School Board raises teacher pay, but not its own
CENTERVILLE -- The St. Mary Parish School Board on Thursday enacted a new pay scale for staff members, incorporating a recently approved $1,500 annual raise for teachers.
But board members won't be getting a raise after a proposed $200 monthly boost failed to get the required two-thirds vote.
Also at Thursday's monthly meeting, the board voted to ask the State Bond Commission to reduce the term of a property tax exemption for a Metal Shark expansion.
Board members passed a resolution calling for a Dec. 7 election to renew property tax levies in each of the parish's three school maintenance districts.
And board members praised Franklin High students who won a state track championship and won election to leadership posts in the state's Future Farmers of America organization.
The Gold Book
The salary schedule adopted by the board Thursday -- known as the Gold Book -- has a starting pay of $47,800 a year for first-year teachers with bachelor degrees.
Pay also rises as teachers pursue their own education through master's degrees, master's plus 30 credits, specialist and doctorate.
Each year of service raises a teacher's annual pay by $450. Each step up the educational ladder is worth $500-$1,500.
The maximum pay, for an educator with a doctorate and 32 years of service, is $65,700.
Certified staffers are also eligible for$2,000 annual stipends, and support staff members for $1,000. Stipends of up to $3,000 are available for Department of Education-certified mentors and teacher leaders.
There are also incentives for undergraduate resident teachers and teachers who obtain special education and K-12 math certification, provided they agree to teach in St. Mary for two years. School building-level committee chairs get a $1,000 stipend.
Board pay
Six of the 11 board members voted to raise their monthly pay to $800 from $600. But the law requires a two-thirds vote, or eight votes, for a raise in pay.
Board member Marilyn LaSalle of Patterson spoke in favor of the raise, saying the pay hasn't been raised in four decades.
Voting for the raise were LaSalle, Guienzy Brent, Lindsey Anslem, Debra Jones, Tammie Moore and Murphy Pontiff. Voting against were Ginger Griffin, Rhonda Dennis, Andrew Mancuso, Chad Paradee and President Alaina Black.
Election
The board call for the three property tax renewal elections Dec. 7 goes to the State Bond Commission for approval.
The renewals are for:
--12.73 mills in Consolidated District No. 2, which includes Wards 5 and 8. The property tax is expected to raise about $2.2 million a year.
--12.42 mills in Consolidated District No. 3, which covers Wards 1-4, 7 and 10. The tax is expected to raise $2.3 million a year.
--12.53 mills in Ward 6. The tax would raise $2.8 million a year.
Each of the renewals is for 10 years beginning in 2026. The proceeds in each district are dedicated to "maintaining and operating, and giving additional support to public schools in the District. ..."
Metal Shark
Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, which does business as Metal Shark, had obtained a Louisiana Industrial Tax Exemption from affected local governments in 2021 for an expansion creating two jobs with an annual payroll of about $70,000.
At its June meeting, the board learned that Metal Shark didn't meet its hiring and payroll goals in 2022. LaSalle asked fellow board members to ask the state Board of Commerce and Industry to order a refund of the property taxes that would have been due.
But the state board instead recommended reducing the term of the exemption by one year. ITEP exemptions offer the tax break for five years with an option for five more.
The resolution that passed 8-3 Thursday asks the state board to reduce the exemption's term by a year and asks that other local governments affected by the exemption be notified and "be encouraged to consider similar recommendations.:"
Pontiff, LaSalle, Black, Griffin, Jones, Anslem, Moore and Brent voted for the resolution.
Dennis, Paradee and Mancuso voted against.
Praise
The board congratulated Franklin Senior High's J'Kylon Ceasar for winning the state 2A high jump championship with a jump of 1.88 meters, or 6.17 feet.
Praise also went to A'Larryen Fuselier and Benjamin Robicheaux for their election to statewide offices at the recent state FFA convention in Alexandria.
Fuselier was elected state president, and Robicheaux is the new state parliamentarian of the 13,000-member state FFA.
Also Thursday:
--The board voted to accept a donation of the land that contains the Berwick High softball field.
The 3.251 acres, which has been owned Carline Land Investments, has been leased by the School Board. Now Carline is donating the property.
--The board agreed to renew its agreement with the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office for participation in programs targeting at-risk young people.
The School Board will pay $70,000 per year for DA’s Office programs that include the Truancy Assessment and Services Center, the Prosecutor Early Intervention Program and the Families in Need of Services Program.
The resolution confirming the agreement says the School Board and the DA’s Office share a concern “about the self-destructive behavior of children in our communities and with conduct by other family members which contributes to the harm being experienced by said children.”
--The board heard good news from insurance consultant James Perez about the employee and retiree health plan, where premiums are running ahead of claims after a recent run of big-dollar claims.
If there’s a red flag, it’s prescription medication. Perez said claims for just three drugs used for treating diabetes, but that are also effective as weight loss medication, account for about $269,000 in prescription claims January-June. The drugs are Ozempic, Monjauro and Jadiance.