Teachers in the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District will receive a pay raise retroactive to July 1 of this year, and the entry-level salary for starting teachers will increase, under a new agreement overwhelmingly ratified by a vote of the teaching staff.  Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) President Abby Taylor says most teachers in the district will receive a 5.8% pay increase, but about 350 of the 1,305 teachers in the HSE system will receive a 2.9% raise, depending on their level of education and where they appear on the pay scale.

Under the new contract, the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree will be $44,074, up from the previous starting pay of $42,832.  Details on how the retroactive payment starting July 1 of this year will be paid are still being worked out.

The school board held a public hearing, as required by state law, but no one chose to speak.  The board is expected to provide final approval of the contract at the September 29  meeting.

In other news from the Thursday night school board session:

–The Lantern Road Elementary planned renovation will be scaled back to keep the project at the $14 million budget.  Furniture replacement, a new playground and other items in the renovation will need to wait in order to keep the cost at the approved budget.  The HVAC renovation will remain in the plans.

–Board President Julie Chambers explained that, per the statute, she, as board president, will be appointing the new Hamilton East Library Board member, not the entire board.  Chambers says 52 applications were received as of the deadline to replace Brian Myers, who, according to Chambers, resigned from the library board for personal reasons.  Reviewing all the applicants will take some time but Chambers says she will narrow the field down to 3-5 candidates and provide fellow board members those names before announcing a decision.  She has no specific timeline to make this appointment.  It may be announced at the September 29 meeting, but could be later.

–Superintendent Yvonne Stokes let everyone know there are plenty of job openings with HSE Schools.  She also reminded parents that September 30 will be an e-learning day.

–Brooke Lawson, Hamilton Southeastern Schools’ Mental Health and School Counseling Coordinator, was recently recognized by the Indiana School Counselor Association,  awarding her the 2023 Indiana Exemplary School Administrator of the Year.  She was honored by the board Thursday night for this recognition.  Watch a video produced by the school district about Brooke Lawson at this link.