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Ida School Board settles three-year teacher contract
Ida Public Schools Board of Education ratified a three-year contract with the teachers union at its meeting on Monday, Aug. 19. The contract includes the current school year, and the next two years, through the 2004-2005 school year. Teachers will be paid 3% more each of the three years, said Ida Superintendent of Schools Herb Gabehart. The board also offered a two-year probationary contract to Kathleen Whitman as the new Hearing Impaired Supervisor. She currently is the director of special education for the Whittemore-Prescott district. The action came following a recommendation for hire from the interview committee, which included parent Gerald Sondergeld, teachers Sheryl Zorn and Jeannie Rayne, ISD administrator Tom Koepke and Mr. Gabehart. The board adopted the 2002-2003 interscholastic athletics budget. The projected receipts of $155,443 for the high school program and $58,424 for the middle school program total $213,867. The general fund also contributes $152,182 or 71.2% of this $213,867 figure. The remaining portion, $61,685 is derived from pay-to-participate fees, gate receipts, sales of old non-repairable equipment and employee passes. The board also adopted the food service budget. Projected income is $536,807 which includes income from state aid, commodities entitlement, lunch sales and general fund contribution; expenses of $557,658 for an end fund balance of $11,616. The district has completed a number of buildings and grounds maintenance projects this year. They include: opening the new concession stand/restroom at the athletic field; north lot repaving; elementary school re-roofing; wood shop re-roofing; removal of old ticket stand; construction of new ticket stand; paving walkway to concession stand; and connecting elementary water line to concession stand. Projects still underway include: removal of elementary merry-go-round; installation of toilet partitions; Booster’s donations to complete concession stand; middle school renovation project; and installation of dust collector in new middle school shop area. The board will seek bids for air conditioning the high school media center; the elementary and middle school media centers already are air conditioned. More bids will be sought for the sale of 1986 and 1987 buses and the 1979 tractor. The district will replace air conditioning units in the Hearing Impaired department for children ages 4-6, with reimbursement from the Monroe County ISD. The board hired Vonda Hughes as a Hearing Impaired teacher assistant. She replaces a retired employee. Ida High Schools marching band will participate in a “Patriotic Rally” at the Monroe County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Sept. 10 during an evening countywide program.