The Poplarville School District is changing its personnel policy to allow the District to offer lower pay to prospective teachers who currently receive retirement benefits from another state.

The District receives job applications from experienced teachers who already receive retirement benefits from another state, said CFO Samantha Sandifer. Teacher pay scales in Mississippi are affected by the number of years the teacher has been teaching and the certifications they acquired. The policy change still requires the District to offer potential employees the same base salary, but allows the District to negotiate the salary so it does not have to pay the required experience level, if the teacher is receiving retirement benefits from another state. The change will not affect teachers who are already employed by the District and will not affect applicants coming from other states who do not receive retirement benefits, said Sandifer.

According to the Mississippi Department of Education teacher salary schedule, teacher pay can range from $35,890 to $68,870 depending on the teacher’s certifications and years of experience. Base pay for zero years of experience ranges from $35,890 to $40,608, while pay for 25 years of experience ranges from $49,335 to $60,930, according to the salary schedule.

In a separate matter, the Board elected officers for new terms. Violine Jordan was elected president, a position she has served previously, Shirline Magee was elected secretary, the position she held in the last term, and Jill Smith was elected vice-president. New Board member Jason Baker took his oath of office.

In other business the Board:

—Named Upper Elementary assistant principal Loletha Needham as interim principal due to principal Lynne Payne’s retirement.

—Approved the $3,830 grant awarded by the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation to pay for equipment needed to teach students CPR.

—Approved the quarterly restraint and seclusion report, which had no reports of restraints or seclusions.

The next Board meeting will be Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. in the boardroom at the District’s central office.

 

Cutline: Incoming Poplarville School District Board of Trustees member Jason Baker takes the oath of office during Monday’s Board meeting. Baker was appointed by the Poplarville Board of Aldermen to replace former Board President Tommy Strahan.