The Lawrence school board on Monday will consider approving contracts with raises for the classified staff and teachers unions.
Following negotiations meetings between the district and both PAL-CWA, its union for classified staff, and Lawrence Education Association (LEA), its teachers union, staff and teachers voted to ratify their tentative contracts for next year.
If approved, the base hourly pay for each classified staff member — including custodians, paraeducators, food personnel workers and more — would increase at least $2.12, according to the contract draft. The lowest hourly salary will increase to $13.03.
The tentative contract also includes several sections of new or clarifying language, including that staff are entitled to have a union representative present with them during meetings about discrimination and harassment, the meeting agenda notes.
If approved, the tentative contract for certified staff would allow teachers who did not receive raises in past years to catch up. It would also include 24 steps of vertical movement, as opposed to the current 13 steps, so that teachers can achieve their top career earnings in less time. Special education teachers will also see $1,800 stipends.
Superintendent’s contract
Extending Superintendent Anthony Lewis’ contract through the 2025-26 school year is part of Monday’s consent agenda, a list of items that are routinely approved in one motion unless a board member requests to pull any for discussion.
Lewis’ most recent contract, available at this link, included an annual salary of $226,530, 20 paid vacation days, plus holidays recognized by the district (not to exceed 40 days) and 12 days paid sick leave. The board in July 2021 approved a contract extension through the 2023-2024 school year, ending June 30, 2024.
The meeting agenda did not include a new contract or other attachments as of Sunday afternoon.
More consent agenda items
• Meal prices: The board will consider increasing meal prices by 10 cents next year, raising the price of elementary meals to $2.90, middle school meals to $3.10 and high school means to $3.15. Reduced price lunches would remain 40 cents. Adult lunch prices would increase to $5 from $4.65.
• Legal counsel: The board will consider designating Brad Finkeldei of Stevens & Brand, LLP, as legal counsel at a rate of $150 per hour.
• Facility rentals: The board will consider a fee structure for rentals of district facilities and spaces, with different rates depending on whether it’s a nonprofit, for-profit, charity event, sponsored event or KSHSAA-sponsored activity.
Organizational meeting
As part of its annual organizational meeting on Monday, the board will also elect a new president and vice president, according to the meeting agenda.
After a board members’ resignation in May, the board went through a selection process and on June 26 voted for Bob Byers to fill the vacant seat until the end of the term, through Jan. 12, 2026. Byers will officially be sworn in on Monday.
The board will also consider approving its 2023-24 meeting calendar, which maintains meetings at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month except December and March, which only include one meeting.
Monday’s meeting will conclude with an executive session, or a closed-door meeting, to “discuss potential litigation for matters which would be deemed privileged in the attorney‐client relationship” under the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Possible action may follow.
The school board meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Monday, July 10 at district offices, 110 McDonald Drive. Meetings are open to the public, livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel and broadcast on Midco channel 26. Full meeting agendas are available on BoardDocs.
To give public comment during the board meeting, sign up before the meeting starts either in person or by emailing PublicComment@usd497.org. Commenters may request to participate by Webex video/phone conferencing.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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