For example, he said, he will work with the soccer program from AYSO up through varsity, so that one program flows into the next.

"We're getting the feeder program going so that much of the same terminology is used, and the same stretching is used, there's nothing that's really new," he said.

While his focus is primarily on meeting the needs of team athletes and their coaches, he said he envisions a program for all students that could even expand to be part of the curriculum.

"The next part is educating, what are we doing? What is the next step? Is it just the weight room or are we going to push something that's going to be a part of our curriculum, that will be inclusive of the biological sciences?" he said.

Wahler asked if the intent was to move beyond students participating in athletics.

"The intention is to create an opportunity so everyone can participate," Bruno replied. "We want this to be a school-community program. If you decide to go forward and you like this sort of educational programming, that could be done as a clinic, that could be done as a type of classroom curriculum. That could be done in many different manners."

Wahler said that the presentation eliminated the concerns he'd expressed about the conditioning coach position at the beginning of the year.

"I'm very impressed and really pleased, because you know at the beginning of the year I had concerns about this and I appreciate the excellent follow through that's happened," he said.

Valle bus

Transportation director Andrew Aldaz reported that for the first two days, the Valle school bus route was being well-used. On Monday, Jan. 8, the day that service started, 32 students rode the morning bus. The next day, there were 40 passengers, he said.

While the Tusayan bus had 60 morning riders, Aldaz said that with about 10 more riders expected out of Valle, the two buses should balance out.

"Once we get everybody figuring out that they can get the bus in Valle, when they get more comfortable with actually catching the bus out in Valle, we should be able to balance the buses a little better," he said.

Board member Bess Foster asked if those 10 were elementary students, saying she wondered if parents of younger students were less comfortable using the bus. Aldaz said that wasn't the case.

He did note that the Williams transportation coordinator called asking if Grand Canyon could account for about 10 students who didn't show up to school there. The district only picked up two students who attended her previously, he said.

Four students used the 7:30 p.m. late bus. Board member Suzette Streit asked if they used the smaller bus. Aldaz said that they did.

Board president Clarinda Vail asked how many elementary students needed supervision in the hour between dismissal and the afternoon bus to Valle. Breen said there were eight. She said Debi Roman filled in to supervise them in the multi-purpose room and that she will set up a schedule once they are certain about the numbers.

Minimum wage

School Business Manager Lee Metheny reported that the state increase in minimum wage to $6.75 an hour will have no impact on the district. He said that the lowest wage the district pays is $7.56 an hour.

"It has absolutely no impact on the district," he said.

Forest fees

Breen reported on a Board of Supervisors work session she attended regarding the potential loss of forest fee money.

Forest fees are monies granted under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to help offset limited property tax revenues in counties with large amounts of federal land. That legislation expired last September and was not renewed by the 109th Congress.

Breen said the county is anticipating a loss of about $4 million. Of that, between 10 and 15 percent goes to fund county programs like search and rescue. The remainder is divided in half with one portion going to roads and the other to schools. A formula calculates student count and acreage of federal land to determine how the money is parceled out.

Last year Grand Canyon received $46,000, said Breen. They don't know yet if they will receive money this year; if so, it will come this month and will be about $10,000 less. She said it will be a big loss, not only because of the amount, but also because unlike most appropriations that the school receives, there are few constraints put on this one.

"It's the one pot of money we have for discretionary things," she said. "We've always been able to fall back on this money. It's going to be really tough for us not to have it."

The Board of Supervisors is writing letters to the state's congressional delegation explaining the impact the funding cut would have on regional services and infrastructure, and the National Association of Counties has taken up the restoration of forest fees as one of its top priorities this year. Breen said that she is writing a letter on behalf of the administration and she encouraged school board members to do the same. She also urged those with ties to the business community to solicit support from the chamber of commerce.

Rep. Rick Renzi has authored legislation in the house, but there is no companion legislation in the senate, she said.

IB and service

Breen said that IB Middle Years Programme Coordinator Becky Crumbo wants to hear back from board members interested in attending a Jan. 24 meeting to discuss community service opportunities for students. One of the MYP requirements under IB is that students participate in a community and service project.

"It's really talking about getting students involved in activities, more than just superficial community service," said Breen. "This is a change to talk about what her vision is for the program."

The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. in the school multi-purpose room.

CAVIAT

Though the announcement has been out since last summer, there are still no applicants to fill a Grand Canyon seat on the Coconino Association for Vocational Industry and Technology (CAVIAT) governing board. Breen said that they will post the announcement again. She also urged board members to talk with other community members who might be interested.

"It'd be fun to get someone from the community who is involved with a business to do that," she said.

Members make a monthly time commitment for board meetings, which they can attend via video link, to oversee the administration of the county's joint technology district. This district provides vocational education for students at Grand Canyon, Page, Williams, Fredonia-Moccasin and Flagstaff. Potential members must be registered to vote in Arizona and have lived in the district they will represent for at least one year. The position becomes an elected one and will be filled in the 2008 general election. For information, contact Breen or Cecilia Owen at 928-779-6591 or cbavasi@co.coconino.az.us.

Recognition

The board recognized Romiro Alvarez for earning his commercial drivers license. He was not present to receive the certificate that the board had for him.

"Tell him I said 'Good job,'" said Vail.

Resignation

The board accepted, "with great regret," the resignation of English Language Learner Coordinator Judy Alston. Her last day will be Jan. 31.

"This isn't one of my favorite things," said Breen. "Judy does such a fabulous job."

She said that the position will not be filled this year, but Alston has agreed to come back in the spring on a contract basis to conduct required end-of-year testing.

On a related note, though three students didn't take the English as a Second Language test as required, they did pass all three sections of the AIMS test. Breen said that after much discussion with the state, officials will recognize passing the AIMS as evidence of English literacy.

"They agreed that if a kid passes the AIMS test, it is a higher standard," she said.

Extra duty

The board approved an extra duty contract for Jesse Smith, who will fill in for Lori Rommel as an IB Area of Interaction Leader while Rommel is on maternity leave.

Organizational meeting

Before the regular meeting, the board held a brief organizational meeting as they do each January. Wahler nominated Vail to continue as board president. The motion passed with Vail abstaining. Foster nominated Wahler as clerk, a position held by Tammie Harris whose term expired last month. The motion passed with Wahler abstaining. There were no other nominees for either position.

The board also established location, date and time of monthly meetings. Those will remain the same ­ the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. They also agreed to keep the same official and unofficial posting locations for the board agenda.

Official posting sites are the outside bulletin board at the district office on Boulder Street, the bulletin board inside the Grand Canyon Post Office, the bulletin board outside Tusayan General Store and the bulletin board outside the Market Plaza General Store.

Unofficial posting locations are on the bulletin board inside the Market Plaza General Store, at the Xanterra General Offices, at the Xanterra Personnel Office, in the Grand Canyon National Park Service mail room and on the Squire Inn employee bulletin board.

Before adjourning, the board approved a motion to appoint School Superintendent Sheila Breen as chief administrative officer for the district.


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