Hampton school boosts pay

Citing the difficulty in finding and retaining qualified individuals to fill non-teaching positions, the Hampton Board of Education moved Monday night increase pay and incentives for so-called “classified” school positions, such as administrative assistants, paraprofessionals, janitors, cooks and school bus drivers. 
First, in voting to approve Policy 4233.00, the school board shortened the time such staff members have to work for the district before qualifying for more than five days of paid vacation each year. Supt. Holly Herzberg told the board that under the current policy a classified staff member must work at least 10 years before vacation increases beyond the initial five days per year. Under the new policy a classified staff member will receive eight days of vacation in years six through eight, and additional days every few years after that. At year 20 and beyond such staff members will receive 10 days of paid vacation. 
Herzberg said the policy only impacts two staff members at this time, but she said the change was needed in order to make such jobs more attractive, since employees “are getting harder and harder to find.” 
In the next agenda item, the board considered a new pay package for classified contracts. Herzberg said the increase is commensurate with the pay raise given to certified staff members under the new contract, which amounts to a 5 percent raise. She said the increase will range from 70 cents to a dollar an hour depending on the employee’s years of experience and other factors. 
Herzberg said the increases will also include bus drivers who are in high demand. 
“It’s harder and harder to find drivers,” she said. 
“I’m watching what other schools are doing,” Herzberg said, “and we’re on the low end of things (even after the pay raises).” 
Herzberg also reminded the board that Nebraska’s new $15 per hour minimum wage is set to take effect in January of 2026. 
The classified pay package was approved in a unanimous vote. 
Also at the meeting on Monday evening, the school board approved switching the school’s financial software over to Software Unlimited which is used by the majority of the state’s schools. Herzberg said the changeover would not take place until the staff members who use it can be trained in its use, however, the change needed to be adopted in order for the training to be  scheduled.