School board hears teacher grievances

This article submitted by Linda Stelling on 11/19/96.

A grievance was presented to the Paynesville School Board at its meeting Tuesday night, Nov. 12. The grievance came from the Paynesville Education Association on behalf of the Early Childhood Family Education teachers. The teachers were not placed on the school districtâs seniority list and were not accorded other rights and benefits set forth for bargaining unit members in the master agreement.

The administration received the grievance on Nov. 8. The board reviewed the grievance and acknow-ledged they had received it. At the Nov. 26 board meeting, the board will need to make a decision concerning the grievance.

Superintendent Howard Caldwell told the board members to look at the grievance and ask themselves if it is a justifiable grievance since the ECFE teachers are not a part of the bargaining unit. Caldwell provided the board with various contract languages and definitions to review for background information.

Board chairman Larry Fleck suggested the negotiations committee review the grievance and make a suggestion to the board at its next meeting.

In other business, the board authorized Caldwell to work with Ehlers and Associates Inc., financial advisors, to solicit a proposal for the issuance of $150,000 in general obligation capital notes and report back at the Nov. 26 meeting.

Caldwell informed the board the balance in the debt service fund could be utilized. ãBy having a one-day bond sale for the purpose of purchasing or acquiring equipment, we could utilize the bond money and then expend that same amount of money out of our debt service fund to repay the bond. About $150,000 could be used for needed technology equipment,ä he added.

Caldwell presented the board with his 1996-97 goals. The goals are: 1) To manage the districtâs unappropriated budget so that the fiscal 1997 balance will not exceed the allowable cap. 2) To encourage the districtâs technology efforts so the internet will be available to each classroom, K-12, by the conclusion of the 1996-97 school year. 3) To support and encourage the continued development of processes that provide for the graduation standards of inquiry and basic testing of math, reading, and writing to be completed during the 1996-97 school year. 4) To support and encourage the principals and their staff to continue to look for improved processes to implement the graduation standards, school-to-work concepts and improved individual student care. ãWe need to continue our efforts on how to improve upon our programs, parent-teacher conferences, improved scheduling and how we can meet the studentâs needs better,ä Caldwell added. 5) To support, encourage, and assist in the development of a Spanish program, so the initial implementation of this program will begin during the 1997-98 school year in the 9th grade. 6) To support, encourage, and assist in the development of a support staff performance review process so the initial implementation could occur with the 1997-98 school year.

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