Unit 255 budget in Trouble?

Does any one know if this is true or not, the board did NOT freeze the administrators pay but the board DID freeze the teachers pay? Maybe the board should consider a pay cut for the administrators also?

Or hmmmmmmmm do we need that many people to run this small district? Did you ever go into that administrators office? There are more people in there than in all the school offices put together!!

RC Schools wrote:

Does any one know if this is true or not, the board did NOT freeze the administrators pay but the board DID freeze the teachers pay? Maybe the board should consider a pay cut for the administrators also?
Or hmmmmmmmm do we need that many people to run this small district? Did you ever go into that administrators office? There are more people in there than in all the school offices put together!!

I heard the same story about freezing the teachers pay but not the administrators. I have no idea if it is true or not, but I also heard if the teachers did not agree to the contract, the board would screw them on insurance premiums by making them pay more. With more and more teachers retiring and others opting to get out early or going to other schools, it appears the district is leaning towards a youth movement in its teachers. It might be cheaper this way but it doesn't mean it will be better.

RC Schools wrote:

Does any one know if this is true or not, the board did NOT freeze the administrators pay but the board DID freeze the teachers pay? Maybe the board should consider a pay cut for the administrators also?
Or hmmmmmmmm do we need that many people to run this small district? Did you ever go into that administrators office? There are more people in there than in all the school offices put together!!

Below I pasted a recent reply that was on the school money thread. If this is true, it is an outrage.

contracted settled wrote:

The Reed Custer School District emloyees signed a contract with the school board several weeks ago.... The employees took a pay freeze and did not add to the budget problems of the district. Many cuts have also been made re: employment of aides
This salary freeze did not impact administrative salaries as they all have independent contracts with the school board. Those contracts were not up for renewal at this time and their salaries were pre-determined many months ago. So, yes, the administration received raises and is growing more top heavy....

Everyone except the Administration and the bus drivers got their pay froze. The Administration was not affected at all because they are not in the union. The bus drivers took a 12% pay CUT. And the insurance premiums go up every year.

Administration did not receive a raise to our knowledge, yes we were very concerned about that. We accepted the contract knowing that we were not going to get anything better had we voted no, we would have just went on strike and nobody wanted that. The bus drivers however were hit the hardest. Our insurance stayed the same.

Spot71 wrote:

Everyone except the Administration and the bus drivers got their pay froze. The Administration was not affected at all because they are not in the union. The bus drivers took a 12% pay CUT. And the insurance premiums go up every year.

Here is the misleading part of the administration freeze. There is a new superintendent, high school principal, high school assistant principal, and middle school assistant principal. I would be very surprised if they accepted their respective positions at the same salary as the people they replaced. And in terms of insurance premiums increasing, they do but most administrators get their health insurance paid in full, regardless of increases.

Yes, teacher pay was frozen. Administrators contracts are set at a different time and they got raises. Insurance rates go up, while the coverage is less. Administrators have the same insurance company but have different insurance coverages and benefits. Just like what happens in the big corporations, right?

We are top heavy in administration who do not work directly with student instruction. And yes, bus driver pay was cut severely.

With the pending retirements of teachers, the district will see many changes. There will be a reduction in teacher salaries in the future, but as new, inexperienced teachers come in there will be many challenges to keep the same high standards of student performance.

Not to be impolite, but what is your health ins cost?

teacher wrote:

Administration did not receive a raise to our knowledge, yes we were very concerned about that. We accepted the contract knowing that we were not going to get anything better had we voted no, we would have just went on strike and nobody wanted that. The bus drivers however were hit the hardest. Our insurance stayed the same.

Spot71 wrote:

Everyone except the Administration and the bus drivers got their pay froze. The Administration was not affected at all because they are not in the union. The bus drivers took a 12% pay CUT. And the insurance premiums go up every year.

Yes and some drivers took much more than a 12% pay cut to which many people don't know about!!!!!!!!!!

