CCSD accepts resignations, retirements

During its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, Creston Community School board members accepted the early retirements of eight employees: Jeff Norman, Pat Schlapia, Sharon Gardner, Steve Birchard, Paul Jameson, Mike McCabe, Angie Mullen and Joyce Kruse. Each of the retirees, who worked a minimum of 15 consecutive years is eligible to receive a percentage of their annual salary.

The approval of early retirements includes six certified staff with a cost estimated at $105,000 and two classified staff with a cost estimate of $30,000. With FICA included at $10,327, early retirement will cost the district $145,327, which comes out of the management fund and is capped at $200,000. New employee salaries come out of the general fund.

The board also approved the resignation of language arts teacher Brenda Dillenburg, who was not eligible for early retirement.

Substitutes

Substitutes are still needed although the board voted Monday to mutually terminate a contract with Teachers on Call, effective January 31. In an effort to maintain local control of its substitution pool and eliminate a number of issues using TOC, the board is considering use of software by Frontline Education.

Substitutes and staff are already familiar with Frontline and it gives administrators and staff 24/7 access to the availability of its substitutes and the ability to see who has already been called to duty. The automated service notifies substitutes of openings via text or voice message and asks for a response. Creston Community School Superintendent Deron Stender said the school district will have the authority to set the protocol.

To go this route, there is a one-time implementation fee of $16,200. The cost for the remainder of the school year would be $7,211.35. Frontline’s annual cost of $16,148 reflects an AEA discount. Stender said the savings equate to that of one employee.

The Creston Community School Board meets the third Monday of the month. To view district board agendas and minutes, visit the district’s website crestonschools.org.