Small Town News

District, teachers complete negotiations in 338

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The Valley Falls Board of Education accepted the negotiated agreement with the local Educators' Associaton when it met June 14.

There was no money added to the base salary of $32, 118, but the board will fund the increases on the salary schedule steps. The base is a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree.

The steps on the salary schedule add $435 for each year of experience and $400 for every 10 credit hours added to a bachelor's degree. A teacher who jumps from a bachelor's degree to a master's is rewarded with $1, 000 and every 15 hours added to a master's is worth $500.

"We have five teachers who have obtained their master degrees this year, " Superintendent Loren Feldkamp said.

The additional money going to the teaching staff will total $25, 000, but not all teachers will receive this extra money. Teachers who have been here 10 years or more, but who have not gained additional college credit, are frozen on the salary schedule.

An additional 10 minutes have been added to the school day and the contract year has been reduced by four days. The teachers are no longer required to spend a half day at school prior to school starting and the school year has been reduced 3 1/2 days.

"That first half day was really unnecessary, " Feldkamp said. "This teaching staff is in and out of this school during most of August getting ready on their own."

The superintendent's contract was increased by $500 to $83, 000. Principals' contracts will be handled in July, but Feldkamp expects they will receive the same $500 increase.

A fee of $25 will be assessed to junior high and high school students who participate in any extra-curricular activities. This is a new, one-time fee covering all activities.

Feldkamp said the extra money will help defray various costs from referees and transportation to sponsors.

Mitchell Spade, a Holton native, has been hired to be the chemistry and physics teacher in the high school. Feldkamp said Spade had the opportunity to visit Japan this summer and his interview was conducted over the Internet using a program called Skype.

Brandon Wells, a Washburn University student from Great Bend, will be the head junior high football coach. Feldkamp expects Wells might do his student teaching in the district as well.

The new school addition will be dedicated in a ceremony and open house at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13.

The public will be invited to share in a picnic and barbecue that evening.

"Tours have been popular so far this summer, '' Feldkamp said. "I've given three alumni groups tours and enjoyed meeting former students and hearing their stories."

In other business, the board:

--Set 6:30 p.m. June 29 as the time for a special meeting to close out the fiscal year ending June 30.

--Student handbooks for the next term were approved.

--Purchased a Snapper lawnmow-er with attachments from Heinen Repair Service for $9, 399.

Paul Brown and Bobbi Kearney were absent.



Copyright 2010 The Valley Falls Vindicator, Valley Falls, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 The Valley Falls Vindicator Valley Falls, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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