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Melinda Kile addressing the Sulphur Springs school board trustees in a recent meeting.
For food service, custodial workers in school district
The Sulphur Springs School board conducted a regular meeting/budget work session on July 11 with action taken on several items.
In the public forum portion of the meeting, Rowena Johnson Primary School food service workers Melinda Kile and Bonnie Spencer spoke concerning raises for food serviceand custodial workers in the school district. Kile presented to each school board member, a copy of pay checks and documents showing her take home pay and level of pay for other workers.
Kile pointed out that her gross pay of more than $15,000 annually breaks down to take home pay of $827 per month.
"Other teachers and staff members have gotten raises, that is good. They deserve them and more," Kile said. "I'm here to respectfully ask the board to consider raises for the food service and custodial workers in the district."
Kile pointed that with bills like vehicle payments, utilities, groceries, gasoline and other expenses it leaves little to live on.
"No disrespect to anyone else, but we work hard and we deserve a raise," Kile said. "We work hard and we have a lot involved in our jobs. We have to remember students with allergies to food. We do inventory, along with heavy lifting and handle some chemicals."
Kile said, "We could go to work other places and make more money. But I like working for the school and it's just frustrating when your take home pay is not enough."
She told the board she was appreciative of the $1,000 stipend which was given to all workers, she said it was not a raise.
Kile said due to her salary she did not have much to put into savings or have for insurance.
Board member Robert Cody asked the work hours for the food services workers. It was revealed that the average shift was 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kile also said she feels the district needs better insurance.
Superintendent Michael Lamb said he was looking into the matter and is open to discussing the matter more at another time.
Kile said later it was good to put out the information for others to know.
“It felt good to get it off my chest,” Kile said. ”Some people might not know about our salaries and we wanted to bring attention to it. We wanted to speak up.”
Personnel matters were handled in an executive session with staff changes posted.
All campuses will face changes and new faces. The changes range from new aides to other staff positions include principal.
Resignations accepted include, Patricia Garcia, administrative assistant; Lauren Scivally, HS 3 teacher at Douglass Elementary; at Bowie Elementary, Jaidyn Schroeder and Kayla Emerine, Title I aides; from Johnson Primary, Chandra Crawford, principal; Scott Logan, Title I aide; Dustin Morgan, Academic Specialist; at SSES, Ashley Rodriguez, SPED aide; from SSMS, Britany Maness, PE/ Coach; Karen Jolly, Grade 7 Co-Teach; Zuleyma Rocha, Grade 6 Math; Donald Butler, teacher/asst. girls basketball coach; Ryan Watts, asst. principal; Marcos Garza, athletic trainer; and LaChisha Shimp, receptionist; at SSHS, Courtney Anglin, Special Svcs. Coor.; Reta Linette Banks, SPED teacher; Erica Delley, teacher/head girls basketball coach; Sadie Evans, Connections, SPED Aide and Jennifer Spencer, Speech Pathologist at Special Services.
New personnel - at Douglass Elementary, Especially Carr, HS3 teacher; Carmela Loera, HS bilingual and Cynthia Looney, SPED aide; at Bowie Primary, Laura Geeslin, Title I aide; at Bush, Dara Crawford, SPED aide; at Johnson Primary, Alesia Rollins, Music and Jill Whitney, Gr. 3 ELAR/ SS; at Travis Primary, Jacqueline Espinoza, Title I aide and Emalee Bowley, Gr 1 DLE ELAR/Martin; at SSES, Lisa Parris-Orr, SPED aide; Amy Urquiza, SPED aide; at SSMS, Erin McCray, Gr 7 SPED Co-teach; Carrah Griffin, SPED aide; Taylor Rouleau, SPED aide; Roxanna Thedford, Gr. 6 History; Stefanie Cowden, SPED aide; Hannah Fields, Gr 6 Math; Nancy Gutierrez, at risk ESL aide; Jacquerline Morovick, ISS aide and Nyla Woodruff, SPED aide; at SSHS, Lori Evans, library aide; Jacob McKeever, English; Joel Skipper, Culinary Arts; Bryan Jones, teacher/head boys basketball; Amy Maker, art and digital design; Nicholas Tovar, Math; Shaye Sabedra, SPED aide, Connections, SSHS.
Personnel changes - Sasha Posey went from Academic Spec/SSES to principal Johnson; Vallesha Adams, went from SPED aide/Douglass to Gr 6 Math/middle school; Cody Carns went from SPED aide/SSHS to SPED teacher/SSHS; Crystal Cervantes Sanchez, went from HS 4 BIL/Douglass to Gr. 1 DLE SLAR/Sci/ SS at Travis; Kim Chisom went from Gr 8 ELAR R180/SSMS to SPED Resource Reading/SSMS; Jordan Cruz, SPED aide/SSES to teacher/coach, SSMS; Jessica Hall, SPED aide/ SSES to SPED aide/SSES; Jerica Hankins from SPED aide/SSMS to at-risk aide/ SSMS; Cassie Ibanez, went from Title I aide/Bowie to Behavior aide/Bowie; Kimberly Isonhood, from English/SSMS to Gr. 3 Math/Sci/Bowie; Gerson Salvatoreh from at risk aide/SSMS to ELAR Read 180 teacher; Heather Velez from at-risk aide/SSMS to SPED aide/ SSMS.