Support staff on bonuses: ‘What about us?’

     Most teachers within the Monticello Community School District received $1,000 bonus payment as a result of a proclamation made by Gov. Kim Reynolds in January to reward teachers for their actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

     On March 28, the Monticello School Board approved additional $1,000 payments for 16 teachers who were excluded by the governor’s criteria.

     At the board’s regular meeting April 25, staff and associates came to the board with variations of the same question: “What about the rest of us?”

     The board opened the floor to those who wanted to speak on the topic of “support staff retention bonus.”

     Four district employees signed up to speak. It was not a voting item on the board’s agenda, nor was it discussed by the board once the speakers had taken their turns.

     The first was Wendi Fortman, an associate at Monticello High School who has worked for the district for more than 15 years.

     “Many times during the year when we have staff gatherings,” Fortman said, “Dr. (Brian) Jaeger or our new principal, Mr. (Nick) Schauf, have made mention of how it takes everybody, how everyone is critical in the educating of our young people.”

     Fortman said that support staff members also had to make adjustments and do extra work as a result of COVID.

     “Our mission statement stays that successful education depends on the combined effort of all school employees,” she said. “All I’m here for is to ask you to please consider the associates and other support staff with a bonus.”

     Melissa Motley, a middle school associate, asked, “Do we not count? The extra things we do; do they not matter?”

     Motley said support staff are the ones who step up and help cover classes when necessary. She made reference to Monticello’s trip to the State Boys Basketball Tournament in March, when many staff members attended one of the tournament games, leaving about 14 staff members remaining in the building.

     “Some of us had to cover double classes,” Motley said. “We were there the entire school day.”

     She said that some of the ESSER fund money that the district will be receiving until 2024 could be used.

     “Why not spend some of that money on retaining the associates we already have that have been through all of this?” Motley asked. “We have all done our part and gone beyond the call of duty.”

     Joe Welsch, a custodian at the high school, said any unfairness staff members might have felt about the bonuses intensified when the 16 additional teachers were awarded bonuses by the board.

     “The governor in her own words she said these are meant to be a thank-you to all the teachers for all their hard work during the pandemic,” Welsch said. “But it takes more than just teachers to get everything done. Everybody’s asking, if other districts around us can give the bonus, why can’t Monticello?

     “It takes all of us to get it done, and I believe we’re just as important as the teachers are.”

     The final speaker was Jessie Dirks, an associate at Carpenter Elementary School.

     “We have absolutely amazing teachers,” Dirks said. “But every year at the beginning of the year, we talk about how it takes everybody, from the bus driver being the first smile that they see, to employees like your janitors and your cooks.

     “Since COVID started, everybody in the district has complied. I’ve seen everybody jump in where they’re needed.”

In other board business:

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board approved several personnel changes.

     Resignations – Liz Medina as ESL/ELL teacher, and as coordinator/teacher for the ELL Tutoring and Family Engagement Program, both district-wide, effective at the end of this school year; and Kim Ralston as secretary at the high school, effective Sept. 23.

     Appointments – Katherine Christiansen as special education teacher at the middle school, and Drew Arduser as assistant high school girls soccer coach.

     Transfer – Karla Stahlberg from media/computer lab associate at Shannon and Carpenter Elementary, to secretary at Carpenter Elementary.

     • The board a report from high school principal Nick Schauf and MHS senior Sully Flynn on the Day of Caring, during which students will clean up areas in and around Monticello.

     The event will be Friday, May 13 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. It has been expanded from past years to include the entire MHS student body. In past years, cleanup days have mostly involved just members of the student council.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board approved a therapist support agreement with Tanager Place to provide mental healh support servides for students within the district in the 2022-23 school year.

     • The board heard a report from curriculum director Robyn Ponder on summer school. The August Academy, which Ponder said was a big success last year, will be held this year as well for grades K-8. The dates are Aug. 1-5 and 8-12, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

     In addition, credit recovery classes will be held at the high school in June.

     • The board heard a report from Superintendent Brian Jaeger about girls’ wrestling, which beginning next school year will be a sanctioned high school sport in Iowa. Jaeger said a survey netted three MHS girls with an interest in wrestling, so the district will study the possibility of partnering with Anamosa or another district that has a girls’ wrestling team to see if Monticello’s girls can join them.