ECISD to consider Bonham principal

The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees will vote on hiring of a principal for Bonham Middle School following a closed session.

This is among the items on the agenda for the 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday in the first-floor board room of the ECISD administration building, 802 N. Sam Houston Ave.

The acting principal at Bonham is Juan Dominguez.

The principal, Mareka Austin, was on administrative leave but has resigned, Chief of Schools Keeley Simpson said.

Trustees also will canvas the vote from the May 7 bond election, consider the redistrict plan and possible effective date and an employee compensation plan.

Each year, ECISD’s Human Capital Department, with the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), conducts a salary maintenance study to try to ensure the compensation schedule is competitive with other school districts and local markets. Superintendent Scott Muri made five compensation recommendations to trustees during their workshop meeting Tuesday:

>> 3 percent (of midpoint) pay increase for all campus-based professionals.

>> A new starting teacher salary of $58,750. Muri said this would make ECISD one of it not the highest paying districts in the region.

In his media call last week, Muri said compensation is a key piece of recruiting and retaining highly effective team members. ECISD has focused on raising pay and improving benefits for employees, he said.

In 2018-19, teachers started at $44,500 and after the passage of the tax ratification election the starting salary was $54,250.

>> 2% (of midpoint) pay increase for all central office professionals, the board recap said.

>> 4% (of midpoint) pay increase for all hourly employees (school-based or central office), the recap said.

>> Implementing a new $15 minimum wage for hourly employees. Muri said the current minimum wage is $12.65 per hour.

Executive Director for Human Resources Staci Ashley has said the 3 percent increase affects teachers, nurses, media specialists, counselors, principals, associate principals, assistant principals and deans of students.

Those impacted by the 2 percent increase are central office administration (exempt employees) such as directors, coordinators, supervisors, specialists, executive directors, associate superintendents, chief of schools, chief financial officer, chief technology officer, administrative professionals and special education staff.

The 4 percent increase affects custodians, maintenance, school nutrition, transportation, police, technology, instructional support (aides, certified nurse assistant, Opportunity Culture Reach Associate, teacher residents and instructional facilitators.

Also, clerical support (clerks, registrars, administrative assistants, specialists and receptionists).

Additional areas of compensation for 2022-23 are the teacher incentive allotment; Opportunity Culture; working at a RISE campus (Burnet Elementary and Bowie Middle School).

There are also stipends and supplemental pay.

ECISD’s proposed $398 million bond failed May 7. Unofficial results were 61.45 percent, or 4,786 votes, against Proposition A and 38.55 percent, or 3,003 votes, in favor.

On Proposition B, 64.75 percent, or 5,043 voted against it and 35.25 percent, or 2,746, voted in favor. There were 7,826 voters out of 82,257, or 9.48 percent.

Proposition A for $215,255,000 would have included:

>> Maintenance and life-cycle repairs/replacement for school district buildings ($130,255,000). This would have been various projects for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire and life safety, and others at schools and auxiliary buildings.

It also included construction of a new $70 million Career and Technical Education Center which would include classroom and lab space for programs like welding, construction, health science, automation and process technology, HVAC, plumbing and others; estimated at 150,000 square feet; includes furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

Classroom technology upgrades for $15 million would include classroom and/or campus audio, visual and multimedia refresh or additions.

Proposition B for $183,000,000 was for a new comprehensive high school designed for 2,500 to 2,800 students. It would have covered an estimated 400,000 square feet and include furniture, fixtures and equipment.

Special presentations include the introduction of paraprofessional to teacher candidates; announcement of ECISD Memorial Scholarship recipients; and recognition of the valedictorians and salutatorians from Odessa High School, Permian High School, George H.W. Bush New Tech High School, OCTECHS and Odessa Collegiate Academy.