Springdale School Board approves $1,000 employee bonuses

SPRINGDALE -- The School Board approved about $3.9 million in bonuses for district employees Tuesday at its monthly meeting.

The board voted 5-0 in support of the bonuses.

Eddie Ramos, board member, and Nick Emerson, board secretary, were absent.

Bonuses are being given for work district employees have accomplished during the covid-19 pandemic, said Kelly Hayes, deputy superintendent.

"They have gone above and beyond this year," he said.

A $1,000 bonus will be paid to full-time time sheet and contracted employees being paid as of May 20 who are working an average of 25 hours per work or more, Hayes said.

The bonus will be prorated for employees who aren't full-time, according to district documents.

Employees must have worked on site and at least one day on or after Jan. 4 to qualify for the bonus, according to the documents.

A one-time bonus of $250 was also approved for non-contracted substitutes who work throughout the district during employee absences, Hayes said.

Substitutes must have worked at least 30 days in the spring semester prior to May 1 and must have received a paycheck in April to qualify for the bonus, according to documents.

Staff will receive the bonus in their June paycheck, Hayes said.

The board also voted 5-0 for salary adjustments. The certified salary schedule base will increase by $500 to a minimum of $48,782 beginning July 1, according to district documents.

The base of all classified salary schedules will likewise be increased by 1%, according to supporting documents.

Additional approved changes include adjusting the hourly pay rate for bus drivers doing shuttles and field trips to reflect route drivers' pay beginning July 1, according to supporting documents.

Drivers are paid about $12 per hour for shuttles and field trips, Hayes said. District bus drivers make an average of $15.73 per hour, according to Indeed.com.

The state Legislature approved an increase in funding of $164 per student from the state for the 2021-22 fiscal year, Hayes said. The increase, combined with an increase in property tax assessments, is anticipated to generate about $4.3 million in new revenue for the district to fund the salary adjustments.

In other news, Trent Jones, communications director, shared information on a new branding campaign for the district.

The campaign will focus on the district's four pillars -- safety, student achievement, personalized education and partnerships -- by telling personalized stories that showcase the whole child, Jones said.

"We have an intentional plan that will highlight our outstanding students, our exceptional faculty and award-winning programs while maintaining a personalized community feel," he said.

Elements of the campaign to be developed in the months ahead include creating a digital welcome center on the district's website and producing a magazine, Jones said.

"It's been going on for a long time," Kevin Ownbey, board member, said of the district's high level of service. "We have the tools now to be loud about it."

The board also amended the meeting agenda to vote on the board officers for the next year.

The board voted 5-0 for Michelle Cook, president; Randy Hutchinson, vice president; and Emerson, secretary to maintain their current positions.