By Heather Graves
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – The school board quickly, unanimously and without discussion, approved a 2.44 percent wage/salary increase for staff, administration and educators throughout the district at its regular board meeting Monday, Aug. 19.
The increase is retroactive to July 1 of this year for those who are employed with the district as of Aug. 19.
The increase affects all clerical, food service, maintenance, monitors, paraprofessionals, trade, support staff, administrators, managers, technical and professional staff, executive assistants and educators.
It’s a welcome increase for district employees following an increase earlier this year to monthly health care premiums by 12.63 percent.
The increase was made in an effort to help the deficit the district is currently facing.
The increase went into affect July 1.
Nicolet Elementary principal
The school board unanimously approved the transfer of Shana Pociask, associate principal at Sullivan Elementary, to fill the principal vacancy at Nicolet Elementary.
“Good luck to you in your new position, we are very excited for you and look forward to lots of good things,” said Board President Brenda Warren.
Pociask said she’s excited for the new position and the new school year.
“It’s an honor,” Pociask said.
Board members also approved the hiring of Stephanie Mathu as middle school and high school activities director at Washington Middle and East High School.
Mathu previously served as the athletics director at Notre Dame Academy, a physical and health education teacher at Bay Port High School and coached basketball for nine years.
Modifications to table of organization
As the 2019-20 school year quickly approaches, the school board approved some modifications to the table of organization to a handful of district departments.
“These modifications are part of a responsive redesign that we have talked about – and really start to transform our work, embed our central office staff in our schools,” said District Superintendent Michelle Langenfeld. “Really use what we have learned this year and really expand it across our district.”
The first – modifying the table of organization to change the executive director of teaching and learning-elementary to executive director of teaching and learning.
With the change, board members approved the transfer of Nancy Chartier from executive director of teaching and learning-elementary to the new role of executive director of teaching and learning.
Board members also approved the modification of the table of organization to include the positions of associate director of teaching and learning.
With this reorganization, the school board approved the transfer of Eric Conn and Elissa Hoffman from the positions of curriculum development at the district to associate director of teaching and learning.
The table of organization was also modified to include the addition of executive assistant to the executive director of teaching and learning and executive director of teaching and learning-secondary.
With this change, the board approved the transfer of Lavessa Glover-Verhagen from level 4 teaching and learning secretary to executive assistant to the executive director of teaching and learning and executive director of teaching and learning-secondary.
Board Vice President Andrew Becker wanted to clarify that these are not new positions by department reorganizations.
“This doesn’t represent a bunch of new downtown positions being added, it is some positions needed to be administrative to reflect supervisory duties,” Becker said.
While there are wage/salary increases with the position modifications, there are not any FTE increases.
“This is just one piece of Teaching and Learning,” Langenfeld said. “The team is ready to do extraordinary, continuous work around teaching and learning ensuring that each child has what they need for success.”