School board approves extending staff pay through April

SHAWANO — The Shawano School Board approved a resolution April 1 that continues to allow teachers and staff to be paid through the end of April, but only after a board member lashed out at staff members that did not opt-in for the agreement.

The board had previously met on March 13, the same day it announced it would closing all of its buildings through April 12, and approved a measure that would allow school district employees to continue to receive pay, even with the schools closed, but would compel them to work after the regular end of the school year if the district was required to make up any days.

That agreement was through the district’s initial closure plans, but the state has closed all schools indefinitely, and Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home mandate has non-essential businesses closed and the affected employees staying home through April 24. President Donald Trump issued similar guidelines through April 30, which is why an extension of the pay agreement was necessary.

One of the caveats of the district’s original agreement was that the employees make the decision to opt in by March 31, according to business manager Nick Curran. Seven employees replied they were going to opt out, and six more provided no reply by the deadline, he said.

The new agreement would extend to all employees, even the ones who opted out or did not reply, according to Curran. This is because the original agreement was crafted when the school district planned its own closure, but with Evers closing down schools indefinitely and not requiring them to make up the hours at the end of the school year, employees would not be required to work for the pay they received last month and this month.

Board member Mart Grams said he takes exception to including the 13 employees who “chose not to play with us.”

“We’ve bent over backwards; most school districts are not doing this,” Grams said. “Seven chose not to play, and six didn’t even participate — didn’t even bother to stay no or send anything back. I would think they should not be given this, and they should not be forgiven those things.”

Curran said that he had a good conversation with one of the seven who opted out of the agreement, a female, and said she chose to opt out because she didn’t think it was fair to be paid for not doing any work.

“She didn’t think it was right,” Curran said.

In regards to the six who did not return their agreements, Curran said the big question many employees had was how much time would need to be made up at the end of the school year. With the pandemic policies at the state and federal levels changing at the time — and continuing to do so now — that was a question Curran could not answer with certainty.

Board member Michael Sleeper said he understood Grams’ concerns, but with things constantly shifting during the pandemic, there were few assurances the district could give, and paying employees during this time seemed to be the best policy.

Board member Beth MacFarlane echoed Sleeper’s sentiments.

“We thought what we were doing was best for everyone involved,” she said. “We’re just trying to do what’s best for everybody.”

Curran noted that one of the employees who opted in was grateful the district would continue to pay her, as she was trying to close on a home purchase when the pandemic struck, and not having income could have lost her the deal. The plan’s a good thing for the community and takes care of all the “stakeholders,” he said.

“She’s going to live in our community. She’s going to bank in our community. She’s going to buy gas and groceries,” Curran said. “As we continue to pay our employees, we’re helping our community.”

Grams, replying to Curran’s comment about the district’s stakeholders, said maybe those stakeholders should recognize all that the district does for the community instead of assuming “the board is out to get everybody.”

“When we got that first resolution, I thought it was great, then I got dozens of complaints from stakeholders,” Grams said. “I think it’s time for the stakeholders to support the district, as well, and not just us supporting the stakeholders.”

Curran noted the agreement does not impact any contracts set for summer school employees or anyone who plans to continue in the 2020-21 school year.

The district also plans to submit an application waiving the state requirements for the number of instructional hours, as not doing so would require schools to continue to be in session through late June or longer to make up for schools being closed for over a month. However, many employees are already working in alternative capacities, whether it’s helping with providing school meals and or teaching online instead of the regular classroom.

“We have very limited staff on site,” Curran said. “We have maintenance staff to check heaters and boilers, my staff (in the business office) to make sure we work through changes. It’s been bare minimum.”

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com