School board considers pay raise for substitute teachers

Holyoke School District Re-1J is considering a pay increase for substitute teachers. 

Currently substitute teachers earn $95 per day without certification, $105 per day with certification, and $150 per day after 10 days in a row. 

Most neighboring school districts have higher substitute pay, with Haxtun paying $120 per day. Wray pays $105 per day without certification and $115 with certification. Julesburg pays $100 per day without certification and $125 with certification and any Bachelor of Arts degree. Chase County, Nebraska, pays $140 per day without certification and $210 for long-term substitutes. 

The board approved the current substitute teacher list of 16 at its Sept. 20 meeting. The majority of substitute teachers are retirees, with two being retired teachers. 

After a lively debate on how much to raise substitute pay, it was agreed that Holyoke School District Re-1J should not be at the bottom of the pay list. 

Superintendent Kyle Stumpf will present revised substitute pay increase options to the school board at its next meeting in October.

In other business at the Sept. 20 Re-1J meeting, Tarah Priddy, third grade teacher, and Carly Daniel, elementary school dean of students, gave a presentation on Northwest Evaluation Association. 

NWEA lets educators understand relatively quickly how students are growing in various subject areas within groups and as individuals. Tests are given three times a year and measure various individual goal ranges. 

Sixty-five percent of students reach their growth goals on average nationally. Holyoke students typically show really good growth annually, said Daniel.

During a transportation report, the board heard that the district is being served by a fleet of eight yellow buses; however, two are not operational as one is awaiting parts and one has not yet been inspected. 

The fleet is rounded out with six white minibuses, two 12-passenger vans, two minivans, an ag pickup, one Chevy Traverse and one white travel bus. 

The school year started with four regular yellow bus routes and two minibus routes. All routes have drivers, and routes have been adjusted to avoid students boarding buses before 6:30 a.m.

The board considered nonresident students who reside outside Holyoke School District to apply to attend school one time instead of having to reapply for admittance every school year. Stumpf will present wording on changing the current nonresident policy at the next school board meeting in October.