School board scheduled to approve salary increases, two-year calendars at Dec. 14 meeting
By Debra Moore
If all goes as scheduled, the Plumas Unified School District board meeting Dec. 14, will bring some good news to district employees — raises of 9 percent retroactive to July 1, 2022, with another 4 percent increase set to take effect July 1, 2023. The agreements will apply to teachers, classified employees and management.
The agenda also includes the oath of office for a new school board member representing the Almanor Basin, election of the new school board president, selection of the next two years’ instructional calendars, a review of Measure B expenditures, and more.
When asked why the long-discussed pay raises were now able to be offered, Superintendent Bill Roderick attributed the ability to more state revenue being made available and some creative thinking. “We have more revenue to work with now,” Roderick said. He added that former superintendent Terry Oestreich and the school board wanted to give raises to employees, but “didn’t have the ongoing resources.” He said that no one-time monies were being used to fund these increases. “We’re in a good economic situation; we can absolutely afford to do this,” he said.
Another agenda item that generates interest is the school calendar. The board will be asked to choose between two calendars this year: one that has students returning to the classroom on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023 with a week off in February; and another with school beginning on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, with a four-day weekend in February. Both calendars include June 14 as being the last day of school.
In developing the calendars, the district polled staff and families and received about 500 responses. The district is recommending the calendar that features a week off in February, but Roderick said he recognizes the hardship that can cause families in finding childcare. As a result, the district is investigating options to provide program options for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of February break week; Monday and Friday are the official holidays. And because adopting a calendar is time-consuming, the board will be asked to adopt calendars for the next two school years. This also provides families with ample notice as they plan vacations, etc.
The Dec. 14 meeting is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in the district office at 50 Church Street in Quincy. The agenda is attached.
PCOE-PUSD Agenda Joint Regular Board Meeting 12.14.22
