MONROE — On Feb. 25, the Monroe School Board:
● Approved the retirement of Deb Thompson, Parkside Elementary School Title I mathematics teacher.
● Deferred to the recommendations of district administration on how to proceed with pay for both salaried professional staff and hourly support staff in the wake of cancelled school days, noting that the first day per the school handbook is simply a day off with pay and another could be added. Hourly workers were provided with additional time to make up during and after the year if preferred. Salaried staff have an inservice the day after the end of the school year, summer professional development time equivalent to two days and a fall room preparation day. Rich Deprez abstained from a vote regarding support staff.
● Authorized increases for exempt staff salaries of 2.44 percent, based on consumer price index, or roughly $1,430 per person, noting that all team members are meeting expectations.
● Heard from three foreign exchange students from Brazil, Thailand and Kyrgystan about their experiences in the district and the differences between their schools and Monroe.
● Approved two-year contracts from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021 for administrators including: Business Administrator Ron Olson, Director of Pupil Services Joe Monroe, Director of Curriculum & Instruction Terri Montgomery, Monroe High School Principal Chris Medenwaldt, MHS Associate Principal Jeriamy Jackson, Monroe Middle School Principal Brian Boehm, MMS Associate Principal Matt Brown, Northside Elementary School Principal Amy Timmerman, Parkside Elementary School Principal Todd Paradis and Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Principal Jenna Trame.
● Authorized salaries with 2.44 percent increase for the administrative team next year as indicated by the index based on inflation.
● Approved a request from Brielle Erickson to utilize the program Start College Now to take a course called Principles of Phlebotomy at Blackhawk Technical College.
● Discussed the finalized fees for the use of the MHS Performing Arts Center, which will increase to $120 per hour and a maintenance fee of $2 per person attending, with a 50 percent discount for nonprofit organizations. There are also new rates for the required use of a house manager at $30 per hour, plus custodial rates depending on the day of week and sound and lighting technicians. Member Mary Berger noted that the change was not because the district wanted to profit, but that it had been losing money with the current fee structure. Members will vote on the fees at their next meeting.