GCSC approves raises across the board

The approval of a new collective bargaining agreement with the Greencastle Classroom Teachers Association will have a cascading effect for all the employees of Greencastle Community Schools.

After approving the new CBA on Monday evening, the Greencastle School Board immediately approved commensurate compensation increases for all GCSC employees from part-time hourly employees all the way up to administrators.

Superintendent Jeffrey Hubble reported having an agreement in place with the teachers association after two bargaining sessions.

The teachers subsequently ratified the new agreement with 100 percent approval.

The board also granted its approval, with affirmative votes from Dale Pierce, Brian Cox, Mike White and Bill Tobin. Board member Lisa McCoy was absent Monday.

The highlights of the new agreement include a two-percent raise for all teachers present for at least 120 days and with an effective or highly effective rating.

Additionally, teachers who obtain a higher degree will be moved over a column to a higher pay schedule, which equates to a three-percent raise.

Besides this, the corporation will contribute an additional $300 to all single health insurance plans an another $500 to all family plans.

“So we’re kind of catching up on any place that insurance has consumed their raises,” Superintendent Jeffrey Hubble said.

With these changes okayed, the board then approved similar changes for administrators, salaried employees, classified employees and bus drivers. All of these employees, except for part-time classified, received two-percent increases. All other full-time employees also received the same increased insurance contributions as teachers.

Part-time classified employees were given a 30-cent hourly wage increase.

These changes were also approved 4-0.

All pay increases will go into effect with the Dec. 7 payroll.

Besides these compensation changes, the board also approved a number of personnel items on Monday.

• The board approved a title adjustment for Assistant Superintendent Donovan Garletts.

Garletts will now be the assistant superintendent of finance and operations, having previously served as the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

White told the Banner Graphic this reflects the corporation’s current needs, with Finance Director Jayme Barber and Transportation and Maintenance Director Dan Green both on medical leaves of absence.

“We changed Donovan’s title to utilize his skills and talents a little more efficiently,” White said. “There’s a need there with our operations and finance directors out now.”

White added that school officials hope to add a full-time curriculum director to the administration at some point.

“It creates a space for a district-wide curriculum director,” White said, “which may be in the plan in the coming year.”

• Three teachers will retire at year’s end: Carolyn McKee as Deer Meadow kindergarten teacher after 45 years, Tamora Bacon as literacy coordinator at Deer Meadow and Ridpath with 24 years of service and Debra Barnes as special services teacher at Deer Meadow with 12 years of service.

• Resignations: Tiffney Craig as Tzouanakis custodian, Samantha Jones as bus driver, William Waltman as long-term substitute at GMS, Joshua Mills as McAnally custodian and Steve Albright as Deer Meadow custodian.

• New hires: Veronica Bryant as long-term substitute at GMS, Anthony Hyde as GHS custodian and Brittany Adams as Tzouanakis custodian.

• Transfers: Shannon Cash from GMS in-school suspension instructional assistant to math support instructional assistant, LeShan Fitzsimmons from GMS instructional assistant to in-school suspension instructional assistant.

• Cassandra Hyde was approved as lead custodian at Deer Meadow, while Rodney Nodley was approved as lead custodian at Tzouanakis.

• Substitutes: Katelyn Sibbitt as long-term substitute instructional assistant at GMS; Elizabeth Schneider, Jessica Turner and Caitlyn Straw as substitute teachers; and Teona Sawyer as substitute bus driver.

• Extra-curricular activities: Justin Bartrum hired as seventh-grade boys’ basketball coach; Carmen Cronin approved as GHS diving coach, James Windlan approved as GHS volunteer assistant girls’ basketball coach, Nick Pingleton approved as GHS volunteer assistant wrestling coach, Jackie Scanland approved as GHS volunteer assistant baseball coach and Anastasia Wood and Catherine Weeks hired as GHS student lifeguards.

In other business:

• The board approved a date change for the GHS band trip to Orlando. The trip had originally been slated for April, but Easter and the GHS prom made this impossible, so the trip will now be June 8-12.

• Two new appointments were made to local boards.

Shannon Green, who is media specialist for Tzouanakis, Deer Meadow and Ridpath, will be the board representative for the Putnam County Public Library Board. She replaces Diana LaViolette, who has chosen to step down from her longtime appointment.

Additionally, Brittany Labhart was appointed the school board’s ex officio member of the Greencastle Park Board, replacing Michael Scott.

Scott stepped down when he took a new position at IUPUI.

• The board approved a resolution for the sale of the old bus barn site on North Vine Street.

The resolution allows the corporation to hire a real estate broker and accept offers on the property, having already failed to sell the property at the appraised value of $275,000.

• The school crisis plan was reviewed by an Indiana Department of Education representative and all buildings exceeded IDOE expectations.

• Community member Wayne Lewis questioned why he often sees small buses sitting outside at the new transportation center, considering that there are enough bays to accommodate all of the vehicles.

Transportation Director Kyle Clearwaters explained that these vehicles only sit outside when they are driven by teachers or coaches and returned late at night or on the weekend.

“I don’t feel justified bringing in somebody on Sundays to put them away,” Clearwaters said.

“We don’t want anyone who’s not actually a bus driver pulling them into the barn,” Hubble added.

Lewis asked if it might be possible to add some sort of roofed area to keep these vehicles out of the weather in such situations.

Hubble said this is something the corporation could consider.