All Union County teachers will see an increase in their pay this school year. The Union County Board of Education approved a revised teacher salary scale at its meeting on January 11.
Missy Brown, finance director, explained that the additional increase is necessary to put the salary schedule on track to meet the $50,000 state mandated beginning salary in 2028. She further noted that the additional funding will come from the state TISA Growth monies and the pay increases do keep us competitive with surrounding counties.
In addition, Brown reviewed the substitute pay of $150 for a full day and $75 for a half day for nurses which also received approval.
The board also created an assistant elementary basketball coach position and set the supplement at $500. The head elementary basketball supplement is $750.
The school board attorney Mary Ann Stackhouse advised the board to hire a surveyor to obtain current information on three property concerns. The first property issue involves the ground lease negotiation for placement of the TN College of Applied Technology on the high school campus.
With the state requesting a 50-year lease, she explained that the property boundaries need to be explicitly defined. The next property concern relates to Heritage Park. Some of the property is owned by the school board and not the county. She explained that a survey would determine the exact amount of property that needed to be conveyed by a quit claim deed to Union County. Finally, the board needs an easement to connect to the sewer for the new middle school. The board agreed to hire a surveyor to clarify all three property concerns.
The board approved for Rebecca Lock, 7th District Board Member, to attend the TSBA Legal Institute in Nashville in order to continue to update legislation that impacts education. Two bills that TSBA opposes are the retention of fourth graders based on TCAP scores and the reporting of letter grades for schools based solely on the TCAP results. These bills along with many others impact public schools. Lock will continue to update the board on legislation and report back to the board the results of the Legal Institute.
Director Greg Clay updated the board on the building projects. He explained that the architects for the new middle school were meeting regularly with the building committee and the final design was on track for late March to bid the project in April.
Specifically, the kitchen layout is complete, the traffic survey is progressing, and the sewer connection easement will need to be surveyed because it crosses private property. He stated that a site visit and negotiations for the 50-year lease are currently in process for the TCAT.
Clay also noted that the baseball improvements have been completed and softball upgrades will begin after the spring season. To comply with Title IX, the softball upgrades must be equivalent to the baseball facilities improvements. Big Ridge Elementary is getting a new intercom in January and a new roof in February.
The board approved several policy revisions. Most of the changes complied with new state laws. The use of online payments for school activities or supplies will be further studied. Board policy 1.105 School Board Involvement was amended by substituting may for shall in regard to its legislative actions at the state level and with TSBA.
The board rejected a request from a private business to purchase a portion of the gravel parking lot at the current middle school. State law dictates that land not deeded to the county must be sold at public auction.
The next school board meeting will be Thursday, February 8, at the UCHS Auditorium.