School board discusses programming, contracts

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, February 12, 2003

Austin Board of Education members heard presentations on the debut of targeted services programming.

They also got mileage out of a discussion of mileage reimbursement for administrators.

The targeted services presentations and lengthy discussion of perks for administrators came at Monday night's regular monthly meeting at the Austin Municipal Building.

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Kimberly Howard, Sumner Elementary School principal, and Dave Brown and Jim Leichtman gave a presentation on targeted services programming for elementary students.

Candace Raskin, Ellis Middle School principal, and Dewey Schara and Dean Burzinski described middle school programming.

The twin presentations described student attendance, social skills components, transportation needs and other aspects of the targeted services programming.

The program serves at-risk students with after-school programming. Ellis Middle School supplies between 100 and 200 of the students and the elementary schools supply the rest.

Teachers come from the ranks of the Austin district's faculty.

English as a Second Language Program students comprise a portion of the targeted services students.

The principals and staff described the programming as "hands on, fun stuff."

Also Monday, the school board approved contracts with the Austin Administrators Association as recommended by Chris Picha, director of human resources.

According

to Picha, the settlement represents a 3.88 percent total package increase for the salaried administrative personnel in the current (2002-2003) year and a 3.43 percent total package increase in 2003-2004.

The 7.31 percent total package increase is "in line," Picha said, with other settlements reached by the school district and bargaining units.

However, school board member Dick Lees was the first to observe a "problem."

Pointing out the provision that gives AAA members between $1,200 and $1,500 for in-district work-related travel, Lees observed, "This is just not realistic."

According to Picha's explanation, the district stuck a deal with the director of buildings and grounds, who will also be paid up to $1,500.

In exchange for the perk, the director agreed to give up the school district-owned vehicle, which will, in turn, be used elsewhere in the school district, Picha said.

The buildings and grounds director will be reimbursed for mileage, when required to use a personal vehicle on official business outside the regular work schedule.

Based upon the mileage rate of 36 cents per mile, school board member Lees computed the administrator would have to drive more than 4,000 miles in the Austin school district.

Lees also criticized the lack of uniformity among the school personnel, who are entitled to mileage reimbursement as well as the exorbitant amounts allowed.

David Simonson defended the settlements, saying there was "give and take" from both sides. "Nobody came away completely happy with what they got," Simonson said.

Another school board member and a retired AHS teacher, Larry Andersen, said teachers in their bargaining unit "gave in a few of their chips a long time ago."

Andersen said he agreed with Lees and the mileage allotment given administrators by the financially-strapped school district was "unsatisfactory."

Susan Fell-Johnson, another board member, also observed, "It's not like a large city, where administrators would have to travel great distances. It's Austin."

As the school board members moved into a discussion of negotiations to come, Bev Nordby, school board president, said the overall settlement received by the administrators' bargaining unit was "considerably less than other school districts of comparable size."

The changes to the administrators' contract were then approved.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com