MONROE - Nine principals, associate principals and administrative staff in the Monroe school district were given a one-year contract extension Monday after a closed-session meeting.
Monroe District Administrator Rick Waski said the contract extension is based on their current pay.
If there is a cost or percent increase in each administrative contract, it will not be determined until after negotiations with the Monroe Education Association and the Monroe Association of Support Staff, Waski said.
The current two-year administrative contracts were set to expire after the 2018-19 school year. The new contract extension will run through the 2019-20 school year.
Waski said there is a financial impact to consider based on the decision with the teachers union and support staff contracts.
The Consumer Price Index this year is 2.13 percent. Waski said that means the increase in base wages for a teacher can't increase more than 2.13 percent.
In other action Monday, the Monroe school board:
• Approved new teacher, staff and administrative pre-funded retirement benefit plan. Under the new benefit, teachers age 50 or older who have taught at least 10 years in the district would receive $8,670 per year for six years in a tax-sheltered annuity.
The new pre-funded retirement benefit plan would not take effect until July 1. At that time anyone older than 50 would maintain their current benefit so they are covered in whole and those younger than 50 would transition to the new benefit plan.
Like a 401(k), a TSA allows employees to invest a portion of their earnings into a retirement plan.
The change will eliminate the district's $5.3 million contribution after teachers retire, called the Other Post Employment Benefit liability. The change wouldn't affect teachers' Wisconsin Retirement System pension.
The new benefit for exempt staff would be the same as for teachers. Exempt staff includes school nurses and managers of support staff, such as the food service director. The new benefit for administrators would start at age 44 and would provide $8,670 per year for 12 years.
• Voted 5-0 to approve spending $11,000 for a district open enrollment advertising campaign. The district will have radio advertisements for two weeks with Empire Media's radio stations, MovieTime ads at Goetz Theater and electronic billboard ads. The district already spent almost $10,000 in an open enrollment advertising campaign with Empire Media and associated radio stations. The district produced 12 videos that will be shared on Facebook each Thursday advertising the district.
Board member Les Bieneman and Rich Deprez abstained from the vote. Bieneman's son-in-law works for Empire Media, and Deprez is a contractor for Big Radio.
Waski said if the board spends $21,000 total, it would take just four students open enrolling to Monroe to get ahead of what was spent, and if three students open enroll to Monroe, the district would break even.
• Accepted the resignation of Heidi Swatek, a music teacher at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School.
• Hired Emily Love as the district's new data manager. Love has served the Monticello school district for 12 years as a technology services coordinator. She accepted a salary of $54,000. She will give two weeks notice to Monticello before she starts in Monroe.
• Reviewed and revised some steps in the new district administrator evaluation process. Each July, the administrator will meet with the board to develop three goals for the upcoming school year. In November each year, the board and administrator will conduct an informal discussion in closed session about the progress of the goals. The board and administrator will jointly review the administrator's job description, and board members will complete evaluation forms. The administrator will also complete an evaluation and will meet with the board in closed session in March to discuss it.
• Reviewed changes in the district's proposed goals generated from the community forum. The board is expected to vote on the goals at its March 12 meeting.
Monroe District Administrator Rick Waski said the contract extension is based on their current pay.
If there is a cost or percent increase in each administrative contract, it will not be determined until after negotiations with the Monroe Education Association and the Monroe Association of Support Staff, Waski said.
The current two-year administrative contracts were set to expire after the 2018-19 school year. The new contract extension will run through the 2019-20 school year.
Waski said there is a financial impact to consider based on the decision with the teachers union and support staff contracts.
The Consumer Price Index this year is 2.13 percent. Waski said that means the increase in base wages for a teacher can't increase more than 2.13 percent.
In other action Monday, the Monroe school board:
• Approved new teacher, staff and administrative pre-funded retirement benefit plan. Under the new benefit, teachers age 50 or older who have taught at least 10 years in the district would receive $8,670 per year for six years in a tax-sheltered annuity.
The new pre-funded retirement benefit plan would not take effect until July 1. At that time anyone older than 50 would maintain their current benefit so they are covered in whole and those younger than 50 would transition to the new benefit plan.
Like a 401(k), a TSA allows employees to invest a portion of their earnings into a retirement plan.
The change will eliminate the district's $5.3 million contribution after teachers retire, called the Other Post Employment Benefit liability. The change wouldn't affect teachers' Wisconsin Retirement System pension.
The new benefit for exempt staff would be the same as for teachers. Exempt staff includes school nurses and managers of support staff, such as the food service director. The new benefit for administrators would start at age 44 and would provide $8,670 per year for 12 years.
• Voted 5-0 to approve spending $11,000 for a district open enrollment advertising campaign. The district will have radio advertisements for two weeks with Empire Media's radio stations, MovieTime ads at Goetz Theater and electronic billboard ads. The district already spent almost $10,000 in an open enrollment advertising campaign with Empire Media and associated radio stations. The district produced 12 videos that will be shared on Facebook each Thursday advertising the district.
Board member Les Bieneman and Rich Deprez abstained from the vote. Bieneman's son-in-law works for Empire Media, and Deprez is a contractor for Big Radio.
Waski said if the board spends $21,000 total, it would take just four students open enrolling to Monroe to get ahead of what was spent, and if three students open enroll to Monroe, the district would break even.
• Accepted the resignation of Heidi Swatek, a music teacher at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School.
• Hired Emily Love as the district's new data manager. Love has served the Monticello school district for 12 years as a technology services coordinator. She accepted a salary of $54,000. She will give two weeks notice to Monticello before she starts in Monroe.
• Reviewed and revised some steps in the new district administrator evaluation process. Each July, the administrator will meet with the board to develop three goals for the upcoming school year. In November each year, the board and administrator will conduct an informal discussion in closed session about the progress of the goals. The board and administrator will jointly review the administrator's job description, and board members will complete evaluation forms. The administrator will also complete an evaluation and will meet with the board in closed session in March to discuss it.
• Reviewed changes in the district's proposed goals generated from the community forum. The board is expected to vote on the goals at its March 12 meeting.