NISD approves more raises
Navasota Independent School District Board of Trustees convened in closed session after hearing public comments from teachers advocating for pay increases for support staff and increases in stipend pay.
Lauren Julian, a special education teacher at High Point Elementary spoke publicly in the May 1 special meeting and returned to advocate again at the May 15 meeting. “I’m just coming tonight on behalf of our paraprofessionals. Again, I am just going to say that I can’t do my job without them and I just wanted to remind you how amazing they are.”
She explained aides in her classroom are struggling to pay their bills each month because they bring home approximately $1,000 a month. “With the cost of living, I just really feel like as a board and as a district we really need to step up and pay our para’s or we’re going to lose the,” she said.
high band director was nominated by his peers to speak about stipend pay for fine arts teachers. Roberts began by thanking the board for approving the salary scale raises in the previous board meeting. “The administrators and the trustees of Navasota ISD have selected some really outstanding teachers to hone their fine arts programs,” he explained.
Roberts said there is a lot of sacrifices and time commitment that go into leading the fine arts programs. “The sacrifices and time commitment are things that take us away from family, our church, our friends and other events that we could be doing but we do it for the kids of Navasota and they are our focus, and they are our gold, and their success is our success. When it comes to coaching and when it comes to fine arts, the vision of the teacher creates the program. The success of the program reflects the excellence and effort of the teacher and the students in executing that vision.”
Roberts stated the programs would look different without the right teachers in place. He urged the board to look at the stipend pay if they are pleased in what they see in these programs.
During closed session, board members spoke to several teachers about stipends and pay raises. Following closed session, the board unanimously approved 18% pay raises for support staff and manual trades. They also approved 5% pay increases for administration and counselors.
Support staff base starting pay for 2023-2024 will be $19,647 up from $15,141 and Manual trade base starting pay for 20232024 will be $15,738 up from $13,338.
Board also approved stipend pay as presented in closed session. The stipend salary scale was not available at press time.
Other action
• Election results were approved, and Amy Jarvis was sworn-in for another term for Board of Trustee Position 5. Tim Harris, Trustee Position 4 was unable to attend and will be sworn-in at the June meeting.
• Approved bid of $173,250 with A Brush Above to paint the interior of John C. Webb Elementary. Other bids received include C&M Contractors, $238,424.18 and A Fresh Vision, $425,683.50.
• Approved Memorandum of Understanding between Brazos County JJAEP and NISD,
• Approved District of Innovation Amendment.
• Approved property insurance with TASB ALP Insurance at a slightly higher rate.
The following resignations were accepted Jessica Kreusel, NJH Math Intervention; Skyler Maley, JCW SPED Teacher; Erin Wallace NHS Math; Lillie Wilson, HPE 4th Grade; Raven Burke, NHS Family Consumer Science; Jon Fisher, NHS History/Coach; Zachary Nichols, NHS SPED Teacher/Coach; Jacob Callen, NJH Science/Coach; Donn Miller, NHS History/ Coach; Hannah Manoharan, Brule Kindergarten; Sarah Prince, NJH Science; Michele Sullivan, HPE 2nd Grade; Robert Weber Bizzell DAEP/Coach; Rachel Payne; NJH SPED; Regan McClain, HPE 3rd Grade; Joshua Aguilar, HPE 2nd Grade;
New hires
Chloe Chisum, HPE Kindergarten; Felecia Hoeschele, NHS Family Consumer Science; Y’Nesha Franklin, NHS PE/ Coach; Samuel “Todd” Law, NHS; Madison Summey, JCW Kindergarten; Grace Lowry, NHS Math; Juana Alvarado, JCW 1st Grade; Brittany Yoder, JCW 4th Grade Math/ Science; Lauren Gerik, NHS English; Corinne Shepherd, HPE 3rd Grade; Courtney Girgin, NHS English; Miley Francis, HPE SPED; Kara Rau, NHS SPED/Coach; Charla Law, NJH Science; Brandon Kauvar, NJH History/ Coach; Tara Crider, NHS Family Consumer Science; Dustin Bachus, NHS History/ Coach; Mary Adams, NJH IA Life Skills; Irma Alaniz, NHS IA SPED; Riley Edwards, NHS SPED/ Head Baseball; The next regularly scheduled board meeting is June 20, at 6:30 p.m.