School district to offer pay for delayed work

SHAWANO — The Shawano School District board took action Friday to offer hourly staff a way to continue to receive a paycheck despite the current shutdown of the district.

The board met in an emergency session after announcing that schools would be closed through April 12 due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

At the meeting, the board also discussed virtual educational options for students during the shutdown.

Nick Curran, director of business and human resources, presented an agreement with hourly workers that would allow them to continue to collect paychecks while the district is on hiatus, but with the understanding that if they would be needed after the end of the regular school year, they would continue to work.

“We have incredible employees who count on the ability to get up each day and go to work and earn a paycheck,” Curran said, adding that in June, “We might need these employees.”

The proposal is a way to pay them in advance for work later in the year, he said.

Salaried staff, such as teachers, have more flexibility built into their contracts, he said, and do not need this type of agreement.

Affected employees would be offered an opt-out of the agreement. In that case they would not receive wage or benefits during the shutdown, he said.

The proposal, after an amendment to clarify a signature on the opt-out portion, was approved, with Mart Grams and Christopher Gull abstaining. No reason was offered.

Also at the meeting, the board heard a presentation from Kelley Strike, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment.

Plans are now being made, Strike said, to offer middle and high school students up to three hours of daily instruction, with two hours for primary school children and an hour for 4K to first grade students.

“Our goal is not just to make up hours, but to make sure learning doesn’t stop,” Strike said.

She said staff are now creating lessons that students can work on at home, using electronic devices or printed materials.

Lack of access to the internet is a concern, she said. Materials will be sent with the understanding that students may have several days to complete assignments, rather than a day-to-day schedule.

“Our goal is to provide daily activities but not to have students complete them on a daily basis,” she said.

The goal is to have the materials ready for home use by April 1.

The district is also working on a program to provide breakfasts and lunches for all students, Randi Anderson, district superintendent, said.

“Any student under 18 can get a free breakfast and lunch through our grab-and-go program,” Anderson said.

She said district staff is working on the logistics of making food available to students who are not in the building.

One option was suggested by representatives of the Kobussen Bus Company, who were in attendance at the meeting. The bus company owners were at the meeting to discuss the portion of the agreement that guarantees payment of 45% of the contract even if buses aren’t needed.

Joe Kobussen said the 45% pays for the insurance, buses, overhead and facilities, and other costs of maintaining the buses. He noted that some school districts were considering having buses deliver meals to selected sites. The school board did not take any action on that suggestion.

Kobussen also asked to see the agreement that Shawano crafted for its hourly employees, saying that a similar proposal would help them retain bus drivers during the shutdown.