School Board retains Kelly Services to hire substitutes

 The Clear Lake School Board renewed its contract with Kelly Educational Services (KES) Monday night to handle substitute staffing for the school district.
 On a 3-1 vote, with Board member Chyrl Bergvig voting against the measure, a one-year contract with KES was approved. Board President Chad Kuhlers was absent.

 Lana Lafrenz, district manager for Kelly Services, told the board KES filled more than 2,500 requests for temporary staffing during the 2013-14 school year. KES achieved a “fill rate” of 98 percent providing substitute teachers and 85 percent for paraprofessionals. Lafrenz noted the number of substitute teachers and paraprofessionals available to work in the school district both increased under KES. The number of teachers enrolled with KES provided a teaching pool which was 20 percent larger and the paraprofessional pool increased by 54 percent, she said. Fifty-three teachers and 29 paraprofessionals have signed up with KES.
 Lafrenz said she would encourage the Board to consider raising its pay for paraprofessionals and proposed a three-tier plan. Pay for substitute paraprofessionals is currently $7.75 per hour. Under the proposed plan that rate would be used for paraprofessionals who hold a GED or high school diploma. Those with a two-year degree and paraprofessional certification, along with two-years of proven good performance would receive $8.25 per hour. Any teacher or person with a four-year degree, with four-years of positive performance experience would receive $8.75 per hour.
 The proposed increase in pay is still substantially below what substitute paraprofessionals are paid in Hampton-Dumont and Mason City, said Lafrenz. H-D pays $11.50 per hour and Mason City pays $12.
 The Clear Lake School District currently pays $90 per day for substitute teachers, which also ranks among the lowest in North Iowa, according to Lafrenz.
 School Board members asked Lafrenz and Superintendent Anita Micich to compare what the district paid to KES and its “fill rate” to that of the district handling the responsibility of finding substitutes on its - Read More Via e-Edition