North Putnam to reinstate 35-hour work week for non-certified employees

Thursday, August 8, 2013

During Tuesday's special meeting of the North Putnam School Board, members decided to retract their intent of cutting hours of teach-ers' aides from 35 hours to 29-hour weeks.

The original decision to cut hours of non-certified employees happened in July, a decision made in light of the requirements for the governments Affordable Health Care Act that was to go into effect on January 2014. The government has since postponed the implementation of the act that affected employers, like school corporations, until January 2015.

The delay in the start of the Affordable Care Act has led the North Putnam School Board to retract its original decision that affected mostly teachers' aides and some cafeteria employees.

The board debated many aspects of if the corporation should keep to its plan of staying with the original decision made in July or if it should reinstate the employee's 35-hour work week.

This debate also came after the announcement that North Putnam's funding for students had been cut by almost $1.2 million this year. The state has put North Putnam School Corporation into a situation that has it losing more than $800 worth of funding per student this year due to low enrollment.

North Putnam Superintendent Dan Noel let the board know that if it stayed with the original July decision to keep non-certified employees at 29-hour work weeks, it could save the corporation close to $50,000 in wages and benefits.

Even with this situation brought to light during the meeting, school board president John Hayes thought it was "unfair to bring funds into this (health care) argument."

Noel told Hayes he believed that they would have to look at the situation anyway.

School board representative Jill Summerlot was concerned that the corporation could be put in a place of financially instability if it brought workers back into a 35-hour schedule. If the corporation did not follow and comply to regulations of the Affordable Care Act by December this year, it could face upward of $500,000 in fines. She also raised concerns for the students it could affect the most -- those in special needs.

"They need to develop a routine," Summerlot said, "it should be established at the beginning of the year. If it changes in the middle of the year, they (special-ed students) could lose a whole year of schooling."

Oliver Haste, school board vice president, and Jim Bowling, school board representative, brought up that the school board had said it would repeal the July decision if it could.

"(I'm) on board 100 percent to do what is best for the corporation and for the kids," Haste commented before voting. "If the government wants to get in the way of this, I'd be a model of non-compliance."

The decision to reinstate 35-hour work weeks was approved on a 5-2 vote.

"I believe what just happened put us in financial instability," Summerlot commented after the vote. "This will highly affect our students and this is highly wrong."

Summerlot's thoughts on the issue also lead to her calling for a public vote for the dismissal of Hayes as president and Haste as vice president of the school board. She cited that the decision was "financially irresponsible of the school board."

However, that idea was never brought to a vote.

"I hope that we don't have to revisit the issue in December," Noel commented, "but I fear that we will have to."

The board will have to revisit the issue of hours for non-certified employees again in December.

Noel is looking into ways that could help with funding issues. North Putnam School Corporation started open enrollment this year to help raise enrollment and it is also looking to implement of the H.O.P.E Indiana, the program allows for those 18 years old and over to take classes to achieve their high school diploma or GED.

Board members will also be reviewing the new school handbooks and giving their thoughts and corrections on them. This will be revisited at next week's meeting.

The school board will have its regular scheduled meeting on Thursday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.

In other business:

- David Basan resigned as North Putnam High School technology teacher.

- Brien Willard retired as a bus driver and Darlene Yarnell retired as an instructional assistant for the high school.

- Patricia Hargis and Wilson Rosado were hired as bus drivers. Chase Hidland was hired as the high school language arts academic coach. Kirstin Mindiola was hired as the fall/winter guard director.

- In athletics Alteria Harris was hired as the high school JV cheer coach, Jessica Tarr as a volunteer assistant volleyball coach at the high school and Alyssa Ward as the high school JV volleyball coach. Mike Arnold, JC Mandeville and Randy Summers were hired as volunteer assistant football coaches.

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  • I agree with Mrs. Summerlot. I think there needs to be some changes on the school board!

    -- Posted by interested party on Sun, Aug 11, 2013, at 3:47 PM
  • Enjoy your 1 year reprieve. You'll just be getting your hours cut next year because of OBAMACARE.

    -- Posted by hometownboy on Tue, Aug 13, 2013, at 7:49 AM
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