Bob Foos
Teachers and other staff members of the Webb City R-7 School District will be getting a 2% raise under the 2027 fiscal year budget, which takes effect today.
Included in the 2% raise is an additional $500 to the first step of the pay ladder, which will increase the beginning salary to $46,500. Current teachers will move up a step on the pay ladder. All other employees will also receive an approximate 2% raise.
However, Superintendent Brenten Byrd says the $800,000 overall cost of the raise wouldn’t be available if 10 teaching positions had not been cut in anticipation of slow revenue growth. Nobody was fired in association with those position cuts. Rather, some retiring or resigning teachers were not replaced.
The release of state funds after the 2026 budget was made a year ago amounted to the addition of $1,300,000 in reserves. Of that, $650,000 was added to the general fund, and $650,000 was added to the capital fund.
The general fund begins the year with a balance of $9,979,000 and is projected to end at $9,040,006.
The capital fund will begin at $2,083,000 and end at $2,282,909.
It is hoped that the district receives a FEMA grant in the fall to help pay for the addition of a tornado shelter at Heritage Preschool. So a portion of the capital fund balance would be needed to match that grant.
___
WCHS accepted for Star Academy
Allison Pope, assistant superintendent for instructional purposes, informed the board that Webb City has been selected to be the second high school in the state to participate in the new Star Academy program.
It’s a three-year $1 million program designed to reach students who are bored in traditional classrooms. All of the equipment for four Star Academy classes within the high school is expected to be delivered this summer. Four current teachers will be assigned to the new classes.
Byrd says selection for the Star Academy was unexpected. Sikeston is the only other participating high school. He credits Sen. Jill Carter and former superintendent Tony Rossetti for suggesting Webb City as a district willing to try the program.
___
The board meeting was held Thursday, June 25, instead of the usual second Tuesday to allow more time to prepare the budget.
Also on the agenda:
• Summer school has ended, and all in all was said to be good. Enrollment was slightly up; however, attendance dwindled after the windstorm, presumably because of power outages and the need for students to stay and help families remove tree debris.
• The job of resurfacing the track at Cardinal Stadium is complete, except for the lane striping.
Director of Bands Butch Owens’ annual instrumental music purchase request was smaller than usual because of budget restraints. The purchase of four double French horns accounted for $12,960 of the total $14,774 request.
• Resignations from six teachers were accepted.
– Alexa Gillman, special education at Madge T. James Kindergarten Center. She has been with the district for four years.
– Tim Head, special education at Harry S Truman Elementary School. Nine years.
– Audra Sarratt, middle school fifth grade. One year.
– Shannon Garrett, high school special education. Six years.
– Riley Newby, middle school counselor. Six years.
– Mariah Newby, middle school fifth grade.
• Faculty contracts were approved for:
– Chandler Brower, junior high special education.
– Kaleb Romero, high school JROTC instructor.
– Layne Gossett, special education at Madge T. James Kindergarten Center.
– Brent Worley, middle school special education.
– Abigail Fricker, special education at Harry S Truman Elementary.
– Jordan Crane, special education at the Franklin Center.
