Glasgow School District Approves Pay Raises For Supt., Clerk, Subs and Bus Drivers

The Glasgow School Board met in the district board room on July 8 to approve the district clerk and superintendent wage agreement, which were both negotiated on June 25, as well as discuss the bus driver and substitute teacher wage increase, student attendance agreements, handbooks and bus routes for the 2020-2021 school year in addition to the review of the 2018-2019 financial audit.

The meeting started off with a call for public comment and after determining there was none, the board comment period started with board member Angie Page addressing the recent Glasgow Courier article regarding the wage negotiations of the district clerk and superintendent (Superintendent To Get 10 Percent Raise, July 1). She expressed disappointment in the tone the article took regarding the negotiations of the two employees “who did nothing but go above and beyond our expectations for the entire 2019-2020 school year.” Page felt the article was divisive and only told part of the story, in particular the headline, which she felt sensationalized the superintendent’s compensation package.

She provided information she felt would have been fair for the story to include in order to provide a clearer picture of the superintendent’s compensation. She provided background of the circumstances in which the superintendent was hired in mid-June 2019 as well as provided the compensation he received as the superintendent of Saco school. After explaining the compensation offered to the Superintendent for the 2019-2020 school year by the Glasgow School Board, a comparison was done with Malta superintendent’s and Cut Bank superintendent’s salary package for the same school year.

Though Page acknowledged she wasn’t on the school board during the superintendent’s first year, she has had the privilege of working with the superintendent on committee work in an effort to reach out to the community and promote the passage of the mill levy request.

“I witnessed Mr. Sundby work tirelessly, reaching out to community groups and individuals, doing radio interviews and attempting to bridge an ever widening gap between our schools and our community. I am impressed with his initiative and leadership and am pleased with his support of our teachers, students and families during the unprecedented season of COVID-19 that we all endured,” she explained. “Yes, after his evaluation and negotiations with Mr. Sundby, I am in favor of increasing his compensation package by 10 percent.”

She further pointed out that teachers received their compensation based on a salary matrix that recognizes their longevity and academic achievement automatically, pointing out that in certain circumstances the matrix allows for a teacher to achieve up to an eight percent increase in pay year over year.

“It is my belief that the mill levy was appropriated fairly and in equitable support of our entire district: administrative, certified and support staff. The bulk of the levy went toward the 3.75 percent increase to the base wage on the teacher’s salary matrix and we were able to allow administrative staff and classified staff, including Mr. Sundby and Mrs. Doornek, a well-deserved raise that makes our district competitive and looking towards a successful future instead of lamenting another failed levy and likely budget cuts,” she stated.

Vice Chair Ryan Fast also commented, stating he also took issue with the article stating, “I think the article created a lot of mistrust, especially, right after, kind of a contentious mill levy……When you inflamed the uniformed, it goes to Facebook and it went to Facebook and caught like wildfire.”

“And it has been happening, I feel, too often with the school district and the Courier,” stated Board Chair Mona Amundson.

After the school board meeting, the Courier reached out to Chair Amundson who clarified the superintendent wage proposal. “We put a lot of thought into it. We didn’t give him anymore than others. Teachers have a matrix that they go by every year and they always get between four to eight percent as well as an increase in the base wage when we pass the levy. Everyone does get a raise every year to some extent. When you look at the bigger picture, the superintendent received what everybody else received and it was fair and equitable based upon what everyone was getting,” she stated.

As the board meeting progressed the school board approved the negotiated agreements with the clerk, which included a one-time payment equivalent to the principal payment of $1,187; increasing the base wage 3.75 percent, and a signing bonus equivalent to what the principals receive, with the hope that these monies will be available because of one-time cost savings associated with the schools being closed.

The superintendent wage proposal was also approved which included extending his contract by one additional year, through June 2023; the ability to work from anywhere when necessary, provided the Board and the Clerk are notified; reimbursement of cell phone expense; and increase the base wage six percent as well as an additional four percent longevity base wage increase.

Other topics that were discussed and approved included motions made on new hires, which included two volunteer volleyball coaches, Erin Myrick and Alex Page, a volunteer girls basketball coach, Steven Johnson, as well as the hire of Danae Mulkey as the JV volleyball coach. The resignation of fourth grade teacher Jodi Griffin as well as the transfer of the third through fifth grade special education teacher Stephanie Peterson into the a fourth grade classroom was approved, all pending appropriate background checks as applicable.

The wages for substitute teachers, whose last raise was in 2013, and route as well as activity drivers, whose last raise was in 2018, was also discussed. The board approved the proposed wage of $90 to $100 per day for substitute teachers, which is a 5.5 percent raise, as well a five percent wage for route and activity drivers.

After approving the substitute teacher pay increase, retired teacher and current substitute Kim Girard expressed her gratitude stating, “I appreciate you raising the sub pay because when I was subbing last year, I realized I was making less than if I’d subbed for a janitor.”

Student attendance agreements, 2020-21 bus routes, including the Nashua bus route request to enter the Glasgow district on their north route, contingent upon the town of Fort Peck route stop being reinstated, 2020-2021 handbooks and the 2018-2019 audit report were all approved.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 12, in the District Board Room, 229 7th Street N.