RAEFORD – The Hoke County Schools Board of Education met Tuesday, Aug. 13 where the board approved a 1% supplement increase for all employees moving certified employees from 6% to 7% and classified employees from 4% to 5% to be more competitive against neighboring counties and to combat turnover.
“This is a very good day, it’s a very historic day,” said Superintendent Kenneth Spells. “We haven’t improved this supplement in years, so I think it’s a good olive branch and I think it will help us on the recruitment trail and help us close the gap around here.”
The board was also presented with an update on HCS application for the 2024 Renew America’s School Prize Funding Opportunity in which the school system was one of 21 recipients across the country awarded a phase one prize of $300,000 from the Department of Energy.
“The purpose of the grant is to help school districts purchase or install or seek out energy efficiency initiatives,” said Assistant Superintendent Chad Hunt. “So basically that means how to cut costs with the energy that we’re using because in and across the US, K-12 schools are actually one of the significant sources that emits the most greenhouse emissions.”
While the school system did receive a cash prize, according to the letter from the DOE, HCS was not selected for negotiation of a financial cooperative agreement award which involves awards ranging from $500,000 to $1 million for a phase two prize or $7 million to $14 million for a phase three prize.
However, HCS was selected as an alternate which means that if another of the 16 selected school systems that was chosen for negotiation cannot continue on with the award negotiations, then they may be chosen to negotiate for a full award instead.
For those awarded a phase two award, there is a required 5% minimum funding match for the district and phase three awards require a minimum of a 25% funding match.
The board was then presented with an update on the current vacancy report which showed 147 positions still to be filled between both certified and classified positions, which is down considerably from earlier in the summer.
“That has come down a lot,” said Assistant Superintendent Erica Fortenberry. “We had a total of 65 beginning teachers at our orientations yesterday and today, so we’re excited to have them on board and on Friday as well, we will receive 16 of our Educational Partners International teachers and we’re excited to have them as well.”
The board also received an update on the district’s plans to update the payment method for teacher assistants.
TAs used to be paid on a salary basis but with the implementation of bus pay, payments got a bit weird, so to combat that, Hoke County Schools wants to start paying all TAs on an hourly rate.
TAs hired for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school year are already being paid on an hourly basis, but the plan is to move every other salaried TA to hourly pay beginning in FY26.
In terms of action items, the board approved a three-year contract renewal with Quality Lawn Care for district lawn care services and a $55,000 contract with Anderson Smith & Wike PLLC for auditing services for FY 23-24.
The Hoke County Schools Board of Education will next meet Sept. 10.
