Francis Howell Adds Staff for Current School Year

Following the elimination of multiple positions earlier in 2011, the Francis Howell School District is slowly adding staff back.

After looking at the needs of the schools, and the budget, Francis Howell decided it was necessary to add to the staff. The budget issues that forced the cuts have seen been cleaned up and, in fact, the current year budget predicts a profit. With that in mind, the Francis Howell Board of Education voted to add staff positions back.

The will be able to work for the rest of the current school year, starting on Dec. 1.

The staffing plan will add 10 paraprofessionals—one for each elementary school. The guidelines presented Thursday encouraged the paraprofessionals to work closely with reading for third grade students.

From the recommendation: "Recent academic data has shown a need for additional supports for 3rd grade readers.  In working with elementary principals, the preferred method of support (since additions would be made mid-year) was determined to be the hiring of  support staff (paraprofessionals) who would work with struggling readers one-on-one, or in small group settings, and/or provide other appropriate instructional assistance related to reading."

Adding 10 paraprofessional at each of the elementary schools would cost approximately $9,757 per school, for a total cost of $97,570.

In additions to the paraprofessional, three staffers will be added to the technology department. A need expressed by teachers for more tech support spurred the District to look at adding staff. The recommendation states that current staff has been stretched thin and having difficulty keeping up with the volume of work.

The technology staff would "troubleshoot hardware and software issues and ensure usability for teachers and other instructional staff." The three positions would cost the District a combined $75,000. 

Another staffing addition will take place at the high school level. Prior to the staffing cuts at the beginning of last year, high school core department chairs had two periods a day to use for academic support. After the cuts, the heads open periods were cut. The new addition will add one period per day to the core department head at each of the three high schools to basically do the same thing they had done in past years. 

The approximate cost for this addition is $85,043.  

The staffing additions were approved by a 6-0 vote at Thursday's meeting. Board member Mark Lafata was absent from the meeting. 

The Board also approved a nurse salary schedule and the addition of a 0.71 FTE for a Licensed Practical Nurse in addition to the other staffing changes. 

Thursday's meeting was one of the quickest for the normally talkative Board. Clocking in at under an hour, the Board powered through the agenda and voted 6-0 on all items.