The Las Animas Board of Education and the Las Animas Teacher’s Association have reached a mutual decision on the master agreement. Representatives from both groups have been meeting for quite some time to update the document that outlines pay, benefits, duty hours, and more. The board voted unanimously to approve the master agreement during its May 19 meeting.
The teachers will be receiving a 1 percent salary increase to the base with step and lane movement and a one time payment of .5 percent of the base will be made in October. The district will absorb the cost increase of health insurance for employees. The agreement also calls for a group of teachers, administrators and the District Accountability Committee to meet in the summer to work on a teacher evaluation tool.
Before the board members moved into their action items, an executive session was held to discuss the district’s overall staffing pattern and staff member Ken Hull. No discussion followed.
Superintendent Scott Cuckow was pleased to report the Las Animas High School FFA members did a great job at state competition. Overall, the FFA members earned a team score of bronze in the dairy category. Wick Turner earned a blue in ag mechanics and individually Asa Brown and Brittany Fritz earned a red in dairy. Additionally, Brown has been elected the vice president for the San Isabel District and earned the Star District Greenhand Award.
Cuckow mentioned how great it was to have 11 members of the LAHS Track Team compete at state with several placing. Cuckow also reported the elementary school received an 83 percent proficient or advanced proficient score on their CSAP scores. This is higher than the state average of 78. Cuckow said the teachers worked extremely hard, and the kids want to please them.
Cuckow is working on a $109,000 proposal to the Bent County Department of Social Services to possibly access some of its Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) funds. Cuckow would like to use the funds to purchase supplies and equipment. He mentioned the elementary school is looking at purchasing all the school supplies students would need in bulk, so that it is at a cost savings, and then charging a supply fee to the families, not to exceed $30/student. TANF funds could be used to begin the bulk purchase.
Other items of business:
• The board accepted resignations from Kelly Railton (kindergarten), Jennifer O’Leary (5th grade), Jennifer Pointon (5th grade), and Frank Turja (Learning Opportunity Center).
• The following new elementary teachers were hired: Cathy Bradshaw, Ashley Williams and Crystal Redner.
• The master agreement with the Las Animas Education Association was approved as presented.
• The board approved the health and nutrition standards as presented by Tammy Pryor at last month’s meeting.
• When approving the expenditures, board member Jace Ratzlaff asked about a purchase for gas in Limon. Ratzlaff asked if this shouldn’t have been covered under the $300 monthly stipend that Cuckow receives for travel expenses. Cuckow said when he was hired he was told that if he were to go somewhere far, then the district would pay for the gas. In this instance, he had gone to Denver. MacDonnell said the board has been over this before and she would provide Ratzlaff with the specifics of the stipend.
The school board will meet again at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. Meetings are held in the commons area of the middle school.
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The Las Animas Board of Education and the Las Animas Teacher’s Association have reached a mutual decision on the master agreement. Representatives from both groups have been meeting for quite some time to update the document that outlines pay, benefits, duty hours, and more. The board voted unanimously to approve the master agreement during its May 19 meeting.
The teachers will be receiving a 1 percent salary increase to the base with step and lane movement and a one time payment of .5 percent of the base will be made in October. The district will absorb the cost increase of health insurance for employees. The agreement also calls for a group of teachers, administrators and the District Accountability Committee to meet in the summer to work on a teacher evaluation tool.
Before the board members moved into their action items, an executive session was held to discuss the district’s overall staffing pattern and staff member Ken Hull. No discussion followed.
Superintendent Scott Cuckow was pleased to report the Las Animas High School FFA members did a great job at state competition. Overall, the FFA members earned a team score of bronze in the dairy category. Wick Turner earned a blue in ag mechanics and individually Asa Brown and Brittany Fritz earned a red in dairy. Additionally, Brown has been elected the vice president for the San Isabel District and earned the Star District Greenhand Award.
Cuckow mentioned how great it was to have 11 members of the LAHS Track Team compete at state with several placing. Cuckow also reported the elementary school received an 83 percent proficient or advanced proficient score on their CSAP scores. This is higher than the state average of 78. Cuckow said the teachers worked extremely hard, and the kids want to please them.
Cuckow is working on a $109,000 proposal to the Bent County Department of Social Services to possibly access some of its Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) funds. Cuckow would like to use the funds to purchase supplies and equipment. He mentioned the elementary school is looking at purchasing all the school supplies students would need in bulk, so that it is at a cost savings, and then charging a supply fee to the families, not to exceed $30/student. TANF funds could be used to begin the bulk purchase.
Other items of business:
• The board accepted resignations from Kelly Railton (kindergarten), Jennifer O’Leary (5th grade), Jennifer Pointon (5th grade), and Frank Turja (Learning Opportunity Center).
• The following new elementary teachers were hired: Cathy Bradshaw, Ashley Williams and Crystal Redner.
• The master agreement with the Las Animas Education Association was approved as presented.
• The board approved the health and nutrition standards as presented by Tammy Pryor at last month’s meeting.
• When approving the expenditures, board member Jace Ratzlaff asked about a purchase for gas in Limon. Ratzlaff asked if this shouldn’t have been covered under the $300 monthly stipend that Cuckow receives for travel expenses. Cuckow said when he was hired he was told that if he were to go somewhere far, then the district would pay for the gas. In this instance, he had gone to Denver. MacDonnell said the board has been over this before and she would provide Ratzlaff with the specifics of the stipend.
The school board will meet again at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. Meetings are held in the commons area of the middle school.
