Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corp. school board members voted unanimously to change the hours cut for part-time employees at a special meeting on April 26.
“It became apparent that there were going to be significant impacts on student instruction,” said Dana Kerr, school board president.
The new resolution will allow student-assigned instructional assistants to work 29.5 hours per week on average. Substitute teachers and all other part-time employees who are not eligible for health insurance will be allowed to work 29 hours per week on average.
Twelve part-time employees selected by building administrators will continue to work more than 30 hours per week, though they will not be offered health insurance.
The positions are: one health assistant at Stinesville Elementary School; one health assistant at Edgewood Primary School; one health assistant at Edgewood Intermediate School; one health assistant for Edgewood Junior High School; one long-term substitute teacher for Edgewood Primary School; one pathways instructional assistant/latchkey for Edgewood Intermediate School; one instructional assistant in the adolescent day treatment program for Edgewood Junior High School; one instructional assistant at The Edge alternative school; one work study coordinator at Edgewood High School; and three bus drivers.
Kerr cited the specific examples where the school corporation had problems under the original resolution.
It had to find someone to relieve student-assigned instructional assistants for half an hour a day to stay within limits. He said that would be disruptive for students and logistically challenging.
Not allowing substitute teachers to work more than three days a week, as prescribed by the original resolution, would also be disruptive to student learning when regular teachers were out for more than one week.
Kerr said it was important to maintain “continuity of instruction” by keeping the same substitute teacher as often as possible.
Health aides are often in charge of ensuring that students manage their blood sugar and other medications. It is best to keep the same ones on the floor, the school board president said.
“This is kind of a stopgap measure to help us get through the month of May,” Kerr said. “We’re hoping that more guidance will come from the IRS, then we can use that information to help guide us for the next school year.”
Originally published in Ellettsville Journal, 2013. Republished here for archival and portfolio purposes.