Board approves new teacher pay package, new part-time position

Deb Donelan, music teacher at Central Elementary, directs the choral group, “Central Starz,” at Monday night’s McCook School Board meeting. Fourth and fifth graders audition for the group, with 29 students selected this year. Donelan said they practice twice a week and will be performing at Hillcrest Nursing Home this week for Valentine’s Day.

Lorri Sughroue/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Board of Education approved a 3.79% increase to the base pay of teachers’ salaries and a new part-time position.

The increased salary is part of the negotiated agreement the board ratified with the McCook Education Association, the collective bargaining representative of certified teachers at the school district.

According to the new agreement, the base salary of certified teachers at the McCook School District will be $36,450, a $600 increase from the previous salary of $35,850. This is the starting pay of a new teacher with no experience or additional educational credits. At McCook Public Schools, teachers can advance their salaries with additional years of experience and earning educational credits, such as obtaining a Master’s degree or PhD.

Monday night, the board also approved an “extra duty position” that will be responsible for video streaming on the new electronic scoreboard at the high school gymnasium. The part-time position will be paid at 3 to 5% of the base salary. This new position is a way to adequately compensate the teacher currently operating the score board, who also teaches computer design, web design and video production at the high school.

Finally, the negotiated agreement included a $5 to $6 dollar increase to “extra duty” pay, for teachers working at extra curricular activities, such as ticket sellers, coaches, line judges, etc.

In other business, the board:

- approved three resignations unanimously: Tara Fries, fifth grade teacher, effective at the end of the school year, who said in her resignation letter that she is accepting an administrative position elsewhere; Brittany Becher, speech/language pathologist, effective the end of the school year; and Conley Straight, high school biology teacher, effective on Jan. 28, 2020. Fries has taught 24 years at the McCook School District; Becher, three years, and Straight, one semester.

-heard from McCook Schools business manager John Brazell, who said the energy loan was approved and the district is moving forward with updates. Brazell also said the district has drafted a request from the Nebraska Department of Education concerning the lack of segregated duties that was cited in the annual audit of the school district. The need for segregated duties is cited every year in the audit, Brazell said, and the NDE requested a response within 60 days on how that would be addressed.

- heard a performance by Central Starz, the singing group at Central Elementary. Fourth and fifth grade students at Central Elementary audition for the group and those selected practice twice weekly. They performed at a Christmas concert, on Veteran’s Day, and will be at Hillcrest Nursing Home for Valentine’s Day.