HCSD Board of Directors hears from HEA, DCAP team
Heather Johnson (left) accepts the Campions for Children Award from HCSD Board of Directors President Tate Satern (right). Independent photo.
By KYLIE PORTZ
HUMBOLDT - The Humboldt Community School District Board of Directors met for a snowy meeting on Feb. 10 where they received the 2022-2023 Audit report, met with the Humboldt Education Association, and were present with the District Career and Academic Plan and Triennial Wellness Assessment.
First on the agenda was to recognize Heather Johnson for the K-12 Student Services Coordinator’s work with the F.U.E.L program.
Board President Tate Satern said, “Every month, we have an opportunity to recognize someone that has made a significant difference in the lives of our students. Tonight is our pleasure and honor to recognize Heather Johnson.”
The anonymous nomination letter reads, “I nominate Heather Johnson and anyone who assists her because of all she does for the F.U.E.L. program and reaching out to others to let us know she will get clothes, furniture, etc. to get to students who are in need.”
Next on the docket, the board of education received the contract negotiation proposals for the 2025-2026 school year from the Humboldt Education Association.
The HEA proposed that each person not included in the state-mandated pay increase with the current salary formula will receive a pay increase of $3,000 to their current salary. For teachers affected by the state-mandated increase, the HEA proposed they should receive that in-crease plus the difference between that amount and $3,000.
The HEA proposal included keeping the salary advancement classification the same as in the master contract and the Horizontal lane advancement would stay the same as in previous years.
In addition, the HEA proposed an increase to $36,700 in the generator based on the supplemental pay scale.
The HEA then received the contract negotiations proposal from the Humboldt School District for the 2025-2026 school year.
The school district’s counterproposal was that all current employees would receive a salary increase of $500 per FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) for fiscal year 2025-2026 with an increase of $250 on the generator base of supplemental pay rejecting all other changes to the contract.
Then Superintendent Mur-ray gave his updates on the calendar committee, legislation, facilities, and staffing.
The meeting was originally scheduled to be a public hearing on the calendar for the upcoming school year, however, due to legislative updates the date for that hearing has been rescheduled for March.
Earlier this month the Iowa Senate Education Committee approved Senate File 205. which would allow public and private schools to start as early as the second to last Mon-day in August.
Superintendent Murray shared the committee has prepared two versions of the calendar to send out to parents and staff for feedback.
“One calendar reduces the amount of early outs and moves towards less frequency of breaking up the calendar during the week, maybe using some two-hour early outs less frequently instead of one-hour early outs.” Superintendent Murray said, “The other one has the typical schedule that we have right now, one hour early out almost every Wednesday for professional development.”
The school board later voted to set the new date, time and place for the public hearing on the 2025-2026 school calendar to be March 24 at 5:45 p.m. at the District Office.
Read the full story in this week's issue of the Humboldt Independent!
