School board OKs raises for driver ed teachers
By GWEN ALBERS Western News Reporter
Two Libby School Board members tried and failed to put the brakes on pay raises for the district's driver education teachers.
Trustees Lee Disney and Gela Koehler during a Tuesday meeting voted against increasing the pay from $20 to $22 an hour for driving instructors Todd Schatz and Mort Curtiss.
School directors Kate Huntsberger, Jim England, Melanie Wood and Jerry Frament supported the raise. School director and board chairwoman Teri Kelly was absent.
Schatz and Curtiss requested $5 hourly increases, Superintendent Kirby Maki told the board. Maki suggested increasing the pay by $2 an hour for this year and $1 an hour over each of the next three years.
"This will allow the opportunity to budget and plan for the future," he said.
Disney disagreed.
"I think $20 an hour to teach drivers' education is plenty," he said. "We should take this under advisement and study it."
In a survey of 45 Montana school districts, Maki told the board he learned pay for driver education teachers ranges from $14.50 an hour to $38 an hour.
"Conrad (Public Schools) starts at $14.50 an hour," he said. "Even though that's the starting pay, they may make more."
"Missoula goes to $38, but starts at $18.81," Maki continued. "I would imagine most of their people are at $27."
Michelle Schatz, who is Todd Schatz's wife, noted a degree in driver education is required for teaching.
"You can't get it over the Internet," Michelle Schatz said. "You have to go to Havre and it takes the better part of two summers. It's not something anybody can do."
Driver education teachers in Libby received their last pay increase in October 2003. It was increased from $15 to $20 an hour along with other teachers involved with after-school instruction in reading, math and other curriculum.
"It seems to be we are right in the ballpark at $2 more an hour," Wood said.
Schatz teachers language arts and Curtiss teaches industrial arts.
In other business, the board:
l Accepted a resignation from middle school boys' football coach Frank Kyes.
l Increased time for cafeteria employee Pam Haas to 5.5 hours a day, educational assistant Ann Grotjohn to four hours a day; and elementary educational assistants Judy Anderson, Deanna Byrer, Carnan Davis, Kathy Jenkins, Edie Journey, Kathy Sauby and Georgina Woody to 7.5 hours a day. The latter is needed to help with the 95 kindergarten students moved to Asa Wood Elementary this year; it will cost $6,900 more for payroll.
l Agreed to pay Vicki Lawrence $10 an hour as an accompanist for music programs.
l Named middle school coaches Kelly Morford for boys' football, Marge Kroeger for coordinating track, Leah Lemoine for assistant volleyball and Jolene Huntsberger for girls' basketball. School director Kate Huntsberger, who is Jolene's mother, abstained from voting.
l Agreed to pay $20 an hour as needed for Community Learning Center staff members Melody Rohrer, Betty Jo Wood, Jan Kendall, JoElyn Brus and Rose Goyen. Students hired at $5.15 an hour to assist were Lacey Rasmusson, Katie Babb, Cassie Sichting, Mattie Casey, Brandi Mirador, Kammi McLain and Josh Landon. The learning center is an after-school program that throughout the year involves 150 to 200 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Students get help with reading, math, science and social studies; learn about health enhancement; and participate in enrichment activities like hiking.