Districts to go with full-time transportation director

The New Hampton and Turkey Valley school districts are going to as Superintendent Erik Smith put it Monday night “shifting gears” and moving in a different direction when it comes to the transportation director position the two schools share. During Monday night’s meeting of the New Hampton School Board, Smith said that the current set-up of having a transportation director work four hours a day two in each district simply isn’t working. “It was worth a shot, it was worth a try,” Smith said, “but I’ve talked with [current Transportation Director Mike] Kuennen a lot and it’s just not enough time. It’s a big job so we are shifting gears and I would propose moving into a different direction.” After a relatively long discussion, board members agreed approving Smith’s recommendation to hire a full-time transportation director that will be shared by New Hampton and Turkey Valley and also hiring a part-time transportation assistant that will work only in New Hampton. “The time just wasn’t there to do it the way we need that job to be done,” Smith said. Board member Ryan Shawver agreed that if the two districts are going to continue to share the position, it needed to be a full-time one. “I think it’s definitely needed with all the unintended moving parts that come with that position, with all the trips that bus drivers take in general,” he said. “Back when I was a kid, we didn’t have soccer, we didn’t have girls wrestling, all those other activities that need transportation.” Smith told board members that Turkey Valley is on board with sharing a full-time transportation director. The top administrator at both districts said he envisions a salary range of between $55,000 and $65,000, and that the two districts would split the costs of salary and benefits equally. The current position has a salary of $30,000 and is on a 190-day contract while a full-time position would have a 260-day contract. “Buses are looked over in the summer, that’s a big part of it,” Smith said. “If there’s anything else that needs to be fixed, we want to make sure they’re getting fixed.” “I get where we want to try to cut expenses,” Shawver said, “but in my opinion, transportation is not a place to do it. We’re transporting our kids . there’s a lot of risk in there, a lot of liabilities.” Board President Jay Matthews agreed, saying that transportation is one of those areas few people understand. “I think one of the pieces that gets lost is that there’s a lot of special routes throughout the day, plus all the activities,” he said. “It’s not just buses, but throw in the Suburbans. It’s not a small task keeping all that organized.” Board members agreed and approved both of Smith’s recommendations. Smith said that the district will work to hire a full-time transportation director as soon as possible. The superintendent also got the go-ahead to hire RSP & Associates to conduct an enrollment projection study for the district. In recent months, board members have approved conducting a facilities study, as well as developing a strategic plan, and board member Nate Schwickerath said he felt that an enrollment projection study “would feed right into those. It would really help us make decisions and help us not be surprised down the road.” RSP would charge the district $6,500, plus some expenses, and he said that he had reached out to several other firms. One no longer does enrollment projections; another said the cost would be no less than $20,000. Smith said he had reached out to another company where officials said “they might be able to do it for under $20,000.” Board members decided to not wait for that proposal and approved the contract with RSP. Finally, the School Board approved offering an early departure notification incentive that would allow teachers who notify the district by Dec. 31 that they plan to leave the district at the end of the school year, they will receive $50 per unused sick day. New Hampton has offered the incentive the past three years paying $100 for each unused sick day the first year and $50 per unused sick day the past two years and building principals said Monday that it has helped them fill positions with high-quality teachers. “It gives us a jump on the hiring process, no doubt about it,” Middle School Principal Brad Schmitt said. “In times like this, the earlier we know, the better it is for us.” Board members agreed and approved the incentive and keeping the rate at $50 per unused sick day.
https://www.charlescitypress.com/articles/news-newhamptontribune-2/districts-to-go-with-full-time-transportation-director/

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