After a difficult year ridden with financial woes, the Board of Education unanimously voted Feb. 23 to approve a 2.75 percent pay increase for teachers for the next two school years. And with two dissenting votes from members Steve Smith and Peggy Devoy, the Board voted 5-2 to extend Superintendent Borchers’ contract through June 30, 2015—an extension that includes a 2 percent salary raise from his current salary of $230,000.
Borchers replaced former Superintendent Craig Larson in 2010. In his term thus far, the district has laid off several teachers, many here at MHS. A tax measure of 65 cents per $100 of assessed property value was not placed on the November ballot after voters criticized Borchers’ hiring of two former colleagues and a market research poll concluded patrons were strongly against a tax increase.
Steve Smith, School Board member, was one of two board members who voted against the extension of Borchers’ contract.
“I voted my conscience, but support the decision of the group,” Smith said. “The other Board members heard my reasoning and made their own decisions.” The Board of Education reviews the superintendent’s performance each year, and an extension of the contract indicates support by the Board.
“Extending the contract or not is part of the review of the District’s operation under his leadership,” Smith said. “The meeting during which we did that was over three hours long and the conversation ranged over a large group of topics.”
Borchers said he appreciated the Board’s demonstration of confidence in him.
“I am very grateful for the contract extension,” Borchers said. “Rockwood is a wonderful district and community and I’m proud to work with such great staff.
Borchers said as he transitions into his third year as superintendent he hopes to do “whatever it takes” to help students.
“I am confident our district’s collaborative efforts to continuously improve will enable us to successfully navigate the road to our destination,” Borchers said.
Janet Strate, president of the Board, said the Board approved the extension because she and others recognized Borchers’ dedication and commitment to the district and the wellbeing of the students.
“Borchers is an innovative and progressive thinker and doing some really neat things trying to help move the school district forward” Strate said. “He is doing a lot with PLCs to help teachers become better teachers. He is very strong on using data to help make informed decisions.”
Ultimately, Strate said, the Board got input from all seven board members and weighed everyone’s opinion.
“The majority opinion is the way decisions are made,” Strate said.
Smith did vote in favor of the teacher agreement.
“I voted for a [salary] increase for the teachers because I believe they play the most important role in student success,” Smith said. “We do not pay well within our metropolitan area and I support trying to do better in that regard so that we can retain the strong teachers we have and attract strong young ones to keep the group strong.”
The teacher’s salary agreement with the Rockwood National Education Association (RNEA) allows for further salary negotiations if the district’s total operating revenue increases or decreases by more than five percent in the 2012-2013 school year.
The starting Rockwood teacher salary for the 2011-2012 school year is $39,097. Teachers’ salaries fluctuate and are dependent upon teaching experience and educational background.
Lee Mitchell, librarian and Rockwood National Education Association representative, said overall, teachers are okay with the agreement.
“I don’t think anyone is ecstatic about public education at this point,” Mitchell said. “A lot of people don’t understand how public education really works.”
Mitchell said teachers were primarily happy with the small salary increase.
“But they got other things in the bargaining process as well,” Mitchell said. “We have one of the better negotiation processes.”
Principal Dr. Greg Dr. Mathison said teachers in the district do deserve to be rewarded for their excellent work.
“I am extremely happy teachers can get appreciation for what they do,” Dr. Mathison said. “Teachers are some of the hardest working people and anytime we can take care of them, we should.”