Education

In a speedy, 17-minute meeting this past Tuesday, The School Board of Levy County’s semi-monthly officially approved an 11.85-percent increase in the health plan rates for district employees.
The approval came with little discussion, as it was debated at a previous meeting in October. The increase is expected to cost the school district about $300,000. Superintendent Bob Hastings, in his closing remarks, said that the health plan increase and $335,000 in bonuses approved at their previous meeting are necessary costs to the district in a tough economic climate.

In a quick decision Tuesday, the School Board of Levy County passed an addition to the contract between the district and the teachers union that made salary steps for teachers a negotiated item effective July 1, 2011.

Previously, the step increases in pay were automatic. Now they must be negotiated annually starting in 2011. During an Sept. 14 impasse hearing, the board voted unanimously to make the steps negotiable. The decision was officially added to the current contract Tuesday.

“Don’t do this!” and “Don’t do that!” all the whole day long. Maybe this was the approach with which many of us were most familiar growing up, but what if someone noticed when we made a good choice, did the right thing? Williston Elementary School’s assistant principal, Angel Thomas, has brought an additional piece to the discipline puzzle we call the Positive Behavior System (PBS).

The School Board of Levy County unanimously voted on Tuesday to change the language of the school district’s contract with the Levy County Education Association, altering the language so that automatic salary step increases for teachers and employees will now be negotiated annually between the parties.
Both sides argued their cases before the board during an impasse hearing at the School Board’s offices in Bronson. The decision alters an agreement that has been in place for 30 years in the school district.