Steamboat Pilot & Today

South Routt School District teachers will see their base salaries increase by $500 next year if the School Board approves a proposed salary schedule.

In addition to the $500 base salary increase, most district teachers also would receive a $700 step increase, Superintendent Steve Jones said Wednesday. Only those teachers who have taught 30 years or longer wouldn't receive the $700 step increase.

The School Board is scheduled to vote on the salary schedule at its meeting tonight at the administrative building behind Soroco High School. The board also will vote on a salary schedule for its two principals. That schedule proposes a $500 base salary increase and a $500 step increase for secondary Principal James Chamberlin and elementary Principal Kim Rabon.

South Routt teachers received a $500 base salary increase this year, too. Declining student enrollment and declining district revenues prevent the school system from being able to offer more money to its employees, Jones said.

"It is really difficult to provide this much this year because we are going to end up with less money through the (Public) School Finance Act because we're projecting another loss in student enrollment," he said.

Jones predicted that similar budget constraints in future years likely will continue to prevent the district from giving larger salary increases to its teachers.

"I don't see us doing more until we can get some more growth out of Stagecoach and elsewhere in the district," Jones said.

The School Board also is scheduled to review a second draft of a district budget for the 2005-06 school year. The balanced budget includes savings that could be realized if the district doesn't fill an elementary teaching position that will open up this summer because of a retirement. The budget also includes cutting a secondary support staff position that Jones said won't be needed because of the anticipated loss of a special education student.

Neither of the proposed staffing changes will create problems for the district, Jones said.

"It's not going to be real difficult at the elementary school because that's where we're losing our students," he said.

Also on Thursday's School Board agenda:

n The board will discuss the proposed gravel pit near Toponas. Jones is expected to recommend that the board request gravel trucks not use Colorado Highway 131 or Routt County Road 14 between 8 and 9 a.m. and again between 3 and 4 p.m. because of the students who load and unload from school buses along those highways during the week.

n The board will vote to give final approval to two amended district policies. The first amended policy clarifies that life insurance benefits for district employees cap at $50,000. The second amended policy would give district employees eight sick days and four personal days each year instead of 10 sick days and two personal days.

-- To reach Brent Boyer call 871-4234

or e-mail bboyer@steamboatpilot.com