Glasgow School District Provides Three Percent Raises To Classified Staff And Administration

The Glasgow School Board met in regular session on June 14 following a negotiation meeting with the classified staff to reach a tentative agreement for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. Negotiations with the Glasgow schools principals, clerk and classified supervisors were held on June 1 and all agreements went before the Board at the June 14 meeting for approval of the tentative agreements.

During the regular session meeting, the tentative agreements that followed these negotiations were approved with a two-year contract and a three percent pay raise the first year, 2023-24, and a four percent increase the second year, 2024-25. The agreements will be effective as of July 1, 2023, and continue in full force and effect until June 30, 2025.

The regular meeting also included Superintendent Wade Sundby’s mid-year review as well as salary negotiations. Though the mid-year review took place in a closed session, after the review, it was announced that Superintendent Sundby would also receive a three percent increase in pay for the 2023-2024 school year and continue to receive a stipend for cell phone, which equates to $60 per month.

In addition to approving agreements and salary increases, the school board also approved the personnel action report that was presented. They approved the hiring of Tabitha Brandt and Mason Swenson as teacher/aide substitutes, current Glasgow High School principal Brett Huntsman as volunteer football coach for Glasgow Middle School as well as substitutes/temp renewals. With a motion made by board member Stan Ozark and seconded by Ryan Fast, the board approved the hiring of the recommended staff pending appropriate background checks as applicable.

Superintendent Sundby also provided information on the Ford Expedition the district purchased as a way to help with the current bus driver shortage that is occurring in the district. The Expedition was purchased utilizing bus deprecation funds with the vehicle’s sole use being to pick up children on a school route come fall. The board also approved an obsolete property sale as the district is selling two school buses, a 2013 72 passenger bus and a 2016 50 passenger bus. The hope is that when it gets closer to school starting there would be interest from support staff in driving the Expedition, since a specialized license, such as CDL, is not needed to operate the vehicle.

Another topic of conversation during the meeting was the District’s comprehensive property and liability insurance renewal. Currently the Montana Schools Group Authority (MAGIA) provides the District’s comprehensive insurance and the new policy would cover property and liability insurance for July 1 through June 30, 2024. The quote provided to renew showed a net premium increase of 22 percent, which is due to the cost of construction increasing and therefore replacement costs have increased. Instead of renewing right now, the Board directed Superintendent Sundby to research another bid for the District’s property and liability insurance before proceeding in paying the $187,887 renewal to MAGIA.

The meeting also consisted of reports from Irle School Vice Principal and Glasgow High School Athletic Director Brenner Flaten, Glasgow Middle School Principal Mike Zoanni and Glasgow High School Principal Huntsman on how the end of the school wrapped up for students and staff as well as plans for the next school year.

“We are back in the office in 48 days, teachers are in 62 and students are in 68,” stated Principal Huntsman during his report. “Everybody says there’s so many days that you have in summer. There’s not. I mean there’s not that many days.”