Photo by Edmee CR Hasler
Edmee CR Hasler
edmee@mainstreetnewspapers.com
During the Salem City School Board meeting held on Feb. 13, various reports were presented and several recommendations were approved pertaining to School Operating, Cafeteria, Grants, Capital Projects, and Reserve Funds. Additionally, a school debt schedule and meal tax were given the green light. These adjustments are set to augment both revenue and expenditure budgets in the School Cafeteria Fund by $137,000, the School Grant Fund by $417,325 and the School General Fund by $65,000. The motion, initiated by Stacey Danstrom and seconded by Teresa Sizemore-Hernandez, received approval with affirmative votes from Nancy Bradley, Teresa Sizemore-Hernandez, Stacey Danstrom and Rachel Thompson.
Furthermore, the board approved updated job descriptions for the middle school bookkeeper and secretary, bringing them in line with current practices and responsibilities, which had not been revised since 2004.
In addition, the board endorsed Salary Scales for FY 2024, encompassing salary budget adjustments across the School Fund, Grant Fund and Cafeteria Fund. The Support Staff scale now comprises 30 grades (1-30) with 5% grade differentials, each with a step differential of 1.485%. Annual salaries on the scale for each grade are rounded to the nearest whole dollar. This motion, once again initiated by Stacey Danstrom and seconded by Teresa Sizemore-Hernandez, was carried with affirmative votes from Nancy Bradley, Teresa Sizemore-Hernandez, Stacey Danstrom, and Rachel Thompson.
Additionally, during the meeting, it was announced that February is School Board Appreciation Month. The Virginia School Board Association designated the third week in February (Feb. 12-16, 2024) as VSBA School Board Clerk Appreciation Week. This acknowledgment aims to highlight the vital role school board clerks play in assisting school board members and superintendents.
Chair Nancy Bradley emphasized the importance of recognizing the efforts of local school board clerks, stating, “Recognizing local school board clerks for a job well done takes a concentrated effort on the part of all those they serve: school board members, superintendents, administrators, school staff, students, and the community,” in a written statement.
