School board OKs teacher incentives

Image
Body

Snyder ISD trustees put their formal stamp of approval on more than $500,000 in future annual expenditures to help the school district recruit and retain teachers.
Trustees unanimously approved the plan during their meeting Tuesday night.
Snyder ISD plans to spend more than $164,000 a year attracting new teachers through referral bonuses, stipends and tuition assistance for teacher candidates enrolled in the Tech Teach across Texas and Strong Teachers Day One teacher development programs, sign-on bonuses and pre-leased homes and apartments.
School officials scaled back a proposal to pay experienced teachers in certain high-need areas an additional stipend, but still plan to spend more than $393,000 a year retaining teachers. Approved incentives include stipends for instructors involved in the Teacher Leader Track, a classroom supply budget, free pre-kindergarten for children of district employees and an accountability payment plan for teachers in state-tested areas.
The additional stipend for teachers in high-need areas such as math, English and career technology was reduced from the initially proposed $320,000 to $197,000.
Overall, Snyder plans to spend $557,186 to recruit and retain teachers at the district.
Superintendent Dr. Eddie Bland said that many of the plan’s details will be implemented beginning with the 2019-20 school year.
In other business, trustees approved resolutions seeking extensions of two grants aimed at truancy prevention and heard reports on Lone Star Governance efforts, implementation of a local accountability plan, replacement of student devices at Snyder Junior High School and efforts to institute a teen court program.
The board also welcomed new member Haley Leatherwood, who took the oath of office along with returning board member Lauren Collier. 
Both were unopposed in the scheduled May election.
Trustees also approved the following new teacher recommendations for the 2018-19 school year: teachers Tanya Cartwright, Angela Burleson, Shanna Chisum, Brittany Arellano, Victoria Pena, Gabriela Rodriguez, Teresa Archambo and Tony Young, along with administrator Juan Rios.
A scheduled closed session to discuss personnel matters was not held.