School Board maintains current property tax levy

The tax levy paid by property owners in the Webb City R-7 School District will stay the same, following a public hearing Tuesday that was held prior to the School Board’s regular monthly meeting.

The board approved motions maintaining the general fund levy at $2.75 per $100 assessed valuation and $0.68 per $100 assessed valuation for the debt service fund. That leaves the total levy at $3.43.

According to the Jasper County Auditor’s Office, the district’s assessed valuation has risen over the previous year by $98,420 to $4,545,020.

Anticipated revenues have risen by $429,373 to $11,936,737. Of that increase, $273,479, or 63.69%, is attributed to reassessment. While $155,894 is attributed to new construction.

(See below this story for the levy hearing notice)

Still more resignations

The board accepted an unusual number of last-minute resignations by certified employees for a variety of reasons.

Superintendent Brenten Byrd said it may be time to consider financially penalizing teachers who wait so long to resign, as other districts do.

Fortunately, he said all of the openings created by the late resignations have been filled. All new teachers spent five days last week during the annual new teacher orientation.

Classrooms are being prepared this week for the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 19.

Salary for speech therapists increases

Byrd received agreement from the board to a proposal that the salary for speech language pathologists be increased in order to compete with surrounding school districts.

During the board’s July meeting, the board urged Byrd to raise the salaries higher than the $61,000 base pay he was suggesting. He returned this month with $3,000 more, which he said puts the district even with Carthage but slightly below Joplin.

The district will have to contract with an outside firm to provide some speech therapist services because of vacant SLP positions, but Byrd said he hopes the new salary will attract and retain enough district speech therapists next year for a complete team of seven.

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Allison Pope, assistant superintendent for instructional services, delivered preliminary test scores to the board, with the promise of a more detailed review next month and especially when the board devotes a special meeting to assessment data in October.

The board approved an agreement to benefit parents of students who receive psychological services from the Ozark Center. Instead of parents taking students to the center, Ozark Center staff will travel to the students’ schools.

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In other action, the board:

• Heard from Adam Bell, director of technology, that the district has been assessed above average in its defense against cyber threats and is still working to improve.

• Approved a waiver statement that will allow hourly-wage employees to volunteer for district activities without violating labor laws. Salaried employees can already volunteer.

• Approved adoption of the Raptor Safety app, which Josh Flora, assistant superintendent for business operations, said is superior to the district’s current method of communicating in crisis situations with all campuses.

• Approved the purchase of property at 701 N. Liberty St. at a price of $70,000. The house is in the block west of Webster Primary Center.

• Agreed to surplus one of the district’s mowers.

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• Resignations accepted:

– Dave Wiemers, high school in school suspension.

– Sarah Atnip, kindergarten, Bess Truman Primary Center, eight years with the district.

– Taylor Sigala, junior high art, three years.

– David Carter, high school science, two years.

– Carlos Gumucio, high school Spanish, four years.

– Kanaan Wells, middle school sixth grade, one year.

• New teacher contracts:

– Joseph Dankelson, high school special education.

– Gabrielle Studer, high school in school suspension.

– Alexandra Ritter, high school Spanish.

– Penny Etcheson, kindergarten at Bess Truman.

– Lisa Stanley, kindergarten at Bess Truman.

– Aaron Coleman, middle school sixth grade.

• Long term substitutes:

– Bobby Stafford, high school chemistry.

– Janel Smith, junior high math.

– Dana Perry, junior high art.

– Tracy Metcalf – kindergarten at Madge T. James Kindergarten Center.