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Brooke school board raises questioned

WELLSBURG — Many Brooke County residents have expressed anger over raises approved for nearly a dozen Brooke County school board staff members at a time when the board cited financial difficulties as the reason for closing three primary schools and cutting more than 40 teachers and service personnel.

Board President Ted Pauls, one of three board members whose terms started in July, said the raises were approved by the previous board and he will seek an explanation at Monday’s meeting.

Pauls said he’s concerned about their impact on passage of the school district’s five-year operating levy next year.

“With this newfound information, we will be under extreme scrutiny for how the levy is developed and its intended use,” Pauls said. “Am I concerned with its passage? Yes, primarily due to this latest development. However, speaking for myself, I feel confident that any money the current board asks for from taxpayers will go toward the betterment of the county as a whole. The board composition has changed. So have the priorities.”

Superintendent Toni Shute and board member Brian Ferguson, the board’s former president, didn’t return calls for comment.

The board on Monday is slated to consider placing the renewal of the levy on ballots in a special election on Feb. 23. Currently it raises $6.1 million annually for such items as computer software and other instructional materials, repairs and improvements to facilities, wages for coaches and advisers for extracurricular activities and specialized services for students, such as speech and physical therapy.

Paula Doll, a parent of Brooke County students, noted the state Board of Education approved the closing of three primary schools last year after local school officials told members they faced financial difficulties. At several hearings and public meetings last year, school officials cited declining enrollment and revenue as the reason for the closings and layoffs of more than 40 professional and school service personnel, saying the latter would reduce the number of staff not covered by the state.

Doll said even if the timing of the raises wasn’t bad, she would question the amounts for one of the state’s smallest school districts.

The West Virginia Education Information System, a database maintained by the state Department of Education, lists salaries for the board’s staff for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years.

The data indicates raises for 12 staff members, including department heads and office support, ranging from $8,925 to $32,901 and totaling more than $143,700. They can be broken down this way: Career technical and adult education director, $106,007.16, a raise of $30,461.75; director of student services, attendance, assessment and curriculum for grades sixth through 12th, $106,007.16, a raise of $18,419.20; director of federal programs and curriculum for grades pre-kindergarten through fifth, $107,939.40, a raise of $24,083.23; director of special education, $106,007.17, a raise of $19,419.20; director of facilities, maintenance and technology, $99,949.71, a raise of $11,057.46; athletic director, $83,380.52, a raise of $12,549.36; finance officer, $69,085.49, a raise of $9,428.65; nutrition director, $89,707.19, a raise of $9,518.69; transportation director, $101,719.65, a raise of $32,901.78; treasurer, $101,719.49, a raise of $26,412.59; a second finance officer, $62,896.90, a raise of $10,587.25; and psychologist, $62,896.90, a raise of $8,925.54.

Shute said at an earlier meeting the district’s communications director, a former teacher, is paid on the same state scale she had been as a teacher. The scale is based on education and years of experience.

On Feb. 13, 2017, the previous school board approved a three-year contract for Shute, who was hired in 2015.

It called for her to receive a salary of $121,500 in the first year, a 4 percent increase from her hiring salary; $127,000 in the second year, and $133,000 in the third year.

At that time the board also approved a three-year contract for Assistant Superintendent Nicole Ennis calling for her to receive $97,000 in the first year, $99,000 in the second year and $101,000 in the third year.

Asked whether the board can rescind the salary increases, Pauls said, “We have only recently learned of these raises, so we are not yet sure what options are at our disposal. I have not had a chance to speak with other board members but I am confident we, as a board, are open to doing whatever we can to address this issue.”

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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