001Good evening everyone. I'd like to welcome everyone to the board of education special meeting. Today is Thursday, October 23rd, 2025. At this time, I ask all able to please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Angie, if you could do roll call, please. >> Armstrong, >> present. >> Tony O'Neal, >> present. Thank you, Angie. At this time, I'll ask the board for a motion to adopt and amend the agenda. >> I'll make a motion. Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion passes. Item E is report of the superintendent. The purpose
002of our special meeting is to receive public comments regarding the tenative collective bargaining agreement between the Decal County Central United School District and the Decal Educators Association. It should be noted that the tenative agreement has been posted on the district's website since Monday, October 20th, and a final board consideration will not take place until our next regular board meeting on Tuesday, October 28th. No board action will be taken this evening. I'll turn it over to Steve. >> Yeah, I'll just go over some of the highlights of our tenative agreement with the DEA. It's a two-year agreement uh extending from July 1st, 2025 to June 30th, 2027. Um focused on the first year, a salary increase that was negotiated, a base increase uh of $2,000. So, our base was 44,500 to 46,500. a $3,250 increase for
003all teachers. Uh that's a range of a 2.5% to a 7.3% raise for our teachers. Again, they're at different uh different uh ranges across the board there. Uh teachers who are at the top of the scale, the top of the old scale, 83,500, will receive an increase to their base of$,750 and then a stipen check of$,750. The second year of the agreement for 2026 27 sees a base increase of $1,500 uh from 46,500 to $48,000 as this represents a $1,500 increase for all teachers, a 1.8% to 3.2% increase. Again, this is for next school year. Uh teachers who would be at the new high of 85,250 would receive a $1,000 increase to their base to 86250 and then a $500 stipen. Uh there was a world language club uh extracurricular position added uh to the
004contract, a 5% increase in health insurance premiums, some other language revisions. I think the board received those and those were in red. um a 200 and this was by statute. Uh a $250 increase was negotiated for the to the base for any teacher uh receiving their literacy endorsement. And that was relatively new state um a state mandate, state requirement. And so we are currently gaining um or keeping track of a list of those teachers that will receive uh that one-time increase in their base of $250. And again, that's a negotiated amount. Um again, uh I'd just like to thank uh Chris Mcgru, DEA president, and the collaborative relationship that we have with our teachers. uh negotiations uh really was a very smooth process as it has been in years past. A chief negotiator Jason Hunter
005and several other members of Chris's team. I want to also commend Mark for his um involvement and everything that he did to to reach this agreement. I think uh I'm I'm proud of the agreement. I'm proud of the association and the relationship that we have. Uh there is no board action tonight, but certainly uh the board has any questions about it, then I know any public comment that might come our way, uh Mark and I can certainly address any any questions there might be. So I turn it back to the board. >> Okay. Um we welcome any comments from anyone attending. So at this time, I'll open the floor for public comment. And if so, um be sure to step to the podium um and speak into the microphone and state your name and where
006you reside. Okay, I don't think we have any comments this evening. How about our board members? >> I got a couple questions. Just make sure we're clarity. When a a senior teacher gets the stipen pay because they're at the top of is if that's a part of their last five years, does that get calculated into their retirement? >> Yes. >> Okay. And then [cough] You said a 5% insurance increase. I'm I'm going to assume that's 5% insurance contribution [snorts] increase. They're part of the increase. >> 5% um overall premium >> what they paid last year. They're getting seeing a 5% increase. >> Correct. >> Okay. Go ahead. >> Thank you. >> Okay. [clears throat] Thank you. All right. Um our next item on the agenda is miscellaneous. Um, I'll open it up for miscellaneous to
007our board members. Does anyone have anything this evening or >> Sure. I got a couple things. It's normal. Um, fall is about to end. Winter's in in the air already tonight, but we still have our marching band is still competing in the tournament, so to speak. I guess it's a tournament. >> Yep. Saturday, November 1st. They perform at 3:15 in the afternoon at Pike High School. >> Pike. >> And then, uh, cross country is this weekend. I'm not sure where it is. I don't >> It's in Huntington. >> Both of them are in Huntington, the boys and girls. So, if you've never been to a cross country meet, dress warmly. It's outstanding. And the football [clears throat] team is still going. So, it's sectional week. So, if you haven't been out to the new field
008yet, uh, bundle up. Your season pass doesn't work. It's the tournament. So, just be ready. It's a It's a good thing. That's it for now. >> Thank you. Is it cross country, state already? >> Sectional regional. >> Regional. >> We got three boys and one girl. >> Good. >> And states next weekend. >> Oh, they have semi-state, too. >> They go from regional state. It's hard to keep. We were just talking about that with my team. It's hard to keep track of who has semi-state or doesn't. I did see a I don't know if it was a old Facebook post, but um it was about unified sports in the middle school. >> Yes. >> Which I thought was very impressive. I >> first >> I thought it was new just because of who was who
009was in it. But >> um >> 21 Alive did an amazing piece on it if you saw that. Yeah. >> That's why I didn't know if it was new or old. But so >> you're going to hear more about that. I know Mrs. Wiseheart, principal at the middle school, will keep us informed on that whole process. But it it's really really neat to see. >> We're the only one in the state. >> Esports right now. >> Esports. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I thought that was really really good. >> The kids comments, >> they were great. >> Yeah, that was a great piece. >> Good one. >> All right, administration, do you guys have anything else? >> I don't. Does our audience have anything else this evening? Okay. All right. Well, thank you to
010those who are involved in the uh collaboration for the bargaining agreement and it's always good to come to an agreement and move forward. So, it's great. Thanks for all you guys do. All right. So, at this time, um before we adjourn, I'll read into the minutes that we will hold an executive session immediately after this meeting. Um and our next regular board meeting is next Tuesday um October 28th here at central office. So at this time I will take a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> I'll second. Have a motion to second. Meeting is adjourned. All in favor say I. I. I. >> Thank you.