12% seems like a very high pay cut? How did this come about? Were the bus driver told for how long? I had heard they were thinking about doing away with the busses? Was this just a rumor or a scared tacked to get bus drivers to go along with the pay cuts?
With all these cuts happening you think our administration office would make some cuts in their office? They should be doing some lay off's in that area of the school as the administration offices does not work directly with student instruction.
Surely someone else can record a message to go home to all the students? Think some one could answer the phones in the administration office. Hey does every job in the office require a secretary?

snoopy wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes and some drivers took much more than a 12% pay cut to which many people don't know about!!!!!!!!!!

Snoopy, please explain. I think that a 12% pay cut is pretty extreme already. What other hardships have the drivers suffered?

Braidwood gets a bunch of money from the state for transportation. A couple years ago I called the state and they informed me they get nearly 200,000 for regular kids and another 300,000 for special needs kids. That total could be differant now but I was amazed back then. I doubt it was cut by the state. So I'm not understanding why any of the bus drivers pay was cut.

Wow that a lot of money!!!Didn't hear anything about the state funding for this being taken away!

going overboard wrote:

Braidwood gets a bunch of money from the state for transportation. A couple years ago I called the state and they informed me they get nearly 200,000 for regular kids and another 300,000 for special needs kids. That total could be differant now but I was amazed back then. I doubt it was cut by the state. So I'm not understanding why any of the bus drivers pay was cut.

Happy Dad wrote:

<quoted text>Snoopy, please explain. I think that a 12% pay cut is pretty extreme already. What other hardships have the drivers suffered?

The re-organization of routes which drivers only got 5 min. notice before they rebid which caused some drivers to take anywhere between a 50%-75% pay cut that included the 12% cut. I know some of those drivers are struggling very hard and something should be done about it. But they won't do anything.

So are the administration office giving themself a cut also?? They seem willing to let everyone else take cuts to make their budget work. Time to get rid of the top heavyness in the administration office.

It would be great to have a reality show of the school system. The parents would have the right to vote certain teachers and administration off their island.

None of this is a good situation. We will lose quality teachers because of the top heavy administration. Everyone does have to start somewhere, but the above comment regarding new, inexperienced teachers is frightening. With the taxes we pay and registration fees that are expected, we should be able to accommodate teachers as well as administration.

If the real estate market weren't so tough, I would definitely be looking at moving my kids out of this school district. It's frustrating for parents as well as educators.

Maybe these pays would be okay IF and thats a big IF our kids tested in the top 10% of the state.

bus driver wrote:

So are the administration office giving themself a cut also?? They seem willing to let everyone else take cuts to make their budget work. Time to get rid of the top heavyness in the administration office.

Today's "Free Press" Speak Out says Wilmington school administrators get over $1.1 million in salary and benefits. If that is true, one would guess that Reed-Custer administration is higher than that. And teachers took a freeze and bus drivers took a cut????

I don't understand how the drivers are losing money. What does rebid mean? Aren't they hired by the district to drive the bus? Shouldn't they be paid an hourly wage for that?? Someone please explain this.

snoopy wrote:

<quoted text>
The re-organization of routes which drivers only got 5 min. notice before they rebid which caused some drivers to take anywhere between a 50%-75% pay cut that included the 12% cut. I know some of those drivers are struggling very hard and something should be done about it. But they won't do anything.

RC Parent wrote:

It would be great to have a reality show of the school system. The parents would have the right to vote certain teachers and administration off their island.
None of this is a good situation. We will lose quality teachers because of the top heavy administration. Everyone does have to start somewhere, but the above comment regarding new, inexperienced teachers is frightening. With the taxes we pay and registration fees that are expected, we should be able to accommodate teachers as well as administration.
If the real estate market weren't so tough, I would definitely be looking at moving my kids out of this school district. It's frustrating for parents as well as educators.

LOL This is definately a case of too much telivision. Amen to the rest though.