The Fayette County Board of Education will meet in a work session April 11 to discuss the possible restoration of the remainder of school system employees’ salaries that were reduced two years ago. The board will also discuss upcoming Pre-K staffing and the use of the company that assists the school system in filling hard-to-find teaching positions.
One of the few items at the work session will be likely be a continuation of earlier discussions on the potential for restoring the remaining three percent of salaries that were a part of a larger 4.5 percent salary reduction across the school system in 2009. The salary reduction came as board members looked for ways to make up the remaining $5.8 million in deficits for the 2009-2010 school year. The school board in January restored 1.5 of the reduced salaries.
Numerous school system employees have called for some time to have the remaining three percent restored, citing large, ongoing balances in the General Fund as a rationale.
Also at the meeting, the board will look at the difference in salaries for the eight teachers and eight parapros in the school system’s Pre-K program.
An effort led by by Gov. Nathan Deal will see the number of school days for Pre-K students reduced from 180 to 160. To retain the 180 schedule would carry an approximate personnel cost of $104,281.
The meeting’s agenda also includes an item on Global Teachers Research and Resources, Inc. contract. The firm is the one used last year to place a teacher from Australia at McIntosh.
School system Human Resources Director Reanee Ellis in introducing the proposal in July noted that Fayette had used a different company in the past to place hard to fill positions such as hospital homebound teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech therapists.
Ellis told board members that McIntosh had seen five different drama teachers in the past several years. She said McIntosh staff had interviewed seven candidates for the position and had requested that the school system “cast a wider net” for additional applicants.
The Global teacher, an Australian national with a bachelor’s degree and three years experience, was “heads and shoulders above the rest,” Ellis explained.
The work session will be held at 7 p.m. at the regular location at central office in Fayetteville.
