CCSC board OKs supplemental payments, teacher agreement

CLOVERDALE ­— Coming across as a relief for the board, administrators and teachers, the Cloverdale School Board passed a resolution on supplemental payments and its yearly teacher agreement Monday evening.

Supt. Greg Linton outlined that issues about salary depression have been a focus for the past two years. This occurs as a teacher is hired and may be placed higher on a pay scale, while other teachers have not received raises due to lack of revenue.

“We will have all of our teachers on the correct step,” Linton said before the resolution was passed. “I know it’s been a primary goal of the board over the last two years to achieve that, as well as the CEA (Cloverdale Education Association).”

In supporting teachers overall, and as the most important item on the agenda to Board President Vivian Whitaker, the board then approved a tentative agreement ratified recently by the CEA.

Linton thanked teacher representatives Jamie Steffy (who attended the meeting) and Mark Wheeler, as well as board members who participated in the negotiations. He related that the process went “very smoothly,” and that he and the association aim to meet regularly when it comes to drawing up agreements in the future.

“We’ve been able to hit off some things that maybe have happened before, and we can talk through things,” Steffy concurred. “Mr. Linton’s been very helpful, and we have a really good relationship.”

In other business:

• The board approved pay increases for non-certified staff, administrators and bus drivers.

The first two will receive a six-and-a-half-percent increase to their base salaries. Meanwhile, bus drivers will get a $15 increase per day and route and shop pay will increase from $12 to $15. They having two personal and two sick days, the daily pay for not using them will increase from $50 to $175.

• The board approved improvement and achievement plans for each of the four Cloverdale schools and Cloverdale Distance Learning Academy.

• The board approved federal grants for this school year which Curriculum Director Cathy Ames is to manage. Linton said the grants in question are aimed toward teachers’ and instructional assistants’ salaries and professional development.

• The board approved for a second counselor position to be added at Cloverdale High School. Linton said there is an increased need, and that a plan with the addition would be available. He assured that the position will be filled as a candidate is found.

The board also recognized Cloverdale Schools’ Students of the Month in Tyson McCammon (Cloverdale Elementary School), Conner Barnes (Cloverdale Middle School) and Abigail Nees (Cloverdale High School).

The board also recognized Teachers of the Month with Jody Crum (Cloverdale Elementary School), Brantson Scott (Cloverdale Middle School) and Laura McMaster (Cloverdale High School).

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• New hires: Ashlee McCammon, Sarah Campbell and Jennifer Davitto - CES instructional assistants; David Hardwick and Silas Plasters - full-time custodians; Rhonda Fisher - cafeteria aide; Angel Ladd - CMS cross country coach; Josh Stewart - seventh-grade boys’ basketball; Steve Schabel - CMS volunteer boys’ basketball; Cody Lindsay - CHS JV wrestling coach; Autumn Llewellyn - CHS volunteer assistant softball coach; Alex Steffy, Drew Steffy and Evan Steffy - CHS volunteer softball coaches; Greg Crum - CHS JV softball coach; and Camille Garcia - CHS volunteer assistant cheer coach; and

• Resignation - Mark Wheeler - CMS track and field.

With Arvel Hinton absent, Linton and Whitaker were joined by the rest of the board as well as executive secretary Rebecca Willis for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale School Board is set for Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Office near Cloverdale High School.