Haxtun BOE approves new hires, increases wages due to inflation

With school starting just next week, the Haxtun Board of Education tended to final details in preparation for the return of students in an early morning, Aug. 3 meeting. Board members hired several staff members and opted to increase base pay for paras, educational program coordinators, clerical staff and others on hourly wages.

The Wednesday morning meeting kicked off with approving assignments for Jeanna Clark, Judy Berkheimer, Kelly Crossland and Austin Mitchell. According to Haxtun Superintendent Marsha Cody, Jeanna Clark was approved as a first grade teacher. “We are very excited about her teaching,” Cody said.

Clark recently attended the LETRS training and also passed the science of reading assessments and will take over her own classroom in Haxtun next week. “She has worked with primary and special education students for a number of years,” Cody said. Over the past few years in Haxtun, Clark has been a special education para-professional.

Berkheimer will fill the role as a part-time special education para-professional, Crossland will serve as a preschool and special education para-professional and Mitchell was hired as the elementary custodian. Additionally, Dave Gibson, Debbie Myers and Don Myers were granted approval as route bus drivers. Board Member ChristiAnne Gibson excused herself from voting on that matter as she is Dave Gibson’s wife.

In the short, 45-minute meeting, board members also acted on wages for several hourly employee positions including custodians, para-professionals and clerical staff. Para-professionals and custodian hourly wages is now $14 per hour; educational program coordinators were increased to $15.33 per hour and clerical staff to $14.77 per hour.

“We needed several para-professionals and an elementary custodian. Over the summer we offered the elementary custodian position to two people who applied and interviewed for the position,” Cody said. “However, both candidates turned it down because of the low hourly wage. With rising inflation, $12.46 per hour is not the same as it was a year ago.”

Items to note, with the start of school, Cody said, is Back-to-School Night, which will be held in conjunction with the Haxtun Booster Club barbecue. The combined event is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 17. The school will be open at 5:30 p.m. for parents to meet teachers and visit classrooms. A sixth grade orientation for parents of sixth grade students will take place at 6 p.m. followed by the Booster Club barbecue at the park at 6:30 p.m.

Cody also pointed out that free breakfast and lunches for students ended last year.

“Families can see if they qualify for free or reduced lunch by filling out paperwork available at the school office,” said Cody. “Otherwise, the cost of breakfast for all students is $1.80 per meal and lunch is $2.70 for kindergarten through sixth grades, $2.95 for seventh through 12th grades and $3.60 for adults. The cost of an adult's lunch is higher because they do not qualify for any reimbursement.”

For more information on applying for free and reduced meals, contact the Haxtun School District at (970) 774-6111.